Plant evergreen shrubs, and you may be able to forego building a traditional wood, vinyl or metal fence.
Evergreens keep their foliage throughout every growing season, bringing a touch of greenery to your landscape all year long. And, certain types of hedge shrubs – boxwoods, yews and privets – can be trimmed to a precise shape and size, to create a natural privacy fence.
Boxwood Shrubs
The boxwood plant, or Buxus, is a dense evergreen shrub that is often used to create a formal-looking landscape fence.
Hundreds of types of boxwoods, with a variety of leaf shapes and growth forms, are commercially available. Many Utah homeowners prefer the American or English Buxus, but you can choose from a wide range of beautiful and affordable boxwood evergreen shrubs.
Boxwoods are known for their adaptability and ease of care but these hedge shrubs do need full or partial sun to thrive. Well-drained soil is also a must. When choosing boxwood plants for your hedge, keep in mind that they can be slow-growers.
Yew Shrubs
Yew shrubs, or Taxus plants, are evergreens with dark green, needle-like foliage dotted with bright red berries. Tolerant of repeated pruning, yews make for an easy-care natural fence.
Yew plants flourish in well-drained soil and full or partial sun, but these hedge shrubs can handle most growing conditions. They are also considered to be drought-resistant. Like boxwoods, yews are slow-growing plants.
Many varieties of yew evergreen shrubs are available. The Irish yew, Capitada yew and Hicks yew are three popular types that grow tall enough to provide privacy for your home.
However, if you have pets or young children, be cautious about planting yew shrubs – every part of the plant is toxic if consumed by humans or animals.
Privet Shrubs
The Lingstrom plant, or privet, is a fast-growing evergreen shrub featuring small, densely-packed leaves and bursts of white blooms. Because of the rapid growth rate, privets can be a good choice for a natural fence. However, these hedge shrubs do require frequent pruning or they can get a little wild.
Privets are among the easiest hedge shrubs to grow, as they tolerate most soil conditions and can withstand drought. Plus, privets can adapt to full sun or partial shade.
Japanese, California and Golden privets are the most popular, but other varieties are available commercially. You may want to avoid planting the Common privet, however, as it can become invasive to your landscape.
The friendly staff at Millcreek Gardens of Salt Lake City’s can offer even more tips on choosing evergreen plants for a natural privacy fence. To learn more about our Utah-friendly evergreen shrubs, stop in and see us today.