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Design Dilemma Gardens

Planting Privacy needed for backyard

5 years ago

Hi
I’m a novice gardener and I’m wanting to create as much privacy as possible, as you can see from the photo my backyard is overlooked.
I have a Passion flower climber that I need to reposition and place so it grows along the top on left side fence. But have you guys got suggestions on what I can grow?
The patio is south facing, so directly against the fence receives some shade. As house is on the end it’s an exposed site.
Wondering about small trees or climbers. I don’t want ivy. I like lush English garden style plants, rather than tropical.
Don’t want to add anything like a pergola.
Any suggestions appreciated.
Thanks

Featured Answer

Jonathan

5 years ago

And with a bamboo you have the nuisance of giant pandas in the garden too.

Comments (14)

Jonathan
5 years ago
These are standard Portuguese Laurel. These give an additional 3’ of screening above the fence and are evergreen.
Photinias or Ilex are also options
Jonathan
5 years ago
Also you could put some trellis on top of this fence
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verdigrisjane
5 years ago
It looks as if the fence is about 1 metre above the raised bed. You could plant a row of Nandina domestica which is an evergreen shrub with all year round interest and it grows to about 2 metres high and has a span of about 1.5 metres. It isn’t a bamboo but is nicknamed Heavenly Bamboo because of the leaf similarity. It is an easy shrub to look after.Another good way to create privacy in the summer would be to have a larger table to support a good size parasol. This works well in my garden which is overlooked. The previous posting of lollipop pruning would also work well. You will need to make sure the roots of anything large you plant don’t dry out in the summer as raised beds tend to be well drained. Good luck and enjoy!
Emily
5 years ago
Nice ferns. Since you’ve got raised beds whatever you choose has got a head start and if you wanted something like Jonathons Portuguese Laurel the plants wouldn’t have to be so mature and so cheaper. But tbh I think something with more seasonal interest would be what I would want. But something in between might be an evergreen honeysuckle on wire in timber frame?
Emily
5 years ago
Or staghorn sumac could do quite well with shallow roots in the raised beds. Year round interest and would suit the underplanting you like. Maybe two staghorns either side and a climber in the middle and some bulbs planted between the ferns? Spring tulips etc early summer alliums late summer crocosmia and some autumn nerines?
peachypear
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks so much, enjoyed reading the suggestions. Particularly like the look of stags horn, I just have to investigate height, as I think it can grow rather big.
Thanks again.
mattweeksdj
5 years ago
Bamboo? They can grow about 12ft with time
Liz
5 years ago
Creating a semi covered area would give more privacy especially from being overlooked.
Emmanuelle
5 years ago
I would warn against the staghorn sumacs. In spite of the beautiful canopies, these trees are pest! You just cannot get rid of them easily, and sprout new shoots everywhere , including in neighbouring gardens. They sprout even more when you prune/cut them , as a defence mechanism. We had 4, and cut 3... it took hard graft to get rid of the 3!! Still sprouting everywhere because of their root systems still ‘alive’!
Emily
5 years ago
Garden rescue is my favourite program at the moment and the Rich brothers just used three staghorn sumacs in a garden and they looked fab. I thought they would manage well in the raised beds with their shallow roots. I know they do sucker but I’ve had them in many gardens and never had an issue. Peachypear many of them only get to three metres high and my philosophy regarding trees is loppers and pruning saw are my best friends.
verdigrisjane
5 years ago
I don’t know if the idea bamboo came from my posting, but Nandina domestica is not a bamboo. Before I retired I was a garden designer and Nandina domestica (not the smaller varieties, but the species shrub) was much loved by clients.
PRO
Garden Design Guru
5 years ago
You could train Hawthorn almost any way you want to and it will respond well to cutting back. You could also have Honeysuckle growing it it. I think that's about as 'English' as it gets!
fionaoneill
5 years ago
Evergreen jasmine, beautiful scented climber, not thorny or difficult to prune...photinia, and a few columnar cedar , all easy to keep and will like free draining soil.

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