Thinking about Privacy
Privacy is an
important element of many home landscapes.
Here are some considerations when you are thinking about creating a more
private space.
Is the space urban or
suburban?
If your client is in an urban area, space is
the immediate issue. However, this doesn’t mean the situation is hopeless.
One option is using a vertical garden to shield your customers
from prying eyes. For homes that are surrounded by taller buildings, an arched
trellis with climbing vines can serve as a solution.
Another possible screening strategy for urban
areas is to use raised planters with thick ornamental grasses, such as feather
reed grass, which soften the barrier between your client and the outside world. We
created one such project in Morton last year.
Formal or informal?
Obviously, for customers who do have more
space, the design possibilities are much broader. Depending on the style of the
house, current landscaping and the owner’s desires, living privacy screens can
be as formal or as informal as the client prefers.
“A natural look can consist of a mix of plants
arranged in a staggered fashion,” says Debbie Friedman, principal and designer
for Bethesda
Garden Design in Bethesda, Maryland. “A formal look can be one
plant in a row or hedged.”
Older, regal-looking houses may be more suited
for a formal trimmed hedge. Privet, boxwood and Japanese barberry are common
shrub choices for the traditional privacy barrier.
When going for a natural look, layered
plantings create a vibrant texture. Mix a selection of trees, shrubs,
perennials and annuals so that there is a healthy variety. Staggered planting
of shrubs, perennials and trees make the barrier seem less harsh, but still
creates the seclusion your client wants.
Evergreen or sometimes
green?
When it comes down to the actual selection of
the plants, determine whether your client is concerned with privacy year-round
or if they don’t mind the backyard being visible in the winter.
Evergreens are the popular choice due to their
fast growth and constant foliage. Friedman advises using evergreens such as
skip laurels or Hicks yew for midsize barriers and Green Giant Arborvitae for
taller screens.
Deciduous trees have their perks as well, with
pretty blossoms in the spring and bursts of fiery colors in the fall. Small
trees such as Japanese maple and flowering dogwoods can help spread out the
base of a mixed screen.
“If a new McMansion is being built next door,
I often recommend planting a combination of pointy-topped evergreens and
wide-headed deciduous trees,” says Cathy
Carr, principal of GreenHeart Garden Designs in Silver Spring,
Maryland.
Carr also suggests Green Giant Arborvitae,
along with Cryptomeria japonica and Nellie R. Stevens Holly, as good evergreen
choices for the Zone 7 climate in which she works.
“River Birch is good for damp sites and Sugar
Maples have terrific fall foliage color,” Carr says. “Both are fast-growing.”
Plan ahead
The final thing to consider when selecting
plants for the living screen is the future size of the plant. Don’t plant
shrubs and trees closely together just to get some instant privacy. Keep their
mature sizes in mind and give them the proper space to grow, otherwise they
will crowd each other and won’t get the sunlight they need.
“You don’t want to plant a 60-foot-tall shade
tree when you only need to block the neighbor’s upstairs window that’s 20 feet
high,” Carr says. “Installing larger trees requires a major commitment to
watering, so maintenance is always important.”
Source:
Jill Odom-Total Landscape Care
