Plants for privacy screens

Could you recommend some plants for a privacy screen that are also narrow? These would be planted in front of a fence in our backyard.

Here is some general information on plants for creating a screen.

Trees for Problem Landscape Sites — Screening from Virginia Cooperative Extension

Bet on Hedges by local garden writer Valerie Easton.

Landscaping for Privacy: Innovative Ways to Turn Your Outdoor Space into a Peaceful Retreat by PNW author Marty Wingate.

Here is a list of narrow plants for a screen from local garden designer Chris
Pfeiffer: “Fastigiate shrubs for naturally narrow hedges.” Compiled by Chris
Pfeiffer. 2005.

Zones 5-6:

American arborvitae ‘Rheingold’ (Thuja occidentalis ‘Rheingold’) 5’h x
3’w

Barberry ‘Helmond Pillar’ (Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea
‘Helmond Pillar’) 6’h x 2’w

Boxwood ‘Graham Blandy’ (Buxus sempervirens ‘Graham Blandy’) 8’h x 1-1/2′
w

English yew ‘Standishii’ (Taxus baccata ‘Standishii’) 4’h x 1-1/2′ w

Irish yew (Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’) 20′ h x 4′ w

Japanese holly Jersey pinnacle (Ilex crenata ‘Jersey Pinnacle’) 6′ h x
4′ w

Japanese holly Mariesii (Ilex crenata ‘Mariesii’) 3′ h x 1-1/2′ w

Zones 7-9, in addition to the above:

Dwarf yeddo rhaphiolepis (Rhaphiolepis umbellata Gulf GreenTM) 3-4′ h x
2′ w

Heavenly bamboo ‘Gulf Stream’ (Nandina domestica ‘Gulf Stream’) 4′ h x 2′ w

Japanese euonymus ‘Green Spire’ (Euonymus japonicus ‘Green Spire’) 15′ h x
6′ w

You might also consider installing a trellis to increase the height of
the fence, and then growing an evergreen vine such as Clematis armandii,
evergreen hydrangea (Hydrangea seemanii), or star jasmine
(Trachelospermum jasminoides).

This link is also helpful (scroll down to
“Evergreen Vines” and look for appropriate height and light requirements).

You could grow bamboo, but I would recommend growing it in a container,
or a series of containers, as you do not want the roots to spread. I have
seen an effective bamboo screen between two houses growing in a long
rectangular lined wooden trough (lined with bamboo barrier). Some species
of bamboo are more tolerant of partial shade than others. Look for a
clumping, rather than a running, bamboo (like Fargesia) to be on the safe
side.

Growing Bamboo
in Georgia

Running and Clumping Bamboos

Bamboos for hedges or
tall privacy screens

Bamboo, Berberis, Buxus, Clematis, Euonymus, Hedges, Hydrangea, Ilex, Nandina domestica, Screens, Taxus baccata, Thuja, Trachelospermum

Defoliation on cedar trees

I have a golden cedar about 6 feet high. This winter many sparrows sat on the top portion while waiting their turn at the feeder. I don’t know if they ate the leaves or if their little feet knocked them off, but many of the branches are stripped and brown. Will they come back? Should I cut them out and hope that new branches will fill in the spaces? It is approximately half of the front top of the tree. Or is it time to take it out? I would prefer not to, unless it can’t be saved.

I am assuming that your golden cedar is a form of Thuja occidentalis or Thuja
plicata. It is possible the sparrows caused the damage, but there could be other
factors involved. It is difficult to tell without seeing the plant. Below are
general comments on the liabilities of Thuja occidentalis as a landscape plant,
previously available from the Ohio State University Extension website.

Winter evergreen foliage color is often an unattractive yellow-brown
very prone to bagworms and their feeding damage
very prone to branch separation under snow and ice loads
widens at its base with age, or separates into several leaning but
divergent canopies with age (this applies to both upright and rounded cultivars)
does not recover from severe pruning (where the bare stems are exposed,
although side branches may slowly envelope the dead stems)
interior foliage noticeably sheds in Autumn

The defoliation you describe might also be the work of bagworms. If the tips of
the branches are dying back, that could be a result of winter injury, drought
stress, or a fungal disease. Since I cannot diagnose the problem remotely, I
think it would be best if you brought a sample of the affected plant to a Master
Gardener Clinic. If you are in King County, this link will lead you to their website.

Thuja, Thuja plicata

plants for narrow planting areas

I am redoing the narrow planting areas (2-3′ wide) on either
side of our 20′ long entry. Garages from next door townhouses butt up
against the outer edge on each side, causing morning sun and afternoon shade on one
side, and vice versa on the other side. I have picked out some
euphorbias, heucheras, and carexes which should do well. I’m wondering
if I should have some taller, more dramatic plants to offset these and if
you have any suggestions of ones which might work. Also, any bulb ideas
would be appreciated.

Have you considered putting up trellises on one or both sides? Then you
could grow vines which require little width, but still have the
advantage of height. You could also grow taller plants (maybe some
grasses like Miscanthus or even a well-restricted–using root
barrier–Bamboo) in containers, and keep them shaped to suit the narrow
space. Some shrubs and trees are naturally narrow or fastigiate in growth
habit.

Here is a list of narrow plants compiled by local garden designer Chris
Pfeiffer, c2005. Some will be too wide for your planting area, but you
might want to research those that fit the site.

