Ahh, privacy. Some of us don’t have the luxury of living in our own homes without having to worry about what our neighbors are doing. In some cases, we may even have a nosy neighbor or two peering into our own backyards. Sometimes the trees that line our streets block some of the sunlight; sometimes we might need a bit more cover to prevent prying eyes. Privacy in the backyard can be very important to have and is often overlooked when you’re planning your garden as a whole.
If you’re looking for privacy from neighbors and their prying eyes, here are 12 backyard plants that can help cut down on visibility:
Boxwood
Boxwoods are evergreen shrubs that grow in a box shape, making them ideal for hedges or borders. They can be trimmed and shaped into any shape, but it’s often best to let them grow naturally. Boxwoods prefer cool weather and need to be pruned every year in early spring.
Clumping bamboo
Bamboo is an Asian grass that is fast-growing, requiring little maintenance once established. Bamboo grows well in full sun or partial shade and can be used as a hedge or screen.
It also works well as a privacy screen because it grows quickly and thickly, creating a dense barrier that keeps out unwanted visitors while allowing light into your yard. The only maintenance required is periodic cutting back of new shoots to control height and spread.
Holly
Holly is a great plant for hedges because it grows quickly and has bright green leaves that turn red in the fall and winter months. The only downside to holly is that it doesn’t like hot temperatures or dry soil so it needs regular water throughout the summer months to stay healthy and strong.
Privet
Privet shrubs have dark green leaves that turn purple during the winter months, which makes them perfect for hedges because they provide color year-round! Privet hedges also grow quickly so if you want a quick fix, this is a good option for privacy hedges.
English Ivy
English ivy (Hedera helix) is a perennial vine that grows quickly. It’s considered invasive in some areas, but it’s easy to control in others. This plant can grow up walls or trellises and cover them completely with its leaves and vines in just a few years. It also produces small white flowers that attract bees.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a perennial herb that grows best in full sun and well-drained soil. It can grow up to 3 feet tall, but you can prune it back if needed. This plant has beautiful blue flowers, but it’s also known for its aroma, which makes it perfect for use as an edible herb. You might also see this plant used in potpourri or as an ornamental border because of its attractive leaves.
Japanese Barberry
Japanese barberry is another popular choice for providing privacy from neighbors because it grows rapidly and requires little maintenance beyond occasional pruning and trimming back after it reaches maturity (around three years). It has pinkish-red berries in autumn, which birds love to eat.
American holly (Ilex opaca)
The American holly is a beautiful, broad-leaved evergreen that can grow to be up to 30 feet tall. It has an upright, rounded shape and makes an excellent choice for privacy screens.
The only real downside is that it’s not very cold-hardy and won’t survive temperatures below 20 degrees F.
Leyland cypress tree (Cupressus x leylandii)
This fast-growing evergreen is another great option for providing privacy for neighbors. It has dark-green needles that turn a golden brown in the winter and requires very little maintenance.
However, it can grow up to 50 feet tall, so you’ll want to make sure you have enough space in your yard before planting one of these trees.
Bigleaf hydrangea
The bigleaf hydrangea is a good choice for areas that are prone to high winds, as it’s known to be extremely wind tolerant. It grows best in full sun or partial shade and requires regular watering. This plant is deciduous and has large, glossy leaves that turn red in autumn. The flowers are white and appear in late summer.
Euonymus
The euonymus plant is valued for its hardiness, tolerance of poor soil conditions and low-maintenance requirements. It can be used as a hedge or as a border plant around patio areas or walkways. Because there are many varieties available, you can choose one with variegated foliage if desired.
Euonymus prefers full sun or partial shade and thrives in moist but well-drained soil. It’s also resistant to most pests and diseases so it doesn’t require much maintenance aside from occasional pruning if needed.
Hicks yew (Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’)
The Hicks yew is a small, evergreen shrub that grows to only about 6 feet tall. It has dark green leaves and tiny white flowers in the spring. The species name “media” means “middle,” which refers to how this plant falls between two other yews in its appearance.
The Hicks yew is easy to grow in any type of soil and can be used as a hedge or privacy screen. It does well in shade or sun but does not tolerate extreme temperatures well.
Arborvitae
The arborvitae is another evergreen that provides excellent privacy from neighbors and passersby. This tree can grow up to 60 feet tall with a similar spread, so it will need space to grow when planted near your house or property line. Arborvitae trees also have an upright habit when young, but become more rounded as they age.
Their dark green foliage stays on the tree year-round and provides good coverage for birds who like to nest there during the winter months.
Star jasmine
Star jasmine is a fast-growing vine that will grow over an arbor or pergola. The vines can reach 20 feet long and the flowers are fragrant. It’s best to plant this in a sunny spot so it can grow as a vine, but it will also thrive in partial shade.
Lady palm (Rhapis excelsa)
The lady palm is another fast-growing vine that’s easy to care for and grows well indoors or outdoors. The lady palm is known for its broad leaves and large clusters of white flowers in spring. You can also prune the leaves into different shapes if you want to add some variety to your garden space.
Star jasmine
Star jasmine is a fast-growing vine that will grow over an arbor or pergola. The vines can reach 20 feet long and the flowers are fragrant. It’s best to plant this in a sunny spot so it can grow as a vine, but it will also thrive in partial shade.
Lady palm (Rhapis excelsa)
The lady palm is another fast-growing vine that’s easy to care for and grows well indoors or outdoors. The lady palm is known for its broad leaves and large clusters of white flowers in spring. You can also prune the leaves into different shapes if you want to add some variety to your garden space
North privet (Ligustrum x ibolium)
North privet is another evergreen shrub that works well as a privacy screen because it grows quickly, up to three feet per year. The leaves are glossy and turn bright red in fall for added color interest.
Conclusion
The key to privacy in your yard is to plant tall plants that block whatever you don’t want people to see. In the greater scheme of things, though, the ideal plant for your backyard is one that not only looks good and acts as a privacy screen but also fits in with your overall design aesthetic. The kind of garden you have will make a difference too; if you’re going for a modern, minimalistic vibe, for example, you won’t want towering plants taking up space on your property.
