Top 7 Privacy Shrubs

Top 7 Privacy Shrubs

Top 7 Privacy Shrubs

 

Looking to create a little more privacy in the coming year? Well, there are a lot of things that you can plant to keep you out of sight. Here is a variety to pick from. Some have beautiful foliage, others come with lots of blossoms. Just take your pick–all will add beauty and privacy to your yard.

 

1. Arborvitae 

 

Emerald Green

 

Size: 15 feet high, 4 feet wide

 

Growth: Moderate

 

Zones: 4-9

 

Tall and lush, they have dark green foliage throughout the year. They like full sun but will be happy with partial shade, and they do well in most types of soil. Plant as a border or screen, or along the house or garage. Add beauty and color to your yard 12 months out of the year.

 

Green Giant

 

Size: 50 feet high, 12 feet wide

 

Growth: Fast

 

Zones: 5-8

 

This easy-to-care-for variety is much bigger than the Emerald Green, and its vibrant green foliage lasts throughout the year. It likes a lot of sun but isn’t too fussy about the type of soil. Plant it and you will soon have a screen that blocks the wind along with the view of your neighbors. A great addition to large yards.

 

2. Azalea

 

Electric Lights Double Pink Azalea

 

Size: 7 feet high, 5 feet wide

 

Growth: Slow to Medium

 

Zones: 4-7

 

If you are looking for some color, try Electric Lights Double Pink Azalea. It is larger than most azaleas, and it is easy to please, just give it full to partial sun and well-drained soil and it will reward you with beautiful pink blooms that will bring pollinators to your yard all day long. Plant these around your patio or along the border of your property and you will be pleased with the compliments you get from your neighbors.

 

3. Crape Myrtle

 

Dynamite Crape Myrtle

 

Size: 20 feet high and 15 feet wide

 

Growth: Medium to fast

 

Zones: 6-9

 

For a dynamite color display, plant this fast-growing crape myrtle in a sunny, well-drained location. It will give you brilliant red flowers with a deep green background. Surround your patio and enjoy the color and the pollinators that these will bring. You will also enjoy the leaves when they turn orange in the fall and don’t forget the mottled gray and brown bark once the leaves drop. The Dynamite Crape Myrtle will give you both color and privacy–a great combination

 

Sioux Crape Myrtle

 

Size: 10 feet high and 5 feet wide

 

Growth: Moderate

 

Zones: 6-9

 

You will be blessed with beautiful pink flowers throughout the summer after you add these to your landscape. They love sun and well-drained soil and will quickly form a wall of color in your yard. In the fall, the deep green leaves will transform to red and purple. As winter approaches, you will notice the bark peeling a little, showing off more subtle browns and grays. This hardy, easy-to-maintain crape myrtle will be a great addition to your yard.

 

4. Dogwood

 

Grey Twig

 

Size: 15 feet high and 15 feet wide

 

Growth: Moderate

 

Zones: 2-8

 

This dogwood variety is not picky at all when it comes to sun and soil. It will be happy just about anywhere you want to put it. It is one of the hardiest varieties on the market. It will make a colorful privacy screen, full of color year-round. Red branches in the spring, white blossoms, and green foliage through the summer, then burgundy in the fall. Plant it and shape it to provide you with privacy wherever you want it.

 

Ivory Halo

 

Size: 6 feet high and 6 feet wide

 

Growth: Fast

 

Zones: 3-7

 

The variegated white and olive-colored leaves are simply stunning, and this variety will be happy just about wherever you put it–full sun, partial shade, and pretty much any type of soil will keep it happy. In addition to the summer color, be prepared for the white berries in the fall before the leaves turn a dark reddish purple. But wait, once the leaves fall, you will have the scarlet-colored bark on the trunk and branches to enjoy. Plant these for privacy and you will get to enjoy the color bonanza through all four seasons.

