Ever heard the saying that good fences make good neighbors? They sure can, and some plants make excellent fences. Whether you are trying to keep your yard private or you really do want to avoid your neighbors, plants can also be cheaper than fencing material and fence building labor. Here are some plant varieties you may want to consider…
Bamboo is a tall plant that can create a great privacy screen. It is also fast-growing. Just be careful to choose a bamboo variety that is non-invasive or you may end up very displeased with your planting.
According to Bob Vila, the arborvitae’s thick evergreen foliage can create a nice, dense, living privacy fence. It is one of the few conifers that can thrive in Florida and you can choose varying heights.
Certain boxwood varieties, if allowed to grow freely, can reach up to 20 feet in height. Boxwoods come in deep green, white variegated and gold varieties. Also offering green, gold and variegated varieties is the euonymus, which is a tall shrub that can tolerate all types of soil and weather.
If you’re looking for a flowering fence, you may want to opt for skip laurel. Skip laurel will provide a lush flowering hedge that thrives in full sun, grows 10-18 feet, 5-7 feet wide and about 2 feet per year. This option will tolerate dry soil, but needs regular watering to facilitate its early growth. Privet also produces fragrant flowers and will grow at 2-3 feet per year.
The cypress is prolific in Florida and can grow up to five feet per year. Looks like those naked parties can take place sooner than you thought! Seriously though, that is one speedy growth spurt!