7 Garden Privacy Plant Ideas From Professional Garden Designers
Reviewed By ROY NICOL
Roy is a Professional Gardener and Horticultural Consultant, specialising in large garden year-round maintenance and garden development. He is an RHS Master of Horticulture and uses his research in the application of no-dig methods in ornamental garden settings. Roy has been a Professional Gardener for more than six years and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, Professional Gardener's Guild and Association of Professional Landscapers (Professional Gardener).
Contributions From DANNY CLARKE
Danny Clarke ('The Black Gardener') is a British Horticulturist and Garden Designer. He is probably best known for his TV presenting roles on the BBC's Instant Gardener, his time on the ITV This Morning team and Filthy Garden SOS aired on Channel 5. He also co-directs CIC Grow 2 Know, a charitable organisation encouraging diversity in horticulture.
Flo Headlam is a Garden Designer, Writer & TV Presenter. She is currently a Designer and Presenter on BBC Garden Rescue, having previously worked in the BBC Gardeners' World team. Flo has a Diploma in Garden Design from Capel Manor and has experience working on commercial projects and community gardens.
Ann-Marie is an award-winning Garden Designer who has worked on private, commercial and charity gardens. Her experience includes work on Grade 1 and 2 listed gardens and Gold-Medal winning show gardens at RHS Chelsea. She was recently featured in Sky Arts show ‘Art Of The Garden'. In 2021, Ann-Marie published her first book, ‘My Real Garden’.
Kate Gould is an award-winning Garden Designer who has built her company, Kate Gould Gardens, over a period of more than 20 years. Kate has won 5 RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medals, including an unprecedented 3 medals for the same garden at the 2022 show. She is a member of the Society of Garden Designers and the British Association of Landscape Industries.
Though it is a given that you engage in garden activities with an expectation of privacy, increased restrictions on movement coupled with rising population density mean that you spend more time in your garden but with more breaches of your privacy.
In an age when British lifestyles are gradually undergoing permanent adaptation and alteration, a garden doubles as both a sanctuary and as ‘The Great Outdoors’.
We lay out seven planting solutions to improve garden privacy with a total focus on year-round privacy.
Each of several of our general solutions contains within it three or four options or sub-ideas.
We are quite sure that you will find at least a couple of solutions that you will go for.
1) Fast-Growing, Evergreen Trees
The first solution that comes to mind when one thinks about garden privacy is – of course – trees.
“I love trees and they are great for screening,” shares Danny Clarke, acclaimed Garden Designer, also known as The Black Gardener.
“People tend to be frightened of them because they think they’ll be high maintenance or expensive (if they need to hire a tree surgeon), but there is a tree for every situation.
“Trees, when strategically placed, can give you the privacy you want in a garden and are also great for the environment.
“They bring down carbon from the atmosphere and lock it back into the earth where it belongs.”
When you choose trees for the express purpose of improving garden privacy, the two primary selection criteria have to be rate of growth and foliage.
Ornamental value ranks (a distant) third.
The tree should grow at a brisk rate and boast evergreen foliage.
However, the tree also has to be of a type that is pest-resistant and disease-free, and whose wood is of good quality, i.e. will not be prone to rot or snap off in high winds.
“Trees are a really good plant for privacy,” adds Flo Headlam, a Garden Designer & Tv Personolaity.
“Check the height and spread of any plant before growing and consider what type of tree you want as well as what you want to block out.”
As Flo says, you will want a tree of the right height as well – Leyland Cypress is a common choice but one you may consider being overused.1Russ, K. (2022, March 8). Leyland Cypress Alternatives. Home & Garden Information Center | Clemson University, South Carolina. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/leyland-cypress-alternatives/
“This tree has caused countless problems between neighbours as it can grow relatively quickly up to 20m, which is beyond a normal hedge height of 2-3m,” says Master Horticulturist Roy Nicol.
“It also does not regrow from old wood, so when cut back hard, it does not re-green and stays an unattractive brown.”
Green Giant Arborvitae aka Thuja Green Giant is a very dense evergreen with needle-like leaves of a brilliant green hue.
This drought-tolerant tree forms a natural screen.
See this list for more fast-growing tree ideas.
2) Privacy Hedges Or Living Walls
“Obviously, you’ve got your pleached trees that will go all the way around a garden, but you can just put a large multi-stemmed shrub around your seating area so you’re not literally enclosing yourself in all the way around your garden boundaries,” says Ann-Marie Powell, Garden Designer.
Privacy hedges are often called ‘living walls’ and are the ‘standard’ garden privacy solution.
