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msbees_gw

Cost of mature evergreen privacy border

msbees
14 years ago

Hi all, I've been reading here for years and love all the great info. I plan to spend a lot of time here :) .

My husband and I are trying to decide between having a mature evergreen privacy border or a lattice fence installed in our yard. We are replacing a very old grape arbor that is falling down . The grape arbor was a visual screen to our old vegetable garden area.

We have lots of projects in our yard to tackle so price is an important part of our decision making process. Does anyone have a sense of what it may costs to have a 40' to 50' mature evergreen border or a lattice privacy screen installed? We live in western massachusetts so we would need to use materials that can stand of to snow etc.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Comments (5)

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    14 years ago

    You would be better served by asking suppliers of these local to your area for estimates - prices will differ widely based on location and the specific materials used, as well as installation costs.

    I'm not sure what you mean exactly by a "mature" evergreen privacy screen. Few folks have the wherewithall to afford fully mature plantings - the plants themselves are expensive and it takes considerably more effort and skill to install fully mature plant material. Most homeowners select immature but relatively fast growing species to screen for privacy. It is easier on the checkbook and better for the plants - younger plants are easier to plant and establish faster than mature/older plants. So there is a 'patience factor' involved - impatient or needing immediate results will be expensive; more patient (willing to wait a few years for full screening) will be more economical.

    What you select will typically depend on the size you need for effective screening (ultimate height and width), rate of growth, suitability for your climate and ease of establishment and maintenance. Your local nursery would be the best place to investigate these possibilities.

  • msbees
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks gardengal.

    I miss-spoke when I said mature trees:(. Since we want immediate privacy, and if we went with the evergreen border, we would want 5' to 6' tall trees planted.

    Getting rough fencing estimates seem much easier than getting evergreen border estimates. We wanted to try to do as much research as we could on-line before making the time commitment of going to nurseries etc to price things out. I'm starting to think having an evergreen border installed woul be significantly more than a sturdy tall lattice fence.

  • mjsee
    14 years ago

    We wanted to try to do as much research as we could on-line before making the time commitment of going to nurseries etc to price things out. I'm starting to think having an evergreen border installed would be significantly more than a sturdy tall lattice fence.

    It almost certainly will be. I don't have good knowledge of plants up in your neck of the woods...but I can tell you that a 7 gallon thuja 'Smargard' or 'Green Giant' would run at least $75...just for the tree. My garden center doesn't do installation.

  • Embothrium
    14 years ago

    New plantings will have to be cared for after installation, if you are short on time this adds a chore. Replace the arbor with another arbor or lattice, plant with more vines when it is convenient - or maybe you can even cut down the grapes that are already there, grow them back up onto the replacement structure. Or just have a structural screen, without planting. Then you won't even have to prune and train the re-growth of the existing grape plants.

  • msbees
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thank you everyone for answering. We have time to care for plants but didn't want to wait for trees to mature. I pretty much have decided to remove the old grapes and put up a new lattice divider.

    Again thank you for your help.