 

5. Hydrangea

 

Limelight

 

Size: 8 feet high and 8 feet wide

 

Growth: Medium

 

Zones: 3-9

 

You will enjoy the giant clusters of blossoms that will adorn your Limelight Hydrangea. It is happy with either full or partial sun and won’t complain about the soil you have for it. The blooms start as a light green, which changes to white, followed by pink, mauve, burgundy, and buff. Both easy to care for and a reliable bloomer, it won’t take a lot of work to keep it growing and provide you with all of the privacy that you could want.

 

Quick Fire

 

Size: 5 feet high and 5 feet wide

 

Growth: Medium

 

Zones: 3-8

 

A little smaller than the previous, Quick Fire Hydrangea will do nicely as a hedge or screen. It won’t take it long to fill in and it will be easy to care for as well. Plant it in well-drained soil with either full sun or partial, and it will thank you with plenty of white and pink blossoms throughout the summer. If you live where it is cold or have long dry spells, don’t worry because this variety does well in both conditions. Trim it once a year, and you will have a beautiful privacy hedge that is overloaded with color.

 

6. Holly

 

Blue Princess (f) and Blue Prince (m)

 

Size: 15 feet high and 10 feet wide

 

Growth: Medium

 

Zones: 5-9

 

While these hollies don’t produce stunning displays of color, their dark bluish-green foliage with white spring blossoms and brilliant red fall berries will please your eyes. You need both male and female for them to produce berries, but since you are wanting a hedge or screen, you will need plenty of these. They are happiest in full sun, but won’t complain about a little shade as long as you plant them in well-drained soil. Both pollinators and songbirds will love you for adding Blue Princess and Blue Prince Hollies to your yard.

 

Nellie Stevens

 

Size: 25 feet high and 12 feet wide

 

Growth: Medium to Fast

 

Zones: 6-9

 

Like most hollies, the Nellie Stevens will give you white blossoms in the spring with crimson berries in the fall, with a lovely background of dark green leaves. They are happy in full sun to partial shade, and they really love well-drained soil. These will grow up to 3 feet per year, so you won’t have to wait long for yours to grow into a nice privacy hedge that will be loved by birds and pollinators. With its flowers, berries, and glossy green leaves, this hardy addition to your yard will please your eye during the entire year.

 

7. Lilac

 

Common Purple

 

Size: 10 feet high and 10 feet wide

 

Growth: Moderate

 

Zones: 3-7

 

There is nothing common about the Common Purple Lilac. Few flowers top the fragrance of a lilac in bloom, and Common Purple is one of the most fragrant lilacs. It loves full sun but is very forgiving when it comes to soil. It will draw pollinators from far and wide when in bloom, so not only will you be able to enjoy the many clusters of purple blooms, but you will love the butterflies that they attract and if you are lucky, you might even get to see a hummingbird or two flitting from cluster to cluster. When not blooming, you will have deep green leaves to enjoy, and don’t worry, they don’t require much maintenance. 

 

Madame Lemoine Lilac

 

Size: 12 feet high and 10 feet wide

 

Growth: Moderate

 

Zones: 3-7

 

Need to add a little bit of white along with a great smell to your yard? Add a privacy hedge or screen of Madame Lemoine Lilacs. This variety likes to enjoy a full day’s worth of sun but will be happy with most soils as long as it drains well. The brilliant fragrance will draw pollinators from all around, and you will get to enjoy the blooms with them for a full month. Once the blossoms fade, you will have beautiful deep green leaves to enjoy till fall. This easy-to-care-for variety is cold hardy and requires little work. Add them to your yard because of their visual beauty, their lovely fragrance, and the privacy that they will give you and your family.

 

Added Privacy with Plenty of Color

As you plan for spring planting, you have plenty of ways to add a little privacy to your yard. While these aren’t the only choices for a hedge or screen, they all will add color to your landscaping, with both foliage and blooms, and don’t forget the additional pleasure you will get from watching all the birds and butterflies they will also bring to your yard.