In more densely populated areas of our urban forest, privacy can be hard to come by. Installing fences and structures can offer immediate privacy but it can also cost a pretty penny. The good news is that a green alternative exists, and, with some forethought, it can be a low-cost, long-term solution for privacy. That green alternative? Privacy hedges!
A hedge or hedgerow is a row of shrubs, or sometimes trees, that are planted closely together to create a living fence. We often see hedges planted to mark a boundary such as a property line, but hedges can also be a great tool for creating privacy, blocking undesirable views and even buffering noise and wind. The trick is to install the right plants in the right place.
Tip One: Pick the Right Plants
Not every plant is suitable for a privacy hedge. Plants that are tall and have dense foliage (leaves) or branching will offer more privacy. Foliage type will also have a strong impact on privacy levels. For year-round privacy, evergreen and semi-evergreen plants are ideal as leaves stay on the plant through the winter months. Although deciduous plants lose their leaves in the winter, they can still be a great choice, especially if privacy needs are reduced during the cooler months or if the plant has dense branching.
Because each plant requires a distinct set of soil and sunlight conditions to thrive, matching plants to a property’s unique growing conditions will help set them up for long-term survival.
Tip Two: Give the Plants Space
A common mistake people often make is overplanting. When plants are smaller in size at the time of planting, there is a tendency to crowd more of them together to fill the space. However, when plants lack space to grow above and below ground, they begin to compete for resources such as water and nutrients – especially when those plants are large at maturity. This leads to stress, which reduces resiliency and opens the door to pests and diseases. It can also lead to plant death, which creates unsightly gaps in a hedge.
When selecting a plant, it is important to consider how tall and wide it will be at maturity to determine the right placement at planting. It’s also important to ensure plants have enough distance from hard surfaces, property lines and structures, which can cause conflict. For more information on plant spacing, check out our handy spacing chart here.
Tip Three: Provide Plants With Regular Care
Unlike artificial privacy options, hedges require care because they are living. Regular watering and mulching, especially for the first two years after planting, are necessary to help plants establish and thrive. From spring through fall, trees and shrubs should be watered twice per week using approximately six gallons of water (or three full watering cans) for trees each time and four gallons of water (or two full watering cans) for shrubs each time.
One way to reduce maintenance over time is by selecting native species as they have evolved to adapt to local climate and soil conditions. Given their evolutionary advantage, native species typically require less maintenance once established.
Tip Four: Plant Smaller and Be Patient
Patience is a virtue, and when it comes to privacy hedges, it pays to be patient. The desire for immediate privacy sways homeowners to favour bigger plants right away, but that can stress both their wallets and the plants.
Larger plants will unsurprisingly cost more to plant, but they also take longer to establish because more of their root system is removed during the transplant. This ultimately delays the start of their growth. All plants undergo a normal period of stress after planting (known as transplant shock/stress), which can be compounded if care is not provided. The bigger the plant, the longer the transplant stress period, meaning more care is needed for longer. Choosing smaller plants and providing regular care results in a shorter transplant shock/stress period and quicker establishment, which will allow plants to start growing sooner.
Interested in creating a privacy hedge on your property? LEAF offers various subsidized native options for homeowners to get started, including the eastern white cedar, individual shrubs and the themed Privacy Shrub Bundle. Every order includes mulch and a planting and care guide and delivery is included when you order four or more cedars or shrubs. Check out our Shrubs, Garden Kits and Pawpaws page to learn how to order, today!
Jess Wilkin is the Residential Planting Programs Operations Supervisor and an ISA certified arborist at LEAF.
LEAF offers a subsidized Backyard Tree Planting Program for private property. The program is supported by the City of Toronto, the Regional Municipality of York, the City of Markham, the Town of Newmarket, the Regional Municipality of Durham, the Town of Ajax, the Township of Brock, the Municipality of Clarington, the City of Oshawa, the City of Pickering, the Township of Scugog, the Town of Whitby, Ontario Power Generation and Ontario Trillium Foundation.