Living Privacy Fence

[Curly032]

Hi everyone,
I am trying to create a living privacy fence out of fast growing bushes/small trees and have a few questions. First of all has anyone else done this and have suggestions for types of plants. I currently have one lonely spring glory forsythia but was planning to do a variety of plants in case they would ever get hit by a disease. Secondly does anyone have any bushes they would like to thin out or get rid of?

Thanks

 

[Lilypad]

Hi everyone,
I am trying to create a living privacy fence out of fast growing bushes/small trees and have a few questions. First of all has anyone else done this and have suggestions for types of plants. I currently have one lonely spring glory forsythia but was planning to do a variety of plants in case they would ever get hit by a disease. Secondly does anyone have any bushes they would like to thin out or get rid of?

Thanks

Only problem w/forsythia, is it sheds its leaves-go for an evergreen-hemlocks, leyland cypress, etc...
Stay away from bamboo!

 

[Curly032]

I thought about the whole shedding leaf issue but I just want some privacy in the backyard so we don't see everyone walking past the yard if we are sitting outside (we seem to be in a high traffic area). And since I am not a cold weather girl, I do not see myself sitting outside wanting my own little garden sanctuary at those times. Even if I do I think the braches will provide enough of a border (I hope).

 

[Lilypad]

I thought about the whole shedding leaf issue but I just want some privacy in the backyard so we don't see everyone walking past the yard if we are sitting outside (we seem to be in a high traffic area). And since I am not a cold weather girl, I do not see myself sitting outside wanting my own little garden sanctuary at those times. Even if I do I think the branches will provide enough of a border (I hope).

So it's not really privacy your looking for-your looking for a border?
(Forsythia are an extremely fast growing bush, up to one to two feet per year).
Maybe you might reconsider-you may need something for a noise barrier as well.

 

[baileydog]

Hi everyone,
I am trying to create a living privacy fence out of fast growing bushes/small trees and have a few questions. First of all has anyone else done this and have suggestions for types of plants. I currently have one lonely spring glory forsythia but was planning to do a variety of plants in case they would ever get hit by a disease. Secondly does anyone have any bushes they would like to thin out or get rid of?

Thanks

check pm

 

[Curly032]

Border...privacy, I think I would take anything at this point. I liked the fast growth of the forsythia which is why I planted the original plant (spring glory) and then I tried to cut off some branches and spread it that way (which worked until the tent worms ate them). I was being very patient as we have another project started in the yard but I keep dreaming of having my own little santuary to retreat to.

 

[Cowgirl]

Stay away from Leyland cypresses. They do grow extremely fast, but they are not native plants. They will get nice and huge, and then bagworms will destroy them (they always do) and you will be left with a nice wall of ugly brown trees.

Perhaps you could plant morning glories or wisteria or some sort of vine? They grow quickly, and you will have nice flowers and some privacy.

 

[BS Gal]

How about grapes? I think you'd have to have something to support them, but ???? Dukesdad knows about those.

 

[Vince]

There's a bush called mock orange. Does very well around here.

 

[Cowgirl]

There's a bush called mock orange. Does very well around here.

Isn't that the thing with the 1" long spikes? My mom had one of those...I ran into it once. uch:

 

[dorothydot]

I think the "orange" that has the honker-sized thorns is Osage Orange - their fruits look like green pickled brains. And their thorns (modified branches) will flatten tires.

Mock orange could work. Tree-wise, what about American Holly? It's evergreen, and the prickley leaves discourage trespassers. Grows medium-fast, is pretty sturdy and takes pruning pretty well.

There are also pines, but they tend to be a bit tricky sometimes, and pruning is an issue as well.

Grapes is another good suggestion, if you don't mind losing leaves in the winter, and the possibility of bees/wasps around the fallen grapes.

Wisteria is another possibility for a vine... the lady who had the house before us was a wisteria-nut. Like ivy, the stuff is!

