Viburnum are too large for 3’ width and pruning any length of hedging will either be time intensive or $$$. Privet are also too large plus invasive and to my nose smell unpleasant. Most shrubs that will be tall enough for privacy will be far too wide. For instance, those Green Giants will get to be more than 10’ wide and over 20’ tall. 36 of them says to me that in a few years you may feel like you are driving into a black hole.

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=b443

It is very difficult to make suggestions without more info. Try posting either a screen capture from Google maps or an aerial, or take a photo or 5 with a camera or cell phone. If you add them to the comments, they often post better there.

What limits you to three feet? Does this include a space of 3’-6’ (depending on where you are and how much snow you get) to put snow before you get to the shrubs? Plowed or blown snow will damage shrubs, so you need a separation between the snow and the shrubs. Also, most folks aren’t happy about plants scratching the side of a vehicle as they drive by, so that is another reason to set plants far enough back to give them some space.

How long is long? I have a drive that is 1/4 mile long, and I would never try to plant along its entire length. I have added a few pockets of ornamental shrubs for my own pleasure and done a bit of editing of what was already there. Are there pockets that would provide the privacy you need without needing to plant the whole thing?

Would a woven wire fence with vines deter trespassers? Or a sign? Or a security camera?

What USDA growing zone are you in, and what are the growing conditions as far as soil type and light levels? For instance, rugosa roses need full sun and well drained soil. They will get progressively wider over the years. I don’t know if they are deer resistant and so may need protective fencing, but they would deter human visitors since most are quite thorny.

Thank you, NHBabs, for the time you took to reply! Most of the 36 Green Giants were placed around the portion of the property that is much wider and open. Only 8 or so sit on each side at the end of driveway before you enter a very wide, open area. I only own 3 feet of land on each side of the driveway. The snowplow driver collects the snow in his plow and then places it elsewhere on the land so it's not been a problem.

I've looked into fencing on either side of the driveway but that would cost around $10K. I need about 200 feet of fence. Yes, there are "pockets" where I could use ornamental shrubs. I actually don't mind people "illegally" using the end portion of the driveway (although if they get hurt I have potential liability), but when they're closer to the house it frightens my elders. We live in zone 6a.

Any suggestions for maybe 3 to 4 ft tall shrubs that I can plant along various spots along the driveway? Trimming a couple times a year would be fine. Any ideas for vines or shrubs that are fast growers and form a thick hedge?

A heavy duty 3’ - 6’ welded wire fencing installed on T posts wouldn’t be that expensive, maybe a quarter of that and less if you did the work yourself. It isn’t solid or elegant, but covered with strategically placed vines, especially natives such as Clematis virginiana or Virginia creeper where needed might work to improve your view.

Since you have sun, Rosa rugosa may work, though you will have to be aggressive a couple of times a season to cut it back from the drive.

You could try tall ornamental grasses (be sure to research whether the one you choose might be invasive in your area by adding your state, the grass name, and “ invasive” to a web search) or there are some clumping bamboos (be sure to choose clumping not running) that might do well in low planters.

I honestly cannot think of any shrub that will comfortably stay at a three foot width, and folks with more experience with grasses may shoot that idea down. I don’t use grasses in my garden due to allergies. If you plant 6“ from the property line so that as the plant grows it will have more space, but spill into the neighbors’ property, would that be viewed as unfriendly or neighborly In your setting?

In my area, folks often put a sign at the end of a long drive with a range of messages, from a name and street address to “No Tresspassing, Keep Out, Posted“ to let others know that it is a private driveway and not a road. We have found that a sign with the address works well and rarely have trespassers. Those I do see almost never come up the drive but arrive through the woods.

Have you thought of using ornamental grass? I used it as a filler inbetween my bushes until they get mature enough. You do have to cut them down in the fall or spring every year.

Nothing's a bigger deterrent to trespass than rugosa rose (except maybe barberry). It's cheap and where I am in the Northeast it thrives. It will spread but can be mowed at the edges. I like the flowers and hips.

MY THANKS TO ALL OF YOU for your GREAT ideas and comments. Unfortunately, my neighbors would not welcome any kind of hedge and now ignore the "no trespassing" signs. I do like ornamental grass but I'm afraid that the trespassers would simply walk over it. I just talked to my nursery about the Rugosa Rose and he said it would work well in some strategic areas of the property line where it's heavily trespassed (and I'll definitely use in some key spots along with the welded fence idea!) but for a dense, fast growing hedge along a goodly portion of the long driveway, he said I should consider the Cheyenne Privet. What do you think?

The pivot should work as long as you don't mind trimming it.

You couldn't pay me to put privet on my property. Check to see if it is invasive (spreading by seed into wild areas via critters, wind or water) in your area.

A lot of people despise privet, for sure. What do you think of Burning Bush? Or Sumac?

If you’re going to the trouble of fencing you might as well make it avdeer fence. Your cost, by the way, is phenomenally cheap for my area (metropolitan NY). I wouldn’t give up on the landscaping solution. How about juniper virginianus and lilacs, both pruned occasionally as needed? I would stagger the plantings so that you don’t create a tight spot on both sides. I have a similar driveway by the way. 1000 ft to a flag lot. It’s been fun designing it, like my very own parkway.

Burning Bush is a listed invasive, and will get to 15 feet wide. Youcouldn’t prune it to keep it both healthy and narrow enough but you wouldn’t want it realistically anyway since it is invasive in New England.

I like sumac, but staghorn sumac is a small tree. Mine are over 15 tall and form a clump at least that wide because they spread by suckers.

