Add privacy to your outdoor space with elegant landscaping
In an ever-growing city, privacy is something we build in our homes and backyards.
“We’re working with a lot of neighborhoods that are very narrow lots, so you can’t come in and plant . . . a wide hedge,” says Graham Kimak, principal at Graham Kimak Landscape Designs. With these narrower lots and preference for zero maintenance, he reports homeowners often choose composite fencing material to create privacy.
Landscaping with plant material is also an option worth considering. The payoff from planting trees and shrubs is a beautiful garden sanctuary, which the Arbor Day Foundation reports can serve as a windbreak, provide shade, and decrease stormwater runoff.
For homeowners who are up for the challenge, consider the plants’ needs for sunlight, pruning, and watering along with your own needs for privacy and enclosure. “We select plant material that is highly hardy, or very hardy in the Upstate,” says Kimak, stressing the need for durability in extreme temperatures. He and his team typically install evergreens such as arborvitae or holly, as well as tea olives, camellias, or gardenias for floral hedges.
After choosing plants, keep the landscaping healthy and beautiful through proper pruning. “You don’t want to trim more than 33 percent off of the plant . . . If you prune more than that, you could send that plant into a shock,” he cautions.
Irrigation requires more experimentation. “I usually recommend taking baby steps . . . because it might only need two more minutes of water to eliminate [underwatering],” says Kimak. Homeowners should meet with their maintenance crews to discuss plants’ pruning and watering needs.
For lower-maintenance privacy landscaping, Kimak recommends installing a small stone wall, then putting a fence on top for height and planting in front. However, he warns homeowners not to plant too much, because the wall will be covered most of the year. The hardscaping and landscaping combination not only looks nice, he says, but is “a little less imposing and a lot less imposing on the bank account, too.”
Plants to Pick from
Gorgeous Greens:
- Emerald green arborvitae
- Cryptomeria
Beautiful Blooms
- Camellias
- Gardenias
Expert Tips
- Kimak recommends choosing plants that are easier to find because they are easier to replace
- Test soil with a stick or rebar to check how much water a plant needs: if the stick comes out dry, the plant is underwatered; if the soil feels soupy, the plant is overwatered
- Hand-prune with sharp shears and pruners