But, let’s face it, far too many hedges are simply functional and do not deliver any decorative value.
Other popular hedges, such as Forsythia, lose their leaves in the winter.
Privet Hedge
Privet Hedge is the default favourite and this is one hedge that deserves its reputation.
It is evergreen in most regions of the UK, is easy to shape, and has sparkling rich green foliage.2Wild privet. (n.d.). The Wildlife Trusts. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/trees-and-shrubs/wild-privet
Varieties include Green or Common Privet, Wild Privet, Golden Privet, and North Privet.
In summer they bear clusters of fragrant white flowers, adding to their beauty.
Thuja Green Giant (Again!)
Though Green Giant Arborvitae aka Thuja Green Giant is actually a tree, this evergreen conifer can readily be pruned and shaped to make a great privacy hedge.
It is disease-resistant, low maintenance, and tough.
It emits a very refreshing woodsy scent.
Nellie R. Stevens Holly
Greatly ‘upping’ the ante from an ornamental perspective is Nellie R. Stevens Holly.
This so-called ‘Holly’ is actually a hybrid evergreen shrub that can be purchased in tree form or bush form.
In bush form, with a bit of help from you, it will grow into a marvellously ornamental privacy screen that will produce clusters of creamy flowers in autumn and bright red berries in winter.
“This tree is appreciated by wildlife, with birds using it as shelter and enjoying the red berries,” says Roy.
3) Climbers On Fencing
A privacy screen that is as perfectly functional as it is pleasingly decorative can be achieved by installing high wire fencing and growing several (or many) climbers over it.
“With adequate space, Clematis armandii can cover a fence or trellis over 5m high and is evergreen with fragrant star-shaped white flowers in the spring,” adds Roy.
First, we should note that though Hydrangeas may seem like a top option, they are not good choices because the hardy varieties are deciduous and the evergreen ones are not hardy.
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) is evergreen in most parts of the United Kingdom (or semi-evergreen in the coldest areas).
This is a vigorous climber with intensely green foliage.
It bears fragrant white and yellow flowers in the summer, turning into shiny black berries in autumn.
Rosa banksiae
Rosa banksiae is a yellow or cream flowered rambling rose with brilliant foliage; it will cover a large area and is evergreen in milder areas.
Clematis
Excellent choices include evergreen cultivars ‘Ben’s Beauty’, ‘Enham Star’, ‘Freckles’, ‘Apple Blossom’, and ‘Wisley Cream’.
All have attractive foliage and bear flowers, including coloured, scented, or winter blooms.
Euonymus forunei ‘Coloratus’
For a pure foliage play, try Euonymus fortunei ‘Coloratus’ or Purple Wintercreeper.
Although technically a trailing creeper, it will happily climb any vertical surface and form a lush wall of deep, brilliant green leaves that provide autumn and winter interest as they change colour to reds and purples.
English Ivy
And then, of course, there’s English Ivy, which needs no introduction.
4) Tall Ferns
You may already have good garden privacy but are worried about a few trouble spots or gaps that you need to plug.
An unusual and eye-catching way of doing so is with tall ferns.
Most tall ferns are either deciduous or frost-tender, and all require at least some shade.
Ostrich Fern
If you can live with a ‘screening fern’ that is deciduous but is remarkably pretty, fully hardy, and attains a height of about 1.5m, go with RHS Award of Garden Merit recipient Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris, often known as Shuttlecock Fern).3Matteuccia struthiopteris | shuttlecock fern. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/10920/matteuccia-struthiopteris/details
Sword Fern
That out of the way, there is one big fern that offers year-round greenery and is hardy to boot – be introduced to Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum), also an RHS Award of Garden Merit recipient.
This very sizeable fern attains an eventual height of 1.25m with a spread to match. However, it does not grow very fast.
The workaround is to buy a young but good-sized plant and hire professionals to transplant it in a raised bed.
Sword Fern has attractive foliage – pinnate, deeply divided leaves that are a bright green; that classic ‘leafy green’ hue.
Add to that its rounded form, and we have an architectural plant that – besides filling in that problem gap – will display wonderfully well, especially in twos or threes.
5) A Grove Of Bamboo
“Bamboo is a good one for privacy and screening, but you have to be careful to plant a clump-forming type as opposed to bamboo that is going to run,” says Flo.
“You can plant them in containers and place them strategically.”
However, most bamboo varieties are too tall or bear their foliage too high to be effective privacy screens.
Moreover, they are either not cold-hardy, are invasive, or both!