American arborvitae ‘Rheingold’ (Thuja occidentalis ‘Rheingold’) 5’h x
3′ w

Barberry ‘Helmond Pillar’ (Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea ‘Helmond
Pillar’) 6’h x 2’w

Boxwood ‘Graham Blandy’ (Buxus sempervirens ‘Graham Blandy’) 8’h x 1-1/2’w

English yew ‘Standishii’ (Taxus baccata ‘Standishii’) 4’h x 1-1/2’w

Irish yew (Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’) 20’h x 4’w

Japanese holly Jersey pinnacle (Ilex crenata ‘Jersey Pinnacle’) 6’h x
4’w

Japanese holly Mariesii (Ilex crenata ‘Mariesii) 3’h x 1-1/2’w

Dwarf yeddo rhaphiolepis (Rhaphiolepis umbellata ‘Gulf Green’) 3-4’h x
2’w

Heavenly bamboo ‘Gulf Stream’ (Nandina domestica ‘Gulf Stream’) 4’h x 2’w

Japanese euonymus ‘Green Spire’ (Euonymus japonicus ‘Green Spire’) 15’h x
6’w

There are also a good number of tall perennials you might try, such as
(for your afternoon sunny side) Helenium, Verbascum, Baptisia,
Eupatorium, and bulbous plants like Allium and Eremurus, and for your
shadier morning sun side, Macleaya, Digitalis, Filipendula ulmaria,
Anemone x hybrida, Actaea (formerly called Cimicifuga), Lilium martagon, Thalictrum, and Veronicastrum.

There are many excellent gardening books you could consult for ideas.
Since you have a small, narrow space, I highly recommend local garden
writer Marty Wingate’s book, Big Ideas for Northwest Small Gardens
(Sasquatch Books, 2003). You are welcome to visit the Miller Library,
where you can do further research and also borrow books.

On the lifespan of arborvitae trees

What is the typical life of an arborvitae tree?

Arborvitae is the common name of Thuja, usually Thuja occidentalis. As
with human beings, lifespan can only be an estimate, due to various
circumstances which affect health and longevity. Urban growing conditions
differ from those experienced by plants growing in the wild, for example.
An article in The International Journal of Plant Sciences, Vol. 153, No. 1 (March 1992) by P. E. Kelly, et al. suggests that T. occidentalis growing
on cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment in Ontario, Canada could be over 1,000 years old.

The record for this tree in the Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute
database, SelecTree, indicates that its lifespan ranges from 40 to 150
years. Columnar arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis ‘fastigiata,’ is listed as having
a lifespan of 50 to 150 years.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center provides more information on Thuja occidentalis, too. Here is an excerpt:

“In a crowded environment, this tree is slender and not well-branched. In
the open, it improves in form and density. The evergreen can be single-
or multi-trunked and columnar or conical in shape. Eastern arborvitae can
grow 40-60 ft. tall, but under cultivation will probably be no taller
than 30 ft. Branches end in flat, spreading, horizontal sprays of
fragrant, dark-green foliage which turns yellow-green or slight brown in
winter. Resinous and aromatic evergreen tree with angled, buttressed,
often branched trunk and a narrow, conical crown of short, spreading
branches.

Probably the first North American tree introduced into Europe, it was
discovered by French explorers and grown in Paris about 1536. The year
before, tea prepared from the foliage and bark, now known to be high in
vitamin C, saved the crew of Jacques Cartier from scurvy. It was named
arborvitae , Latin for tree-of-life, in 1558. The trees grow slowly and
reach an age of 400 years or more.”

An article from the May 2002 issue of the Journal of
Arboriculture lists Thuja occidentalis as a long-lived tree with a medium
growth rate. They define “long” as over 200 years. However, most
arborvitae one sees in urban landscapes would be unlikely to survive that
long, due to many variables (poor planting methods, overcrowding,
pollution, exposure to lawn chemicals, etc.).

shrubs or trees that provide privacy screens

What shrubs or trees will grow quickly to provide a privacy screen above the 6 foot fence between me and my neighbor? My back yard is only about 20 feet from house to fence, and the first 10 feet is a concrete patio.

The classic fast-growing evergreens for hedges are Thuja ‘Green Giant’ or Leyland cypress (x Cupressocyparis leylandii), but they are a bit boring and because they grow so fast (1-3 ft/yr) it can be a big chore to keep them at a reasonable height. These trees do not stop at 8 feet, but could get to 30-50 feet.

Another fast evergreen is Pyracantha (Pyracantha crenatoserrata to ~8 feet). It is a shrub, but is easily trained/pruned to grow flat. In the past Forestfarm nursery in Oregon has sold both of these, as do most large nurseries. Be aware, however, that this shrub has fierce thorns!

Various types of bamboo could be an option for a fast screen, but plants may be expensive and running bamboo species MUST have a root barrier installed.

fast-growing shrubs for privacy

I will be having a very overgrown, rarely pruned laurel removed from my back garden. It has been, if a monstrosity, an effective visual screen. The bare area that it leaves is appproximately 40′ in length, is atop a rockery, approximately 3′ high, and will look up into the neighbor’s back hillside, while they peer down at us in dismay. Can you suggest one or several fast growing, shrubby plants or suitable trees that will act as an attractive visual screen? I do not want bamboo.

Here are a few ideas:

Morella californica

Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’

Osmanthus delavayi is also a good choice, but it doesn’t get quite tall
enough–my own hedge, which is pruned at least twice a year, is about 8
feet tall, so if I really let it go, maybe it would be 10-12 feet.

Juniperus scopulorum ‘Wichita Blue’

Juniperus virginiana ‘Manhattan Blue’

Viburnum tinus

Ceanothus would also be striking, with blue flowers, but you’d need to
find the tallest possible species, and they tend to be short lived.

You could plant a mixed hedgerow, which would allow you to include some of the flowering plants you prefer. King Conservation District has more information on hedgerows.