Hope this helps,
Dot

 

[Lilypad]

Stay away from Leyland cypresses. They do grow extremely fast, but they are not native plants. They will get nice and huge, and then bagworms will destroy them (they always do) and you will be left with a nice wall of ugly brown trees.

Perhaps you could plant morning glories or wisteria or some sort of vine? They grow quickly, and you will have nice flowers and some privacy.

I agree w/you on the Leyland cypresses not being native Cowgirl. But IMHO if a person looked around their yard not much is-except yours and mine.
I'm not real clear on what Curly girl is looking for or trying to achieve??
Maybe she should take a look at the following site:

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/criticalarea/trees.html

 

[Cowgirl]

I agree w/you on the Leyland cypresses not being native Cowgirl. But IMHO if a person looked around their yard not much is-except yours and mine.
I'm not real clear on what Curly girl is looking for or trying to achieve??
Maybe she should take a look at the following site:

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/criticalarea/trees.html

I just feel bad for those who plant leylands and have them grow big and tall and die and turn brown. I just wanted to warn her. I'm not sure what she's trying to achieve either. Maybe she could put up a clothesline and hang lots of sheets.

 

[aps45819]

Stay away from bamboo!

If you're willing to make a raised bed type of border to contain the bamboo, it works very well

 

[gumby]

Where's Larry Gude when you need him.

 

[mommarock]

Stay away from Leyland cypresses. They do grow extremely fast, but they are not native plants. They will get nice and huge, and then bagworms will destroy them (they always do) and you will be left with a nice wall of ugly brown trees.

Perhaps you could plant morning glories or wisteria or some sort of vine? They grow quickly, and you will have nice flowers and some privacy.

We did the Leyland cypress and they are wonderful! You do get bag worms but if you spray it isn't too bad. We probably have 75 of them.

 

[Cowgirl]

We did the Leyland cypress and they are wonderful! You do get bag worms but if you spray it isn't too bad. We probably have 75 of them.

How long have you had them? You can hope to control them by spraying...but you can't avoid the inevitable!

 

[mommarock]

How long have you had them? You can hope to control them by spraying...but you can't avoid the inevitable!

We have had them about 5 or 6 years.

 

[Charles]

How long have you had them? You can hope to control them by spraying...but you can't avoid the inevitable!

Most of my Leyland Cypress have blown over before they had a chance to be eaten by anything. Not much of a root base but a lot of greenery to catch the wind.

Nellie Stevens Holly is great! Fast growing in full sun, easily trimmed and the holly leaves are not sharp. A very full, compact tree and has withstood stronger winds than what took down the Leylands.

 

[Curly032]

Great Suggestions

Thanks for all the great suggestions. The weekend was so beautiful I forgot all about internet land and my request for advice. And since there was some feedback for more info I will try my best to explain what I am looking for and the motivation behind it.

I recently got married (three weeks as of yesterday) and my husband's home is a corner townhome (don't banish me for being an inherited townhome owner). All of the other houses have fences and when I see them they are falling in, ugly, and grey. I am more of "natural, low maintainence ,let the earth do its thing" kinda girl. Plus fencing is expensive. So I started looking into alternatives. At the time we had a beast of a dog, but she has passed on so the issue of it being high enough (and thick enough at the ground) to keep a dog in is not longer a problem. But we still seem to be the route of choice for people to cut through. In my head, I would like to be able to sit outside around our firepit with nice lawn furniture and not feel as if I am exposed to the world. It is natural for people walking past to take notice (I cannot not fault them) but I just want a quiet, private place to sit on the nicer days. I am used to sitting on back porches in the country so my goal is to get as close to that as possible.

As for what plants I want. I really have no preference. As long at least 6ft high and bushy they will work. I also do not mind if they are a variety of plants, after all God did not plant all the same type of a tree in little lines.

I hope that helped. And thank you for all the advice/help. The website is also quite helpful.

Thanks