People plant trees, hedges and plants for all kinds of reasons. Some efforts are purely aesthetic, while others hold a more practical purpose.
If you’re the kind of person who values privacy and protection in your home, adding screening plants to your garden might just be your saving grace. They don’t look ugly and do wonders in adding privacy and protection to your home. The latter being a natural result of the increased height needed to be cleared to jump over into your property. Here are tips on how to care for Rhaphidophora Decuersiva Plant.
For those who would like a way to establish zoning in your yard, screening plants will also do a great job. Not only do they clearly distinguish between zones, but they add flair and charisma to your garden too.
From fast-growing hedges to towering tall trees, here are the 5 most popular screening plants for your home’s privacy.
1. Leighton Green
Also known as the cupressocyparis leylandii, the leighton green is a fast-growing conifer that does an exceptional job for added privacy. Reaching heights beyond 5 metres in as short as 10 years, the leighton green is dense with the ability to grow more than 15 metres high.
Put simply, this plant isn’t a good fit for small gardens unless you are prepared to commit to constant pruning year-round.
2. Lilli pilly
One of the most popular screening plants, the lilli pilly promises summer flowers and glossy green leaves. Producing edible berries, this screening plant grows as tall as 3 to 5 metres high but can be maintained shorter if pruned.
The downside to a lilli pilly is in how birds are attracted to its berries resulting in red stains wherever dropped.
3. Bamboo
There are plenty of benefits to using bamboo as a screening plant. It’s non-invasive and does not clump together, thus giving the appearance of being neat and tidy.
The bambusa multiplex Alphonse Karr variety works exceptionally well as a screening plant. With pinkish shoots that turn green-striped and yellow as it matures, this variety will reach between 5 to 8 metres tall with an easy response to pruning.
4. Orange blossom
A fast-growing shrub that boasts white fragrant flowers, this glossy green foliage grows dense.
The orange blossom is ideal for creating a small hedge or screen with the ability to grow up to 3 metres tall and 1.2 metres wide. Flowers last throughout spring and summer so be sure to position it where there is plenty of sun.
For gardens in Melbourne that see little sun, consider choosing a Choisya, which is a very similar plant to the orange blossom and grows better in cooler climates.
5. Red robin
Creating a vibrant hedge or screen, the red robin won its name through its fiery red and bronze foliage.
A medium-fast growing plant that reaches heights as high as 1 to 3 metres and branches out 1.2 metres wide, the red robin needs space to grow to its optimal width for it to look lush and vibrant. Hold it back, and the results will show a twiggy hedge instead.
How to decide which privacy plants are best for you
Selecting which privacy plant greatly depends on the landscape look you want to achieve. Factors include how high or wide you want your plants to be among other things such as species and aesthetics.
For example, if your plans are to plant behind your front fence, opting for a low-growing hedge will help avoid completely hiding your home’s facade. On the contrary, a tall-growing plant to completely shade your pool area would be ideal.
Have fun finding the right screening plant for your home!
