Front windows need privacy and sun protection

jb989

15 years ago

Hi, I'm creating a new bed at the front of my house to add privacy and block afternoon sun coming into my windows.

Area gets lots of sun in the afternoon. I am in zone 7 NJ.

Photos:

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Any suggestions?

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Comment (1)

pls8xx
15 years ago
"block afternoon sun coming into my windows"

Three solutions come to mind ...

1. Plant a lot of trees in a lot of locations. Observe over the years which ones give the shade wanted and remove the others.

2. Assess the mid point of the time of year and time of day when shade is of most importance. Wait until that date (2009?), then use a very long pole to cast shade to see where a tree would be most beneficial. Wait again for the proper time for tree planting (2010?).

3. Make the assessment of time of year and time of day. Then compute the direction of the sun from the windows at that time and date. Note that the roof overhang shades the windows for a period past noon. The mean time of heat load is between the time the sun reaches the windows and when the sun drops in the sky to another shade element or a less intense heat value. This should be a consideration of the calculation for the most important time of day for shade. A tree is planted along the computed line at a distance such that a calculated sun angle of elevation compared with tree height produces the desired shade.
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It sounds like your options are pretty limited. Fast growing trees are going to get really big. Most fast growing trees also end up being weak-wooded and short lived. 'Green Giant' thujas grow quickly and have far few problems than Leyland cypresses (which I would definitely NOT recommend), but the Green Giants are going to get pretty large eventually (and very possibly much larger than you'd want). You may want to consider a vine-covered fence or even a hardy type of bamboo with a root barrier.
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Front windows need privacy and sun protection

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pls8xx

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