Which Evergreen To Plant NOW For Privacy?

colorblind1961

11 years ago

I posted over in the "Tree" forum and was told I would get better info here. I live in a rural area with 1.5 acres surrounded by a post and rail fence. My neighbor (who I am very friendly with) has just begun putting an inground pool in her backyard. Her house and my house are relatively close with only my fence between us. I want to plant 5 Evergreens along that fence to block the view of the pool. I thought I decided on Leyland Cypress, but am now thinking maybe not. I need a FAST growing, tall, dense evergreen. Also thinking Cryptomeria or Murray Cypress. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Here is picture looking off my back deck (I also have a pool to the right that you can't see, so privacy is a must.) My neighbor's pool is going in just over the other side of the fence.

[IMG]http://i512.photobucket.com/albums/t328/Bodismom/DSCN0707.jpg[/IMG]

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Comments (12)

Jon 6a SE MA
11 years ago
Colorblind,

Your link doesn't work. Right click on the HTML code on your Photobucket photo and then paste it directly into the text of your next post. The picture will show up.

A post and rail is not a legal enclosure for an inground pool in any state. In MA the required height is 6 feet. Of course it might just be chain link, but it has to be a secure fence that children cannot access. Since you are friendly with your neighbor you might want to ask what type of fence they are planning on and maybe petition for one that would give you and them privacy. You then could plant whatever you want against the fence and not have to build a green wall.

Unless your pool is above ground, you need a secure fence as well, I'm sure; even if the local code does not require it (which I seriously doubt).

Jon
colorblind1961
Original Author
11 years ago
Don't know why the link didn't show...I've been posting and pasting all day in the Home Decorator's Forum with no problem. Try Again.
Anyway...the fencing is just around my property line...I am, as is my neighbor aware of the legal enclosure needed for an inground pool. My pool fencing is white PVC, hers will be iron fencing. The fencing around either of our pools is not enough for privacy...so back to my question...which evergreen is the best to plant now? Cryptomeria, Murray Cypress, Leyland Cypress?
Thanks

view looking at my neighbor's house where pool will be:

My pool:
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Hi - you had posted on my other thread and I thought I would follow up here. We planted a privacy screen along our entire property line back in summer 2009. We are outside of Philadelphia, technically zone 6, but we are on top of a hill and very exposed to wind, so I tend to think of myself as zone 5 when selecting plants. Like you, I wanted to block a house that was built on the hillside behind us without blocking our views of the mountains or horizon. We ended up keeping 1 existing autumn olive shrub that happened to be growing wild near the property line and planting thuja green giant arborvitae in the center (where we needed to block the very tall house that was built behind us), nellie stevens hollies next to that to keep the entire center area where the house is screened with something evergreen, then forsythia and sea green junipers along the far edges of the property line. I have been overall quite happy with it -- the deer do not seem to eat any of it (and they eat EVERYTHING around here, so that is saying something!). The Thujas seem resistant to snow and cold and have grown tall very quickly but I expect they'll top out soon and stay low enough to not block the horizon. The Nellie Stevens hollies have also filled out nicely and should top out at or lower than roofline height of the house. They do end up looking quite ragged by the end of the winter (especially these past two winters, which were especially cold and brutally windy) but they come back nicely in the spring. And the forsythia are amazing looking when they are in bloom -- we planted them very close together so they are a pretty solid screen when leafed out and even when bare, it is hard to see through them. So this is what we were dealing with and what it looked like when we first planted it: First planted And here are some pics of what it looks like now: You can see that the green giants have just about reached rooftop height on the house and have perfectly blocked the views from my second floor windows to theirs (the last picture). The nellie stevens are in front of the house in the first picture and the sea green junipers are to the right of it. The forsythias are to the left of the house in the 2nd picture. And that silly wild autumn olive bush has grown to ridiculous size -- it has actually swamped the green giants we planted in back of it. I need to do some major pruning! Good luck!
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davidrt28 (zone 7)
11 years ago
That's odd looking zone 10.
colorblind1961
Original Author
11 years ago
davidrt28...not sure what you are telling me. What is your suggestion?
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
11 years ago
The number after your screen name - 10 - typically refers to one's hardiness zone. It is important because that provides the reader with a sense of what plants may work best for you. Zone 10 is a frost free climate - SoCal or southern Florida - and what works well there may not work very well (or even survive) in a zone 6 or 7. And that photo does not read as zone 10 :-) I seem to recall your previous post indicating you were in PA?? If so, you ARE a zone 6 or 7. It would be very helpful if you could amend your member profile to reflect your proper location.

