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Robert Frost wrote, “Good fences make good neighbors,” but sometimes you are not allowed to build a fence. You don’t have to view an eyesore, though. Native plants are good for the environment and can be used to block views of something you would rather not see, reduce noise pollution, and create privacy.
Plant A Variety
When most people think of a privacy screen, they think of a tall hedge of all one species of plant. However, if one of those plants gets a disease or pest, it will quickly spread to the other plants. You can lose your whole hedge in one foul swoop. In addition to no longer providing privacy, you lose your investment in the plants.
Instead of planting all one species, planting a variety of trees, shrubs, and perennials makes the hedge more resilient to droughts, flooding, pests, diseases, and unusual cold weather. With climate change, unusual weather may kill one species of plant, but some of your hedge will survive.
Species Diversity Has Advantages
Planting a mixed privacy hedge has additional advantages. You can plant more species of native plants. This not only looks nicer, but it also provides food and shelter for more wildlife. When choosing plants for your privacy screen, choose trees, shrubs, perennials, and ground covers of different heights. This layered screen looks neat and works well.
Use larger trees as your backdrop. Between and in front of each larger tree, plant a shorter tree or shrub. Between and in front of those, plant a perennial that is shorter. Finish with a native grass or groundcover to frame the privacy screen.
Advantages of Native Plants
Native plants are usually defined as plants that grew in your area before European contact. They evolved in the region so do not need supplemental water after they are established except for a drought. They need less fertilizer since they evolved to use what is naturally available in the soil. Native plants also evolved to coexist with the diseases and pests in the area, so they require few pesticides. The wildlife in the area evolved with these plants, so you will have more wildlife in your yard.
Using native plants helps species diversity beyond just your yard. It helps provide a corridor between parks and other natural areas that wildlife can use when migrating or just finding a place to raise their young.
Avoid Invasive Plants
Invasive plants are plants that are not native to the area but grow well there. In time, these plants spread beyond one yard into parks and wild areas. Without natural enemies or diseases to stop their growth, invasive plants outcompete native plants. Species diversity crashes and everything from insects to large mammals loses food and shelter.
Most invasive plants were brought into North America by people. Many ornamental plants can be invasive. For example, European privet, Chinese silvergrass, Chinese wisteria, Japanese barberry, and burning bush are often used in privacy screens but will crowd out native plants.
Choosing Native Plants
Even though a plant is native to your area, some plants will not do well in your specific growing conditions. You will need to evaluate a native plant to see if it fits in your landscape. Many people plant trees and shrubs in places that are not large enough for the height and spread of the mature tree. They either have to remove the tree as it gets big or trim it.
Another factor to consider is how moist or dry the soil in your area is. Bog plants will not grow well in dry situations. While you can usually increase the soil moisture, plants used to dryer conditions will struggle in wet areas.
Is the prospective site in sun or shade? Some plants need full sun, especially the big trees, such as a chestnut oak. Many smaller trees and shrubs, such as redbuds, are adapted to dappled light since they naturally grow in forests. Some perennial plants are also adapted to dappled light, such as black cohosh. Other perennials prefer full sun, including many prairie plants such as purple coneflowers Layering with these plants in your privacy screen will help you have a resilient landscape.
Consider whether you want your privacy screen to work during the winter or just the growing season. Deciduous trees and shrubs drop their leaves in the fall and are bare during the winter. Including evergreen trees and shrubs will help screen your yard during the winter, too.
Tips For Success
After you decide what plants you want in your privacy screen, make sure you plant them correctly to keep the plants healthy. Here are some tips.
- Do not dig in your yard until you call your state’s utilities marking service. Hitting a pipe or cable could be expensive.
- Make sure you have water available to the spot you are planting. Even native plants need watering the first 2-3 years for trees and shrubs and 1-2 years for perennials.
- Dig the hole twice as wide as the roots of the plant. Dig it just a little deeper than the plant’s root ball.
- Planting works best with two people. One person holds the plant at the correct depth and the other person fills in the dirt.
- Do not put fertilizer in the bottom of the hole. It burns the small root hairs that the plant needs to absorb water.
- Spread out the roots in the hole before filling the hole in.
- Use the soil you dug out of the hole to fill it.
- Don’t plant your plants too close together. Crowded plants are more vulnerable to disease and do not grow as big.
- Put 2-3 inches of mulch around your new plants. Leave a three-inch space between the trunk and mulch for trees and shrubs. Mulch out to the edge of the dripline. For perennials, leave a one-inch space between the mulch and plant. Mulch conserves water, helps keep weeds from growing, and moderates soil temperature.
Finding the Ideal Location for a Natural Privacy Screen
The first step to finding your natural privacy screen location involves monitoring sunlight patterns across your property. Determine the most frequently used external-facing areas before placing your screen to shield these sections while maintaining necessary light access for windows and patios. The approach lets you keep a comfortable living space while protecting your privacy.
While planning your privacy screen placement, consider both the property lines and local laws. Positioning the screen adjacent to your property boundaries maximizes space yet requires adherence to legal restrictions. Keep utility lines and easements unobstructed to ensure they retain their required access. To prevent neighbor conflicts in restricted spaces, position the screen slightly inside the property boundary.
Topography and soil conditions matter, too. Examine water drainage patterns when your lawn has inclines during intense rainfall. Positioning a screen along natural runoff routes protects against erosion while maintaining steady moisture levels. Steer clear from low-lying areas that collect water because too much moisture threatens root stability. Screen durability improves when planted in soils with good drainage conditions because they support robust plant growth.
Wind patterns also play a role. When gusty weather frequently occurs, you should position your screen to minimize drafts and safeguard surrounding structures. Combine it with your current landscape plants to develop a multilayered configuration that stands firm against wind forces. Preserve essential views while planning your screen placement by choosing locations that protect scenic overlooks and charming architectural elements.
In your planning stage, move between your home's interior, the patio area, and the driveway vicinity to understand how the screen will appear. Maintain an equilibrium between privacy needs and design aesthetics. You need a private area that maintains openness and comfort.
Evaluate how outdoor seating features and lighting installations successfully integrate with your screen. The right screen placement can showcase a seating area or garden feature while improving functionality and aesthetic appeal. Natural screens develop over time, which makes flexibility vital because they require adjustments and pruning as they mature.
The planning process should consider microclimates and how plants will develop. Different parts of your property experience varying shade levels while others remain warmer or more arid. Place your screen in a location that matches these environmental conditions to make its maintenance easier. You can enlarge your outdoor living space over time or add elements that need partial shade or wind protection. Proper planning that considers potential changes keeps your privacy screen from blocking future landscaping concepts. This feature transforms into a versatile element that supports evolving designs by allowing extra seating areas, decorative decorations, or small walkways through plants.
Combine practical needs with aesthetic design principles. The sun's path requires examination, while property boundaries and terrain conditions need consideration. Plan for new features like water elements, additional seating, and decorative lighting. Integrating all these elements results in a space that feels both protected and inviting. The strategic placement of a living privacy barrier serves dual purposes by delivering privacy while boosting the property's aesthetic value to create a seamless connection between your outdoor area and the nearby environment.
