Need help on 4-5ft Evergreens for fence

10 years ago

We have a chain link fence (neighbor's ) that we've been trying to cover. The neighbors have aborvitae on their side of the fence so we only need to go 4ft high or so (since we can use their green giant's as a backdrop and don't have a big lot).

We tried cherry laurels which seem to be faltering with this rain and heat so I'm looking for a replacement for fall plantings to cover about 1/2 the length of the fence. Evergreen is preferable since winters can get long here and don't want to stare at that fence :).

I thought about viburnum but guess there are no evergreen versions for this zone. Gardenias maybe? Some other holly or spruce that won't be overbearing with that backdrop? Thanks

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Comments (8)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
i pic would sure set the stage for me

and i dont understand.. why you need to go on top of GG's .... with their growth rate... one would think they will cover the space.. long before a newly planted plant would...

are you sure they are GG??

ken
janine09
Original Author
10 years ago
Because they are pressed along an ugly chain link fence . I want to cover the fence (4ft) and then yes the growth of GG will be sufficient that don't need to go much taller.

We were told GG's, but not 100% sure. Fast growing aborvitae is all I can be 100% sure of.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
i could probably think of a million things easier.. and cheaper than shrubs/conifer/etc ... to hide a chain link fence.. IN A SMALL YARD ...

how about clematis... e.g. .. oh.. evergreen ... hmmmm ....

BTW.. which side is the sun on.. are we working in shade.. or sun... or half and half.. and what is your soil type ....

how about that pic ...

ken

ps: you might want to cover the perennial forum also ....
janine09
Original Author
10 years ago
Sorry no pics right now.

It is full sun on that side (the lovely fence) and I had considered vines until someone mentioned the invasiveness and might attach to aborvitae.

Not sure on soil...but we will build a berm of topsoil as laurels faltered so thinking drainage must not be good.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
look at Thuja occidentalis 'degroot's spire'

it is a conifer... there is a conifer forum ....

demand single leader plants ... plant PROPERLY... water PROPERLY ... and mulch PROPERLY ...

i wouldnt go much bigger than 2 to 3 feet ... they grow about a foot per year.. but smaller transplants would get going faster ... your next PROPER planting time is fall ....

copy/paste this link for instructions:

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub

you must.. insure they never grow extra leaders.. or they will get wider than 2 feet ... its a once a year job ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: my plant is the 6th plant
cjdoyle
10 years ago
I've had good luck with my Inkberry Shamrocks. I've got 4 planted in a row and over about 3 seasons, they are close to 4' tall and while growing in a ball, they do touch each other enough that they would block the fence well. They've done very well and a 1/2 sun - 1/2 shade spot with very little maintenance. I trim them once a year and that's about it.
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
10 years ago
How long have the cherry laurels been there? If you just planted them this spring, you might want to give them a year since most things don't look great during their first season when it's been tough growing conditions like this year.

If you are concerned with the soil, get a soil test done, or get a dump load of compost and mix that in with your soil since compost tends to improve just about any soil issues. A berm of topsoil might or might not solve the problem since what gets sold as topsoil varies considerably, and in a narrow area, a berm is often difficult to pull off attractively.

Have you asked your neighbor about painting your side of the fence black since they don't see it? That will tend to make it disappear and you will have more options for what you plant, allowing you to plant something that distracts from the fence rather than needing to totally hide it. Another alternative is to ask the neighbor if you can fasten something to the fence and use a dark stained lattice or roll of dark stained bamboo fencing. That will allow you plant something attractive in front of it, or just have the lattice/bamboo, but you won't have to spring for supports and a full fence.

If you are totally sure that you want a different evergreen shrub, look at sky pencil holly which will be 2-3 feet wide and end up around 6-8 feet tall. the foliage will contrast with the GGs.
mulchmama
10 years ago
We have six DeGroot's Spire Arborvitaes, planted five years ago. They're pretty tall, probably over 8-ft now. Personally, I wouldn't go with something that is the same general shape as a GG. How about Wintergreen Boxwood? They grow to about 4'x4' and they are evergreen. We have a grouping of them near our DeGroot's Spires in the front of our house and it's a very nice look. The texture, form and color would be a nice compliment to your neighbors' arborvitae.

We don't sculpt our boxwoods. We keep them loosely round, not a tightly shaped hedge like you see in the link I'm posting.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wintergreen Boxwood