Looking for a way to create privacy in your yard without the cold, hard look of a traditional fence? You’re not alone! Many people are turning to plants as a natural, eco-friendly, and aesthetically pleasing alternative to traditional fencing. Not only do these plants block out prying eyes, but they also offer lush, green beauty and help reduce noise and wind. Best of all? They create an ever-changing, living wall that adds charm to your outdoor space.
If you’re thinking of creating your own green privacy fence, we have got you covered with some fantastic plant options!
Best Plants for Privacy Fence
1. Carolina Yellow Jessamine
This is a beautiful woody vine that offers both privacy and a pop of color with its lovely yellow flowers. It’s perfect if you’re looking for a quick-growing plant to cover trellises or fences, growing up to 20 feet tall. Carolina Yellow Jessamine thrives in full sun to partial shade, and its fast growth makes it one of the best plants for those who need privacy fast. Plus, it can even reduce noise and act as a wind barrier! It’s a great choice for tight spaces and is deer resistant.
This fast-growing woody vine can quickly cover trellises and fences, providing a lush green screen with beautiful yellow flowers. It grows up to 20 feet tall and thrives in full sun to partial shade, making it an excellent option for creating privacy fast.
2. Climbing Hydrangea
If you’re after both privacy and elegance, Climbing Hydrangea is your go-to. This woody vine boasts stunning white flowers in the summer and green foliage year-round, making it perfect for creating a lush privacy screen. It grows around 30–50 feet tall with the right sturdy support and prefers partial shade to full sun. It’s also low-maintenance once established, though you’ll want to keep an eye on root rot in overly wet soil. Not only does it provide privacy, but its dense foliage also helps reduce noise.
With its dense green foliage and stunning white flowers, it creates an elegant privacy wall while also blocking noise. It can move up to 50 feet tall, making it perfect for covering large fences or walls.b
3. Fringe Flower (Loropetalum)
For a more colorful privacy option, the Fringe Flower offers green foliage that turns into lovely shades of purple, red, and pink, depending on the variety. Growing around 6-10 feet tall, this shrub is perfect for a dense hedge or mixed with other plants in mixed borders. It thrives in well-draining soil. The Fringe Flower is also deer resistant, making it a great choice for areas with wildlife.
The plant is a colorful and versatile evergreen shrub with rich purple, red, or pink foliage, ideal for creating a vibrant hedge. It grows around 6-10 feet tall and thrives in full sun to shade, providing both beauty and seclusion.
4. Camellia
If you’re in love with bright red berries and flowers, Camellia is a gorgeous, slow-growing shrub. Its glossy green foliage is beautiful year-round, and during late summer through winter, it shows off white blooms or vibrant flowers in shades of pink and red. It reaches around 6–12 feet tall and makes a lovely privacy screen. Though a bit slower to grow, Camellias can block wind and create a winter garden effect. They thrive in part shade and need protection from too much sun or deer damage.
With glossy dark green leaves and stunning blooms in late winter, it offers year-round beauty and effective screening. Growing up to 12 feet tall, it creates a dense privacy barrier while adding seasonal color to your garden. It is one of the best choices when it comes to privacy fence.
5. Podocarpus (Japanese Yew)
One of the best plants for privacy, Podocarpus is a popular choice for creating a tall, sleek hedge. This evergreen tree grows 30-45 feet tall but can be kept trimmed to fit smaller spaces. Its dense foliage makes it ideal for privacy screening, and it can tolerate both full sun and partial shade. The Podocarpus is also deer resistant and fairly low maintenance, needing just a bit of pruning to maintain its shape. Plus, it grows in a variety of growing conditions, from hot summers to mild winters.
It is a sleek, hedge-forming plant that can grow up to 45 feet tall, providing solid privacy and wind protection. Its evergreen nature and ability to thrive in both full sun to partial shade make it a top choice for year-round coverage.
6. Cleyera
This shrub is a hidden gem! Cleyera features stunning glossy leaves that change from dark green to bronze throughout the year. It can grow up to 8–10 feet tall, making it a great option for privacy hedges. The plant is low maintenance, doing well in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. It can also tolerate a variety of climates. Regular trimming will help keep its feet tall growth in check.
The plant is an attractive semi-evergreen shrub that grows up to 10 feet tall, with glossy leaves that change color throughout the year, creating a dynamic privacy hedge. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and offers low-maintenance screening.
7. Crossvine
Looking for something with an extra splash of color? Crossvine could be just the plant for you! It produces stunning trumpet-shaped blooms in hues of red, orange, and yellow. It climbs up to 30 feet tall, creating a vibrant privacy screen that also attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. It’s one of the best plants for adding privacy while beautifying your outdoor space. Crossvine prefers sun to partial shade and is known for being drought-tolerant once established, so it’s also a great low care option.
With vibrant red, orange, and yellow blooms, it offers a colorful privacy screen that also attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. It grows up to 30 feet tall and is known for its rapid growth and drought tolerance, making it a beautiful and effective option for privacy.
Conclusion
There you have it—some of the best plants to build your own living, breathing privacy fence! Whether you go for the colorful Fringe Flower, the elegant Climbing Hydrangea, or the fast-growing Carolina Yellow Jessamine, these plants will offer more than just privacy. They’ll reduce noise, block wind, and provide year-round beauty with their rich green foliage and vibrant flowers.
Remember, whether you choose fast-growing species like Podocarpus or opt for low-maintenance options like Cleyera, always check the growing conditions in your area. Regular pruning will help maintain their mature height and keep your privacy fence healthy. Creating a natural barrier with plants is not only functional but adds a lush, beautiful element to your yard. Happy planting!
