While an impressive fence does provide a welcome sense of privacy, even the nicest ones can have the unfortunate effect of shouting “keep out”. Tall, thick, and dense evergreen shrubs on the other hand, also provide that sense of solitude, but do so with a leafy-whisper.
Sounds nice, right? Here then are ten excellent tall shrubs to consider when landscaping for privacy. They range from tall to very tall, and all are easy to grow, durable, and fuss-free.
(Many plants have a wide range of zones. You might also check out this companion post for more choices. Also, many communities have height restrictions for hedges as they do for fences. It’s always a good idea to check with your city for guidelines.)
Setsugekka Camellia
Camellias make great hedges as they’re lovely year-round with the bonus of late fall into winter blooms.This one’s covered in large, semi-double, fuffly flowers in late winter. Up to 10 ft. tall and wide. Filtered sun. Zone: 7 – 10
Icee Blue® Yellow-Wood
Zone: 9 – 11
A beautiful (and nearly litter free) conifer for warm regions. Ideal for screening, but can be kept smaller with pruning. Partial to full sun. Slow up to 25 ft. tall and wide.
Chindo Sweet Viburnum
Zone: 7 – 11
Stately and impressive with dense, lustrous leaves, fragrant spring blooms, and clusters of fall berries. Wildlife magnet! Partial to full sun. Fast to 12 ft. tall and 8 ft. wide.
Emerald Colonnade® Holly
Zone: 7 – 9
An improved hybrid holly with dense, bright-green foliage that tolerates shearing. Small flower do not produce berries. Full sun. Up to 12 ft. tall and 8 ft.wide.
English Laurel
Zone: 6 – 9
Perfect for a tall, formal hedge that takes well to pruning. Fragrant flowers and fruits birds love. Tolerates salt-spray. Partial to full sun. Up to 12 ft. tall and 8 ft. wide.
Slim™ Bottlebrush
Zone: 8 – 11
A new slender bottlebrush for tight spaces with loads of blooms spring and early summer. Care free and drought tolerant. Full sun. Up to 10 ft. tall and 4 ft. wide.
Fragrant Olive
Zone: 8 – 11
You’ll buy it for the fragrant flowers, but its dense, upright form makes an outstanding choice for a delightful hedge. Partial to full sun. Up to 10 ft. tall and 8 ft. wide.
Pineapple Guava
Zone 8 – 10
Multiple, upright branching form is easily trained as a hedge, but it’s all about the edible flowers and tropical fruit, too. Full sun. Up to 15 ft. tall and wide.
Bright ‘N Tight™ Carolina Laurel
Zone: 7 – 11
Exceptionally handsome, shiny, deep green foliage that adapts well to occasional pruning to control size and form. Partial to full sun. Up to 10 ft tall and 8 ft. wide.
Red Beauty® Holly
Zone: 6 – 10
Bright red berries combined with glossy, dark green foliage. Plant a male pollenizer nearby for best berries. Partial to full sun. Up to 10 ft. tall and 5 ft. wide.
Tips for Planting a Privacy Hedge
- First identify your goals. Lots of privacy? Blocking out an eyesore? Windscreen? This will help you to choose the right size and habit.
- Decide on the style of hedge you want. Some plants have a tight, formal look while others are looser and less formal.
- Read and believe the information on the tag about eventual mature height and width!
- Plant shrubs a bit closer for a hedge than you would for a single specimen but be careful not to crowd. Ask at your local garden center for advice regarding your specific plant.
- While waiting for plants to develop, fill gaps between them with perennials, ornamental grasses or roses. You can move them later!
- Plant an extra few shrubs elsewhere on the property so that if something goes wrong with the hedge, you have a replacement that’s the same size and type.
Lead image: gardensbymonit.com
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I have a small back yard at my townhouse and want privacy from the second floor windows on the house across the easement. What trees or shrubs can you suggest for zone 8 that grow quickly and require little maintenance? There is a fence but it doesn’t block the view from those windows.
[…] plants have a wide range of zones. You might also check out this companion post for more choices. Also, many communities have height restrictions for hedges as they do for […]
I see you have the English or Carolina Laurel. I am looking for a neat, smaller laurel called Prunus Lusitanica ‘myrtifolia’ or ‘angustifoia’ or ‘pyramidalis’. Do you have these? Maybe you know where if you do not have. Appreciate any help you can provide. Loren Froehlich
Hi Loren,
Thank you for contacting us—we appreciate your interest in Monrovia plants. I apologize but Monrovia does not grow Prunus lusitanica selections. Here is a link to the Prunus species and hybrids we grow. You might try dwarf hollies like Ilex vomitoria’ Stoke’s Dwarf’, or Ilex crenata ‘Hoogendorn’ or Ilex glabra ‘Compacta’ for small neat plants.
https://plants.monrovia.com/search?w=prunus
https://plants.monrovia.com/search?w=ilex
[…] For more tips and ideas regarding hedge plants for privacy: Zone: 3 – 7 and Zone 8 – 11 […]
We live in zone 9-11, in Henderson, NV outside Las Vegas…
Like flowering bushes for planting
Are any to these evergreen shrubs, for privacy, drought tolerate? We leave for the summer (Austin, TX area) because of the intense heat. Little or no rain during the summer months. We don’t have away to add water to the area we’d like a privacy hedge. So, the plants will be “on their own” during the hot summer months.
Great ideas, my zone is 7b-8a so I’m concerned about some of these could be too delicate for here. Thanks
We have a post for zones 8 – 11! Here’s the link: http://growbeautifully.monrovia.com/10-evergreen-shrubs-for-privacy-zone-8-11/
Would be very helpful if suggestions included the midwest and northern climes, zones 5 and below. Especially avoiding the huge pines which typically overgrow a traditional yard space. Other suggestions?
There is another post for that zone which I guess you missed? Here’s the link: http://growbeautifully.monrovia.com/10-evergreen-shrubs-for-privacy-zone-3-7/
I am looking for a hedge that tolerates the shade and is fast growing and low water needs. Is there such a thing?’
I have20 ft to plant for total privacy….
need to know if they are poisonus to animal like horse dogs cats
We are in the process of updating our site to reflect this info when available (horses, though? dunno about that. Cats and dogs for sure.)
What a great timely notice on shrubs. However, they are all rather wide for my needs. I am looking for something that would be thin in width but tall. to 10 ft. Something along the lines of a vine, even, that could help cover an unsightly view of our neighbors garage and roof line. Any ideas? zone 9 Redding, northern CA.
[…] plants have a wide range of zones. You might also check out this companion post for more […]