We all enjoy privacy around our homes. Even if you’re best friends with your neighbor, you don’t always want to wave at them each morning. Whether you have a property tucked way back in the forest with a next-door neighbor that looks right down on your deck or a postage stamp size lot that could be a jewel if you just had a screen between you and the next property, there are techniques designers use to make your home a private oasis.
Many people only think of plants that remain evergreen when they need screening. However, if you use one-third deciduous plants to two-thirds broadleaf evergreens they will weave together and you won’t be able to tell where one leaves off and another begins. This makes mature hedges secure borders, especially if you throw a few barberries or other prickly plants into the mix. You’ll also get seasonal interest with fall color and berries for wildlife.
Narrow spaces can be challenging when you need to screen the house next door. If there’s not room for a big, evergreen tree or hedge to solve the problem. One way is to use plants that can be espaliered against a fence or trellis. Some plants like azara microphylla naturally grow flat without much coaxing on your part. This small dainty tree is fast growing and reaches 15-25 feet tall. The yellow flower clusters will fill your garden with the scent of white chocolate in late winter. They are ideal between structures. I’ve used the variegated version to screen a shower and it’s working great.
Another small tree, the Compact Carolina cherry laurel can be espaliered also in a narrow space if needed. It grows 10 feet tall, but that may be all you need to screen the neighbor. They are drought tolerant once established, deer resistant and the perfect host for birds, bees and butterflies. The leaves smell like cherries when crushed which gives this plant its common name.
Other small trees that make a good screen are purple hopseed, and leptospermum “Dark Shadows.” Both have beautiful burgundy foliage. California natives that can be espaliered against a fence include Santa Cruz Island ironwood, Western redbud, mountain mahogany, toyon, pink flowering currant, Oregon grape and spicebush.
Variegated Mint Bush (Prostanthera ovalifolia “Variegate”) is another shrub to consider for a living hedge. Creating pleasing plant combinations is a big part of gardening and this one would look great alongside a Fringe Flower of either color. Allow each plant to interweave and grow together. The Mint Bush will grow 4-6 feet tall and 3-5 feet high. The foliage smells very strongly like mint so deer avoid this shrub, too.
If you have a wider space to grow screening plants, one of my favorites is Pacific wax myrtle. This California native grows quickly to 30 feet tall with glossy, rich forest green leaves. Its dense branches make a nice visual and noise screen for just about anything or anybody. I’ve never used the subtle spicy leaves for flavoring sauces but I might try it next time a recipe calls for bay leaves. Best of all, the fragrant waxy purplish brown fruits attract many kinds of birds.
Italian buckthorn is another evergreen screening shrub to consider. It reaches about 15 feet tall by 6-8 feet wide and has low water needs. It can grow 2-3 feet in its first few years making a quick screen. There’s a variegated version with stunning foliage that looks awesome mixed with the green variety in a hedge.
Another favorite hedge plant, the California coffeeberry grows 6-8 feet tall and gets by with very little summer water once established. Birds love the berries.
I also like osmanthus fragrans and choisya for a screen both with a sweet scent and pittosporum “Marjorie Channon” or “Silver Sheen” with their showy variegated foliage.
To keep down maintenance, mulch around your plants and install drip irrigation. There won’t be any pruning to do if you choose plants that grow to the height you want. Mixed hedges appeal to bees, butterflies and songbirds while also providing flowers, berries and color throughout the year for you to enjoy.
How close should you plant a mixed hedge? Depending on the mature size of the plant, spacing could be from 3-5 feet apart, if you want a quick, thick screen. This gives them room to breathe and develop their own shapes. Fast-growing plants can be spaced 5-6 feet apart or more and will usually fill in within 5 years.
Provide the best growing environment for the fastest results. By this I mean amending the soil at planting time if your soil is not very fertile. Cover the soil with mulch and fertilize with compost or organic fertilizer. Watering deeply when needed especially during the first three years after planting when young plants put on a lot of growth. Formal hedges are fine for some gardens but think of all the added benefits you’ll get planting a mixed hedge.
If it’s just not practical to screen the perimeter of your property, redirect your line of sight to keep attention focused on the garden instead of on the landscape beyond. A recirculating fountain as simple as an urn spilling onto cobbles at the base can disguise noise and become the focal point. There are lots of ways to add privacy to your home.
Jan Nelson, a landscape designer and California-certified nursery professional, will answer questions about gardening in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Email her at ja******@ao*.com, or visit jannelsonlandscapedesign.com.
