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Need suggestions, please.

6 years ago

I have 2 spots where I want to grow something for privacy. The available spaces are about 4' wide with half a day of sun in the summer. Mid-day for one and late afternoon to evening for the other. They should be 5'-8' in height. Deciduous is fine although I wouldn't say no to evergreen. Most winters this is 7b but some years it's quite a bit warmer. All ideas gratefully accepted.

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Comments (4)

NHBabs z4b-5a NH
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Photo? Or at the very least a bit more info. Any other shrubs or trees nearby and if so, what species? Buildings or pavement close by? Soil type (general pH and texture)?
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
not many plants stop growing at some magical height .. and anything that grows fast.. to that height.. will probably keep going right past it ...

we do need a pic to really help ...

also note.. most things that get to 8 feet tall.. could chew up that 4 foot space ... unless you are willing to do some pruning ...

ken
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In your zone I wouldn't plant any clematis in the trunk since you want them down in the soil to stay warmer in winter. They like even moisture, which would be more difficult to achieve with them up in the trunk planter. Also, clematis are one of the unusual plants that prefers to have its growth center planted several inches below soil level, so that will help it survive your zone 3b winters, especially if mulched. To get a list of zone 3 hardy clematis, use the Clematis on the Web search page (though not all the clematis have listed hardiness info), or if you consistantly have good snow cover by the time it gets really cold, you could plant a zone 4 clematis. Once you have a list of what types will survive your zone (mostly alpina, macropetala, viticella, and some integrifolia varieties) you can visit the websites listed by Opheliathorn to see who has some of them listed. (All have really nice clematis.) Here is a link that might be useful: Clematis on the Web search page
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teri2
Original Author
6 years ago
Sorry, I'm not picture savvy. As for details, this is a suburban condo. My back garden extends about 18' from the back door then meets a huge, open common area. That changes into native trees and shrubby undergrowth and a creek about 50 yds away. A lovely view. Until next year when the County is tearing it up to put in a 4 lane road!!!! We expect it will still be about 50-60 yds away but with no buffers.

My beds do include trees and some shrubs at the edges. The shadier side is heavily planted but has one 4' gap between a Viburnum and a giant redbud with a very large trunk. The other is on a curve with a small trunked yellowwood on one side, my path on the other and nothing behind that will block the view. This area is pretty open and the tree is about 4' from the path. Both trees were limbed up years ago (for unknown reasons) so there's lots of height available. The soil is heavy clay and acidic to around 6.3.

Yes. I do recognize that the height vs width is a problem. I've been wrestling with that for months. But I'm getting too old to do regular pruning and the most I'm willing to do is hire some idiot with a pair of loppers once a year.
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
6 years ago
My sympathies. If there is a road going in back there, plants don't provide a sound barrier, only a sight barrier. If you want some sound protection, you want a solid fence between the fence and the road. Can you get the condo association to put in a fence? Or do you have the space and the $ for a fence?

Any plants you decide to use will need to be staggered some from the trees since most plants will have difficulty 3' from a tree trunk and you are likely to damage tree roots in planting. Look at some of the arborvitae cultivars. See what you can find as far as narrow rhododendrons, though I am not confident that you will find one 4' wide. Or put in a couple of decorative fence panels or even a trellis or two with a large clematis or honeysuckle vine that's not one of the invasive ones (Skip Lonicera japonica and look at Lonicera sempervirens or Mandarin.)
teri2 thanked NHBabs z4b-5a NH

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