unique privacy screen - green giant or variety?

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

Hi! We have a large building behind our new home that we'd like to screen out. I don't want to run an entire line of arborvitae across the entire property and was hoping to follow some posts I've seen about mixing in varieties of evergreens and deciduous trees in layers. My original ideas was below. Nellie Stevens, green giant, emerald arborvitae, hinoki, in back with a mix of shrubs in front. Back row planted about 10 ft apart so they can grow tall.

Went to the nursery and the worker said I should just do green giants and plant them 4-5 ft apart because if high water table and that back part of our property gets quite wet in spring and with heavy rains.

I'm not in a huge rush. I'd like to have some screening within 3-4 years and quite screened in 10 years.

Worries a row of arborvitae over there will look weird because we don't have a row across the rest of the yard. zone 6b/7a.

Thoughts?

Featured Answer

laceyvail 6A, WV

4 years ago

There a several viburnums that are evergreen in your zone--V. 'Chenaultii' and V. pragense just to mention two. I'd much prefer them over a wall of green giants.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
4 years ago
Where in that zone are you located? My first thought would be Serbian spruce (Picea omorika).

tj
D M PNW
4 years ago
Some cold hardy camellias could be added to the mix. There are some for zone 6.
Related Professionals
Kansas City Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Canton Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Zanesville Landscape Contractors · Middletown Landscape Contractors · Decatur Home Builders · Petersburg Home Builders · Twin Falls Home Builders · Macon Landscape Contractors · Lake Charles Landscape Contractors · Washington Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Leominster Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Palm Desert Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Greenville Landscape Contractors · Yuba City Landscape Contractors · Baton Rouge Home Additions
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years ago
Lots of broadleaved evergreen shrubs that are tolerant to shade (other than the camellia) could be used. I'd probably include a few deciduous ones as well.

Much more interesting than just a row of conifers.....any conifers :-))
cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
4 years ago
I am always going to prefer a mixed shrub border over a row of identical soldiers except for the most formal style home.

I have close to 400 feet of mixed shrub beds and I'm 6b, too.

I use many conifers but also a lot of smaller Japanese Maples, Cercis, Witch Hazel, Dogwoods florida, Kousa, and Alternifolia, Hydrangeas paniculata, arborescens, and serrata, viburnums, hostas, daylilies, azaleas, lilacs, dwarf forsythia, holly, Pieris, Aralia, then ALL the perennials and groundcovers along front for color and an obelisk for a nice clematis.

If it was me I'd choose 4 or 5 of the larger shrubs/ trees and buy enough to scatter them along the area- get them in first so they can get growing.

Then start thinking about the mid-sized and smaller shrubs that be be added in as you have time/money then when that's sorted out start thinking about all the perennials and small things you can put in empty spots here and there.

But I always like to get the larger things in first as they are the "bones"- the more structured plants that provide for the balance and scale of the setting. You need to get that in place in order to know how to arrange all the rest of it.

If it was me #2 I'd get busy with some graph paper, measure and draw it out to see how much room you really have, and decide on the larger things. Then I'd take my time playing with the rest.

What fun you're going to have!
Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
4 years ago
variety is the spice of life.

- if one dies you don't have a hole

- if the emerald arborvitae borer comes by you don't loose the whole thing.

- its more interesting to look at.

Also I'll suggest planning for the 4th dimension of time. Plant something that will get a decent size in 30 years as other large trees on your property may or may not be there.
WendyB 5A/MA
4 years ago
I agree mixed border more interesting, but if you do go with a row, good idea to plant 1 or 2 GG specimens (smaller/younger versions) elsewhere on your property in case one in the row dies in the future. Although GG pretty tough, hard to imagine a problem, but ya never know.

small ornamental trees add interest and some screening too.... redbud, serviceberry, crabapple. The large shrubs could be in the front row to fill in the gaps.

p.s please take this as helpful criticism... good try on the images but would be helpful to learn to crop and rotate phone pics before uploading. Easier for us to get a good sense of the space. Turning my 26" PC monitor sideways a pita :-) were those 3 all the same pic?