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Landscape Design Trees

help: Backyard privacy options

last year

Our house backyard is right next to a busy and noisy road. We have planted 13 green giants almost 4 years ago and they have grown to about 12’ or so tall, but with the thin needle points at the top, they are not blocking anything yet.

I was referred to a company that specializing in moving/planting mature trees, and he recommended us getting another 14-15 or so 14’ tall green giants as a second layer of privacy to fill in the gaps, and block all street views from backyard.

See photos here. The additional plantings will take quite a bit lawn space, especially on the side where I already have 10 green giants. But the appeal of instant privacy and noisy reduction is really appealing.

Before we take the plunge here, it costs a fortune of course, I want to reach out to this trusted community to see if there are other options to consider? For both privacy and noise reduction. We are also looking for water features to offset the street noise.

Fence is no use as most part only allows 4’-6’ height.

Thank you very much!

Wen

Comments (4)

cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
last year
You're almost there, a little bit of patience is all you need.

I'd just wait.
zoey z
last year
Maybe install a pop-up gazebo with curtains in the place of outdoor furniture.
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It's a bit difficult to judge with just this one photo of a small space, but based on what you've given for information, I would probably remove all the grass in this area and replace it with shrubs and small trees. Are you wanting privacy on your deck or on the ground level? Arborvitaes come in a range of mature sizes, but if they are being sold as 6 footers, they will be far too large for that area in just a few years, and then you will need to figure out how to remove them. In 6 years my medium-growing arborvitae selections (Sungold and Techny) have gone from about 3' to 6' and 8', so a full-sized one will grow that much faster. They will get something like 6'-8' wide. So be sure that you get one with a smaller, narrower stature for your small space if you decide to go with arborvitae. They are also loved by deer, so a poor choice if you have deer in the neighborhood since the entire base will be nibbled bare leaving you with twiggy-based lollypop shapes. Consider some evergreen shrubs (not the trees that a full-sized arborvitae wants to be) such as narrow yews if you don't have deer, or broad-leafed evergreens such as rhododendrons. Or choose vines that will cling to trellises if the privacy is most important in the warmer weather; a couple of Summer Snow clematis would create a nice full screen that will be covered with tiny white flowers for a few weeks, and maintenance involved is just cutting down to 2' or so every winter and removing the trimmings.
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Most grasses require sun. They're not going to be happy next to tall trees that provide shade. You say "tall" but it looks like you only need about 15' height in order to screen the house/windows. Wouldn't that range be enough? With greater height comes more and more shade.
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
I would still put up a fence, even if it is just 6 foot. It'll make an appreciable difference to noise compared with trees and will visually block moving cars. It will also stop people walking past from looking into your garden.
tozmo1
last year
last modified: last year
How do you use the part of the yard that you would lose by additional plantings? If a smaller green area that is private and peaceful is more appealing than a larger noisy public green area, why not go for it? Where are you located? Is this the best time of year to be planting mature trees? I'm in the southeast US and you definitely want to do that in the fall not spring almost summer.

I'd also work on changing out that bit of privacy fencing along the patio. I'd do something that an evergreen vine can grow on. Something like this but with vines on it. Seems you need something sound absorbing, not sound reflecting. I wonder if the solid fencing is actually capturing/amplifying the sound somehow. What is it made of?

Wood Lattice Privacy Screen with Round Wooden Columns · More Info

This is a picture of my side yard. That is a star jasmine vine growing on a four foot chain link fence and then over the top of my wood fence that faces the street. It stays green all year and grows like crazy. Very sound absorbing and visually and physically very dense. Plus it smells great when it flowers. That's only two plants that have grown over the years. I'm in 7b/8a. In fact if you can do a 6 ft fence across the road side and add a vine to it that grows up like this one you will actually have an 8 ft barrier.

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