Zone 9b Privacy Hedge along Fence - Pacific Wax Myrtle or pittosporum
We are looking to add privacy and improve the aesthetics of our fence line by adding a privacy
hedge. We are in Redwood City CA, zone 9b and would love to hear any suggestions for narrow privacy hedges that are moderate to fast growing.
Please excuse the embarrassing shape of our driveway - We need to redo it, but that is unfortunately not in the budget right now as we recently completed a significant remodel. In the mean time, we would like to plant a privacy hedge so it can start growing!
The fence is about 90 feet long, and is south facing. The picture was taken late in the afternoon, but it is very sunny for most of the day. Our house is from the 1920's and very high off of the ground so as you can see the current fence does very little for privacy between windows.
I think I would like to plant a hedge that will be at least 15 ft tall at maturity. Additionally since the driveway is narrow, it would need to have a pretty narrow profile. The area next to the fence is 25 inches. The driveway could accommodate a 3 ft hedge and still be able to park without issue. Additionally we never park in the second half of the driveway ( close to the garage) and are thinking of eventually converting that area into a garden/ play area for kids.
I was thinking of the pacific wax myrtle but am unclear on how closely it should be spaced to create a privacy hedge. I have read 8-10 feet, but then read that some posters who planted it that apart said it never filled in.
I am also interested in Pittosporum tenuifolium, I have heard great things about 'Silver Sheen', but have noticed that some hedges in my neighborhood never seemed to fill in very well and look woody/ don't provide much of a screen.
If you have any advice of plants that you recommend/ spacing, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks!
Catie
Comments (18)
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Little Gem Magnolias as privacy screen along fence near pool?
Comments (11)This is a red flag to me: > could they be planted just a foot or two from the fence, growing only out away from it? If this is a solid fence, like stockade or board, there's a significant "rain shadow" effect that you'll need to consider. IMHO, it's almost impossible to grow anything within 2 or 3 feet of a solid fence, unless you're willing and able to provide most of the moisture yourself - and that's a lot of water. I have such a fence, and wasted a lot of cash (3 times) trying to establish rows of holly, cedar, and, finally, magnolia (M. virginiana, in my case). When I finally gave up on crowding the plants against the fence, acknowledged that this privacy screen was a very important aspect of my yard, and set aside enough space for it to do it properly, I succeeded on the 4th try, by planting everything centered at least 5' from the fence. I still had to irrigate and mulch, but it was a much more reasonable amount of water. Last, I'd be very careful placing any hollies anywhere near a pool, except ones with smooth leaves. You've only got to step on a dry leaf with bare feet once to remember it for a very long time....See MorePacific Wax Myrtle or other hedge to replace Photinia
Comments (12)Pacific wax myrtle is locally native. You should have no problems with either cold or drought. Yes, Tacoma is colder in winter than Seattle, but that's not saying much, is it. Wax myrtle grows wild in the Aberdeen/Hoquiam/Westport/Long Beach areas and they're all colder than Seattle. They get more rain too, but still get none in summer, and it grows in sandy and rocky soils that do not hold water anyway. Pacific wax myrtle makes a great low maintenance hedge. I am always highly in favor of replacing Photinia because of its disease issues with our wet climate. Won't be a problem with wax myrtle. Ceanothus are too wide growing for your hedge. Oregon grape, Mahonia aquifolium, is another native evergreen shrub to consider, but it doesn't normally grow in quite so much sun, and only about 4-6ft tall. I do see it planted in full sun but it's not its preference. Plus, it's very expensive and slow growing, but it does bloom in March, and people won't push through it because it's so prickly. Incense cedar is a tree. You don't want a tree. You could not keep it trimmed to a hedge. There are also hollies and yews that might do what you want. I see Yew HM Eddie planted as a hedge, but I think it's slow growing and I don't know how tall it's supposed to get, probably not 12ft. I've seen hedges of small-leafed hollies but I don't know what species or cultivars they are - I. meservae maybe, or Blue Boy and Blue Girl. Then there's Portuguese laurel, one of my favorites. Evergreen, wants to be a tree but lots of people keep it trimmed as a hedge. Smaller leaved and less of a monster than its cousin the English laurel, which you do NOT want. I like the purple-red stems of the Port. laurel, contrasting with the very dark green leaves. Full sun, no irrigation. And strawberry bush, Arbutus unedo and Arbutus 'Marina'. Very pretty, cousins of the native madrone, but more hedge like. A. unedo has white flowers in fall and red fruits in spring if winter was kind to the flowers. Red bark, small dark evergreen leaves. A. 'Marina' is more tree like, I don't know about keeping it as a hedge, but it's very pretty and does not get any of the leaf spots that plague both A. unedo and the madrone, although you should have no disease problems with the A. unedo in full sun with no overhead watering. I see hedges of A. unedo all over the place. I had an A. unedo 'Compacta' that got to be easily 6ft tall and wide. I pruned it once a year to keep it in its place. Full sun, no irrigation. Oh, it takes years and years to keep all the plants straight! and there's new ones every year, too. No one ever knows them all, that's why there's so many reference books. People will specialize in one group or another, like Conifers or Natives or Australian plants or Perennials....See MoreBackyard tree for privacy - Zone 9b
Comments (10)We are in zone 9b, Riverside County, CA near Temecula and we have 4 blood oranges in the front yard. They are beautiful all year and would provide a screen, but our yard is huge, and they are far apart. On the side we have a Manila mango with amazing growth. Macadamias grow large and we have the Beaumont variety too, along with Bearss lime and a couple regular oranges and a couple lemons. One lemon is enough, but someone threw a seed down and a random lemon grew. Those lemons are tiny and I love them. They are culinary (not sweet) so every night I squeeze one over an avocado, and put it in a green salad with oil, salt and pepper for dinner. Lemon rinds and juice will freeze also. If you want height, get the standard size citrus. Anything fruiting will produce fruit, and at some point your neighbors won't want any more and you will say "STOP!" but they don't. :-) I LOVE fig trees but they go dormant in winter. Awesome shade in summer. Before you buy check the watering and fertilization requirements. Mangos LOVE water!...See MoreEvergreen Tall privacy hedge or tree
Comments (9)i dont think 2 nor 3 feet is sufficient for a 12 to 15 foot tall tree ... shall we presume it would be a box with no bottom.. so they can grow into mother earth ???? and keep in mind.. no tree really stops growing at some magical height ... a pic of the spot would probably get you better suggestions ... have you discussed the encroachments with your zoning office?? ken...See More
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