I'd consider planting Thuja Green Giants for a fast growing privacy screen. In my area, you can plant them any time you want......not sure of advisability of late season planting in colder climates.
colorblind1961
Original Author
11 years ago
I'm in Southern PA. I've got green giants around my pool...they would be too narrow for the space I need to fill...I need something with more width. Like I said...Cryptomeria, Leyland or Murray Cypress.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
i dont think anyone has much good to say about leylands ...

and i dont understand why you think the GG would be narrow ... are those yours on the far corner of the pool???

and .. in the name of diversity.. i simply ask.. why all of one kind???? once you find a list of 2 or 3 different types.. plant each.. in some pattern..

and please. try to think outside the box of going straight down that fence line ... you could add a curving element.. that will break up the angularity of the yard ... below are pix of my curving row of GG .. 4 inches tall in 2000 ...

ken
{{gwi:326682}}

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maybe even throw in a picea pungens hoopsi if zone appropriate ... lol ... it was just the next pic in photobucket ... to impress the point that they dont have to all be the same ....
{{gwi:205545}}

or to really enable you .. you could do something like this to hide the neighbor ...
{{gwi:211254}}
thetman
11 years ago
great suggestions by Ken. I know Leylands gow pretty quick- but personally I have not planted any. My neighbor has and his look great- but I know alot of people don't seem to like them, not quite sure why though. Norway spruce grow relatively quick- but not as fast as leyland or green giants. by the way your green giants look great- how tall are they?
colorblind1961
Original Author
11 years ago
My 3 green giants are about 25 ft. tall...and yes, they did grow fast, but again...I need something a little fuller. I am NOT planting ALL THE WAY down my fence line, just in front of 5 rails...enough to block my neighbor's pool. I have a $500 budget, and in my area that gets me five, 7ft. evergreens like the ones I mentioned. You can't see it in the picture, but on the other side of that stucco chimney, there is a very large planting bed. There is not enough room for me to put another bed and then a row of trees.
I would just like my question answered...is it OK to plant the trees I mentioned NOW. I've been getting mixed responses from area nurseries.
thanks
Jon 6a SE MA
11 years ago
colorblind,

You have 40 feet you want to cover and $500 to spend. You have been given the best advice of experts on would be a better choice than the three you insist you want to use. Your choice seems to be based on what local nurseries want to quote you or your dictates for an instant dense screen. You are imposing a choice that fits your insistence on instant screening which excludes the advice of possible better choices.

I think you could easily find someone to plant 5 Green Giants or other suitable trees to fill your 40 foot space. If the people you have had quote the project cannot meet your needs it would be far better to keep looking.

Pool seasom is over for the year; it will not start up again until Memorial Day which gives you all fall and even Spring to find someone who can plant 5 good sized trees to screen your neighbor's pool. It won't be peek proof right away.

You have obviously lived with your own pool with no screen for a while. What's the hurry? Why not do it right? You seem to want a short-term, instant fix to something you will have to look at for a long time. If you don't want suggestions, then put the three alternatives you have had dictated to / by you in a hat and pick one out and live with it.

What's the hurry? You have a fence, your neighbor will have a fence and you will have a growing screen of good sized trees. I don't see the reason to rush and put in something that you may regret in a few years.

Jon
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
I would just like my question answered...is it OK to plant the trees I mentioned NOW.

===>> you know.. a lot of us are trying to help you .. and it sounds like you are angry at us ..

just plant the darn things...

if it were me .. i know you dont care.. i would buy twice as many at half the price.. and plant a double row.. staggering them on a zig zag.. and close enough that they fill in fast enough for you ... and i would insure that i get single leader plants ...

good luck to you

ken
whaas_5a
11 years ago
Yes its ok to plant them now if they are container. If they are b&b I always prefer to plant them in Spring as most nurseries in zone 5 recommend.

Not sure how different zone 6 is. If you have a rough, dry winter they will struggle if b&b.

Which Evergreen To Plant NOW For Privacy?

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Jon 6a SE MA

colorblind1961
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