Plants For Privacy

Between nosy neighbours and pedestrians peeping over the fence, enjoying your space uninterrupted can sometimes be a challenge. If that rings true, it’s time to start using plants to your advantage. Screening plants are the ideal way to create a private sanctuary while beautifying your space with vertical greenery. From hedges to trellises and strategically placed trees, there are numerous ways to reclaim your home and garden from prying eyes. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking.

Pittosporum

Pittosporums are popular privacy plants, being tall, dense and fast growing, with attractive silvery foliage. Pittosporum Silver Sheen is great as a hedge around the edge of a property, where it requires minimal maintenance. If a formal look is desired, it can be pruned into shape.

Tiger Grass

Tiger Grass is a great alternative to bamboo, giving a similar look while actually being a type of perennial grass. It can be planted in a blended mass with tropical plants, in containers, as a feature or as a fantastic screening hedge. Given plenty of water, it loves hot conditions, and is happy in sun or part shade. It can cope with short periods of frost.

Ceanothus

Ceanothus is a dense, bushy shrub with glossy evergreen foliage and attractive blue flowers. While some varieties are low growing, others are tall enough to count as small trees. Ceanothus Pacific Blue can reach up to 3 metres, making it suitable for informal hedging or planting outside a street-facing window as a fast-growing privacy tree.

Mexican Orange Blossom

With its masses of fragrant, citrus-like flowers from late spring through summer, Mexican Orange Blossom is perfect for screening outdoor entertaining areas and pergolas. It’s easy to grow, whether left natural or pruned for a more formal look. In terms of creating privacy, it can work well as a buffer - for example, between a footpath and a fence.

Westringia

Westringia is an Australian native shrub that’s excellent for hedging. Westringia Wynyabbi Gem has a dense form with delicate mauve flowers for much of the year, highlighting fine, grey-green foliage. Plants can grow up to 2 metres tall, and do well in exposed or coastal areas, as well as in many different soil types.

Screening with climbing plants

Many climbing plants are ideal for screening when grown on a strategically placed trellis - for example, to screen off part of balcony or patio. See our post on Fast-Growing Screening Plants for ideas.

Get growing now

Whether you want a secluded hideaway or just a bit of an extra space between you and the neighbours, hedging and screening plants are your new best friend. Garden Express stocks a great range of shrubs, trees, climbers and more - browse our catalogue for more ideas on turning your garden into a private haven.