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l_w_davis

Looking for a tall, fast growing privacy screen plant

l_w_davis
10 years ago

Im in Fayetteville, Arkansas, zone 7A

i live in a normal type neighborhood. lot sized is just over a quarter acre.

i have neighbors who share fence on all sides of me.

I am looking for some kind of privacy screening plant to put along my back fence for more privacy. We have privacy fence, but they arent double layered so you can somewhat see people on the other side.

also their house sits up slightly from mine, and i feel like they can somewhat see down into my house when the blinds are open.

I am looking for something that is fast growing.

I need it to get about 7 feet tall b/c i need it to go taller than the actual fence.

I would prefer the coverage to be there year round (so looking for some kind of evergreen tree/shrub?)

A couple of species of plant i have thought about are Fraser Photinia. which i know can get tall, but it might take a while.

Also Miscanthus Giganteus - was in the ornamental grasses forum and came across a thread about it, so googled it and saw how tall it got.

thoughts?

suggestions?

Comments (8)

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    10 years ago

    Please post a picture(s) that shows what you are referring to ... as viewed from both directions, if needed.

  • l_w_davis
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    there is a house directly behind me. My backyard is slightly larger than there's (meaning the fence is closer to their house than to mine by about 5 feet).

    I am looking for some kind of plants that will grow tall and fast and provide more privacy.

    i would basicaly be looking to plant it in front of where their covered patio is (or maybe even the whole thing if feasible).

    so basically the spot behind the playhouse

    thanks in advance

  • l_w_davis
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    the angel is basically taken from my patio.

    the house behind me is somewhat higher elevation than mine, so they can almost see down on us.

    i want some plants to grow at least 2 feet taller than that 6 foot high fence.

    it would be nice if they were evergreen, or at least provided a good deal of privacy year round.

    one more thing, there are utilities running all along parallel to that back panel of fence. so please keep that in mind in terms of how much digging can be done

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    10 years ago

    Before using Photinia fraseri, check to see that it does not suffer from fungal disease problems there. I'm still laboring--some--under the belief that clipped photinia suffers much more from this condition, while the tree form Photinia (where the top is allowed to grow uncut) is able to flourish. Miscanthus giganteus seems like it could be interesting, but also seems like it has the potential to overwhelm, if not watched. Many deciduous shrubs could be grown as trees. If pollarded annually, they would form dense branch clusters, so would screen during the winter. I would consider those as a possibility, too.

  • dmny
    10 years ago

    Consider Leyland Cypress.

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    10 years ago

    Leyland gets huge, and fast. It would eat up much of the yard.

  • l_w_davis
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    yarvaark, i have two fraser photinias in my front yard, and they seem to be doing well.

    the first year they were planted they grew very tall very quickly.

    however, for some reason the top third died off after that first year. so i had to trim the dead parts off.

    they are very bushy and healthy now.

    i have seen some around town that are probably 18 feet tall, and work very well as a screening hedge. but they are also probably ten years old or more.

    im not sure why mine in the front died off at the top like they did. however im pretty satisfied at their current height (about 6 feet tall)

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    10 years ago

    My experience with Photinia was while living in Ga. I noticed there that the ones trimmed into hedges often suffered miserably and frequently, to their death. Nevertheless, there were many that were allowed to grow to their natural height and for the most part, they prospered and looked quite fine. They usually had the lower branches removed to create the tree form so the shrub would not take up too much space.