Luckily, there is a heaven-sent: ‘Heavenly Bamboo’ and its cultivars.
Heavenly Bamboo
The evergreen shrub Nandina domestica with a bamboo-like habit, Heavenly Bamboo varieties have exciting foliage in shades of green, orange, and red.
Moreover, they bear attractive small white flowers and glistening red berries.
There’s also a less ornamental but equally effective alternative:
Umbrella Bamboo
RHS Award of Garden Merit recipient Umbrella Bamboo (Fargesia murielae) is a cold-hardy, clumping variety that is very bushy and fans out.
Between 3-4m tall, it can spread to over one metre. This bamboo’s non-invasive nature must rate as a bonus.
“Plants like bamboo are good for privacy if you need your plants to come around corners or wrap around a wall,” shares Garden Designer Kate Gould.
The narrow leaves are a lovely light, bright tone of green.
This species is tough and robust but it will delight you by rustling and swaying in the breeze.
“An equally good alternative is Fargesia nitida, which is also a clump-forming rather than running type of bamboo, with some beautifully coloured cultivars,” Roy says.
Any of these species can be used to plug a gap or to make a privacy screen.
6) Brick Wall With Integrated Planters, Pegs & Hooks
A neat and tidy brick boundary wall that is a mere 1.5m high, provided it is constructed right, will improve your garden privacy plus provide decorative options and afford much flexibility.
You’ll need to build in projecting pegs or hooks, and planters, either integrated into the parapet or as attachments projecting from the top of the wall.
Pegs/hooks and planters should alternate with one another and be spaced about 50cm apart. (You could opt for only pegs/hooks or planters, of course.)
The pegs or hooks should have an upward curve. Hang large baskets with the shortest of chains on the pegs/hooks.
Now in these baskets and the planters put such plants which are dense and whose forms are informally called ‘cascading’ or ‘spilling.’
You’ll want hardy evergreen flowering types, and there are a few great candidates: Philotheca ‘Cascade of Stars,’ various P. ‘WaxFlower’ varieties, Aubrieta ‘Silver Edge’, A. ‘Doctor Mules’, A. ‘Cascade’ varieties, and Aurinia saxatilis.
They will make for the most florally ornamental of privacy screens.
Tip: Instead of growing plants directly into the integrated planters, put removable planters in them. Then you can quickly and conveniently switch out and switch in plants.
7) Trellis Planters & Vines
“Using a trellis with climbers on it is another one that can work for privacy, depending on how high and the level of screening you want,” says Flo.
“Growing something beautiful and scented and colourful can also do the trick.”
Two or three tactically-positioned large trellis planters covered with a dense climber will make you an ornamental screen that is hard to beat for prettiness and is also portable and adjustable.
Trellis planters are available in a variety of materials, styles, and finishes.
They are up to 1.5m high which will go up to 2m with the right climbing vine trained over it.
Trellis planters are ideal for screening daybeds, trampolines, and the like: when the daybed or trampoline needs to be moved, its screening trellis planter can be moved with it!
There are innumerable tender annual vines that are highly decorative; for example, varieties of Nasturtiums and Mandevilla which bear beautiful, fragrant flowers, and ornamental gourd vines.
However, annual and deciduous vines will mean you lose your privacy protection after autumn.
Evergreen climbing vines will guard your privacy even in winter – wouldn’t your family members like to work out or relax in the garden on a warm winter afternoon?
Akebia quinata or Chocolate Vine, also available in varieties ‘Shirobana’ and ‘Cream Flowered’ are semi-evergreen climbers that will be evergreen in many regions of the UK.
The foliage varies somewhat between these three varieties but it is very pretty in each.
What’s supremely pretty are the strongly-scented unusual flowers and fruit that Akebias produce.
And Combinations Galore
The privacy-improving solutions spelt out above are amenable to supplementary and complementary combinations that will significantly improve your privacy, while at the same time adding to your garden’s charm and beauty – whilst also providing convenience.
“”It’s a case of thinking about garden compartments in your space and you can screen with large shrubs, small trees, tripods with climbers on them, so you can compartmentalise those areas where you really feel like you’re overlooked,” says Ann-Marie.
A couple of tall ferns could go in each of two front-side corners.
A side boundary could be protected with simple wire fencing with a flowering climber.
Evergreen trees on a northern boundary would also provide shelter from the North Wind.
Moveable trellis planters would be very handy to fill in awkward gaps anywhere.
Or you could simply enclose your garden by mixing and matching the many types and kinds of evergreens mentioned above.