Your best bet would be something like vines Or tall grasses, followed second by a narrow shrub like sky pencil holly. You only have 3’, and there are very few shrubs that are 3’ wide. Or talk to your neighbor about planting on the property line.

I will definitely do the welded fence but cannot do the taller deer fence because the town restricts me to a 3 foot fence. Unfortunately, I must hire someone to do even this simple form of physical labor.

I'm not against cutting back shrubs, so Junipers and Lilacs will be considered. I know Junipers are $$$. Lilacs are a favorite of mine and would really like to have them along certain areas of this property line.

I didn't know that Burning Bush gets so wide and that pruning would be an issue. (Why don't nurseries mention this?!) So, Sumac is out too.

I really like the Holly but the cost is so very high and they're slow growers to boot! Maybe three at one section of the property line would work well... I'm getting quotes of $80 for a 2 to 3 foot plant and $80 for planting it as well.

I just read about tall grasses and didn't realize some of them get 3 to 6 feet tall! This might be the answer for a portion of the property line (which my neighbors don't respect and wouldn't cooperate with ANY kind of border or fence).

I'm getting more info from all of you than I have with talking to the "pros" for the last year! All of you are quite knowledgeable and I thank you much!

One more thing, I've checked out clumping bamboo and I'm hoping to use that in another section of my property. Never knew bamboo would grow in 6a!

May I recommend zebra grass. If your interested in grass. My zebra grass get to inbetween 6-7 ft. It grows and multiplies fast. What is nice about it is the blades are on the sharper side. When I go to tie it up in the fall I have to wear long sleeves and gloves. If not i get multiple paper type cuts on any exposed skin. That might be enough deterrent to keep the neighbors out.

Zebra grass sounds very interesting! Does your region get snow?

Yes, I'm in PA. I tie mine up in the fall with duck tape. It gives some texture to the landscape in the winter. Then cut it down in the spring. Some people just cut it down in the fall.

Be kind to your future self and do not plant anything that will get too wide. Pruning in that way is an art and is rarely done well by inexperienced folks. Also, most shrubs just don't look great if not left to their own habit. Check out viburnum dentatum 'Blue Muffin'. I spec'd it once due to the supposed 3' width but can't say it will actually stay that wide. Not likely. Prickly rosa rugosa will keep people away, but they get scraggly and wider. Generally, not too pricey, so they could be incorporated knowing longevity might be limited. Throwing snow into the area will be detrimental to any shrubs. If that is a necessity, the larger grasses may be a better option. My fave is the basic miscanthus gracillimus - always looks fresh (in season!).

Grasses are certainly your cheapest option because they can be easily divided. Make sure you know whether it’s a spring or fall divider, great tip about taping the clump for winter!

Do understand that you will have several months after the grasses are cut back when it is all wide open until regrowth. And eventually those grasses must be dug up and reset. A massive job.

I'd like to avoid anything that requires massive effort or becomes scraggly! I need to hire someone to do the physical labor. Maybe these are the reasons landscapers suggested Privet! Anybody actually like Privet out there?

Privet will require massive labor, pruning and removing invasive seedlings. The landscaper suggested it because it is cheap. Bad idea.

At my former home, I had yews that were pruned only once yearly and they stayed healthy and green year round, unaffected by snow and ice. I lived there 35 years. Even though they are slow growers, maybe I should consider them. Any thoughts?

Lacyvail, resetting should be done on some of my grasses, but I don't. The inside is dead, but the grass still comes up and hides the insides. I've found out my zebra grass doesn't die out inside. Not all grasses behave the same.

Do any of the more experienced folk think red twig dogwood would be an option?

The deer will love your yews! You will end up with yew lollipops. The genus taxus has many cultivars, and I will repeat the notion of plants doing their best when they are not pruned to maintain size. To get a semblance of screening now, yews will not be an inexpensive option. Adding to the privet comments, landscapers jam them in so they are effective for a few seasons. Mow and blow guys then massacre them with electric trimmers. Eventually, they become all woody at the inside due to this bad 'haircut' approach to pruning. If the long term appearance of a woody shrub with a seasonal green haze just at the tips is acceptable to you, it's a lower cost initial investment. I'm still concerned about the plowed snow, as it does create mounds along the edge, so it can still be damaging to any shrub with hefty snowfalls.

Wish we all had a great solution for you. I like Babs' fencing plus large grasses suggestion. If there is an active garden club in your area, they will often be delighted to divide perennials and take the excess for plant sales or members' gardens. Your could probably go four years without dividing many grasses.

I don't like the woody look at all so Privet is no longer an option and Yews are obviously out as well! I've had this property for three years with the driveway intact and the snowplow driver has always collected snow in the front of his plow and never created mounds on either side.

So, after reading all of your extremely helpful comments, here's what I think makes the most sense:

I didn't want to invest in a fence, especially since I can only do a 3 footer because my long driveway is considered my frontage in my township. However, if I do a fence it will reduce some trespassing. Then I can use Zebra grass, roses, Firethorn, etc. in various spots to create some interest as well as discourage those who might jump the fence. What do you think??

Sounds like a good plan to me. Personally I don't like the same bush in a row or even the same bush/grass clumped anywhere. 3 foot fence isn't a bad height to deter trespassing. It is up to the top of my leg. I would put dog ears on the top. Better yet barbwire. Only kidding Lol.

LOL! Thanks! I've been so concerned about this plot of land and quite reluctant that a fence would be too short. I even considered filing for a variance to get it at four feet but that my cause an uproar with the neighbors.... Glad you think 3 foot isn't a bad height!