Gardening to Block a View
Wednesday January 7, 2009
Garden design books talk a lot about the “borrowed view”. But what do you do when the view is less than idyllic? If you’re a gardener, you put up a living wall - a privacy hedge. Landscaping Guide, David Beaulieu, helps sort out the questions you should ask yourself before you start digging, like the best types of shrubs, speed of growth, cost and how much work you’re getting yourself in for, in Privacy Hedges Make Good Neighbors.
Photo: © Marie Iannotti (2009) licensed to About.com, Inc.
Comments
For fast growers/screens while waiting for the permanent shrubs to grow, tall ornamental grasses like miscanthus ‘Cosmopolitan’ or CLUMPING bamboo can be added to the mixed border.
Also, tall growing tropicals like canna or colocasia can be used for screening during the summer months, although they won’t help in the winter. Still, they quickly provide privacy during the summer when most folks are outside.
Cameron
This coming Spring, I’ll be using a large row of 6′ tall Cannas. They won’t last in my zone through the winter, but I think it will give some good privacy during the months when I’m in the backyard quite a lot.