- 1. Privet
- 2. Horsetail
- 3. Rhododendron
- 4. Tree of Life
- 5. Ivy
- 6. Hornbeam
- 7. Yew
- 8. Hydrangea
- 9. Elephant Grass
- 10. Wisteria
- 11. Cherry Laurel
- 12. Hibiscus
- 13. Umbrella Bamboo
- 14. Lilac
- 15. Ilex
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Don't feel like prying eyes? These 15 plants are not only beautiful to look at, they are also perfect as privacy screens for your garden.
For many, the garden is a place of retreat where you can unwind. But when the end of the day is disturbed by prying eyes, the dream of a green paradise moves far away. Garden owners therefore often use privacy screens and fences to give their garden back a bit of privacy. The problem with this: Although the fences protect against unwanted views, they often look ugly and destroy the natural atmosphere that we love so much about the place.
Instead, use plants as privacy screens - they not only block out nosy neighbors, but can even be a decorative highlight in the garden. You can find out here which plants are particularly suitable for privacy protection.
1. Privet
The privet (Ligustrum vulgare) has always been a popular hedge plant. No wonder: After all, it is considered to be extremely robust and easy to care for. In addition, the privet is mainly known for its rapid growth, so that you will soon no longer be sitting on a platter even when you plant a new one. A privet hedge is also ideal as a privacy screen, because it shines with a densely branched growth and can reach a considerable height of three meters. The privet remains reliably green even in winter and thus ensures undisturbed relaxation in the garden.
2. Horsetail
The horsetail (Equisetum japonicum) is particularly widespread as a pond plant. With its minimalist appearance and straight growth, it is also a great addition to modern architecture. Here it not only becomes a stylish eye-catcher, but with a height of one and a half meters is also quite suitable as a privacy screen. However, the horsetail should best be planted in a pot, because similar to the field horsetail (Equisetumarvense), which is known to many as a weed, the horsetail also spreads quickly and happily.
3. Rhododendron
The rhododendron (Rhododendron) is an absolute highlight in many gardens and the pride of their owners. Its large, beautiful flowers in particular make it a real feast for the eyes, but the evergreen leaves are also very decorative. But the sensitive rhododendrons are not only impressive as solitaires: many varieties, especially those of the large-flowered hybrids, can also be planted as a hedge, which not only offers optimal privacy protection, but also draws everyone's attention.
4. Tree of Life
The tree of life (Thuja) is a real perennial favorite as a privacy screen, even if many gardeners disparagingly refer to it as a "cemetery plant". The tree of life has a lot to offer: With its dense, evergreen foliage, it is not only absolutely opaque, but also looks good. In addition, the plant is very adaptable and easy to care for. The tree of life also tolerates a topiary very well, but pruning is not absolutely necessary - this makes the tree of life a great addition to almost any garden.
5. Ivy
Ivy (Hedera helix) is a true classic when it comes to greening walls and facades. But the climbing plant is also almost unbeatable as a privacy screen: Not only can it be used to transform unsightly privacy screens and walls, it is also suitable for blocking out prying neighbors. For this, the ivy only needs a trellis on which it can climb, and the plant forms a green wall within a very short time.
6. Hornbeam
The hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) is a real sham because, despite its name, the plant does not belong to the beech family, but to the birch family. But you can't be angry with the plant for long, as it is ideal as a privacy screen. Especially its robustness and ability to regenerate make the plant so popular as a hedge. Simultaneouslythe hornbeam offers a reliably opaque hedge for the whole year: the deciduous foliage first turns yellow and then brown in autumn, but remains on the plant until the following spring.
Tip: In order to create a dense privacy screen, many hedge plants have to be trimmed regularly. In order to cope, they need an adequate supply of nutrients. Therefore, fertilize your hedge plants regularly, for green plants we recommend our Plantura organic universal fertilizer. With its three-month long-term effect, this ensures permanently strengthened and resilient plants.
7. Yew
The yew (Taxus baccata) is also a real classic among hedge plants. With its soft, dark green needles, it is not only a pretty eye-catcher, but also completely opaque. At the same time, the yew is considered to be very robust and insensitive and can easily reach an age of several hundred years. But a yew hedge is not only popular with gardeners: Many birds prefer the dense growth of the yew as a place to hide and retreat.
8. Hydrangea
Hydrangeas (Hydrangea) and gardens go together like sulphur. So what could be better than using the pretty hydrangea not only as an eye-catcher, but also as a privacy screen? In fact, hydrangeas can be grown quite well for high and opaque hedges if you are careful when choosing the right hydrangea variety: Farmhouse hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) are not as suitable as panicle hydrangeas ( Hydrangea paniculata), as these grow taller and do not lose their abundance of flowers when cut back.
9. Elephant Grass
Grass as a privacy screen? What sounds unbelievable at first glance is not magic. With a height of up to three meters, the elephant grass (Miscanthus x giganteus) is a real giant among the grasses and can be wonderfully protected from prying eyes insert. At the same time, the giant Chinese reed, as the plant is also called, is absolutely easy to care for and is characterized by good winter hardiness, whereby it also scores with a pretty yellow color in autumn. Elephant grass is particularly suitable for gardens with a ponda great privacy screen, because it loves moisture and can therefore also be planted at the edge of garden ponds.
10. Wisteria
Anyone who thinks that privacy screens only have to be boringly green has never seen Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis): From May to June, the plant impresses with one violet-blue sea of flowers that rightly attracts everyone's attention. But even after flowering, the wisteria is a real ornament with its summer green, pretty feathered foliage. However, since the wisteria is a climbing plant, it needs a little help: A stable climbing aid is essential so that the plant can thrive as a blooming privacy screen.
11. Cherry Laurel
Evergreen glossy foliage and a robust growth - if you see the cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) for the first time, you will immediately know why the plant is so popular. With its pretty leaves and delicate panicles of flowers, the cherry laurel is a real gem in the garden and is perfect as a privacy screen due to its dense growth. At the same time, the cherry laurel is considered to be absolutely uncomplicated, easy to care for and easy to grow. It presents itself with a large variety of varieties, with the right variant for almost every garden and taste.
12. Hibiscus
Tired of evergreen hedge plants and want something with a bit more colour? Then the hibiscus (Hibiscus) is just right for your garden. Because although the garden marshmallow, as the plant is also called, is kept by many as a solitary plant, it is also perfect as a hedge. This not only serves as an optimal privacy screen, but is also a real feast for the eyes: from June to September the hibiscus has large flowers in the colors white, red and violet. However, you should make sure you choose the right variety for the hibiscus: Some varieties are extremely frost-hardy, so that the hibiscus can overwinter outdoors. Unfortunately, other varieties are not suitable for the German winter.
13. Umbrella Bamboo
The umbrella bamboo (Fargesia murielae) has long been a must in Asian-inspired gardens, but the plant is also finding a place in more and more German gardens. Hardly surprising, after all, the umbrella bamboo has a whole host of advantages: robust and hardy, the plant shows its fresh green foliage all year round and provides a Far Eastern flair. The majestic plant forms dense shoots and reaches a height of up to three meters - ideal for privacy. Another advantage is that umbrella bamboo is extremely easy to grow: Within a very short time, it forms a dense foliage that not only blocks out unwanted views, but also muffles unwanted noise.
14. Lilac
If you not only want a privacy screen that is pleasing to the eyes but also to the nose, you should definitely reach for lilacs (Syringa vulgaris). Especially the beautiful flowers that it bears from May to June make it a real eye-catcher. In addition, the lilac enchants with a wonderful scent that beguiles the senses. As a hedge, it is relatively undemanding and can reach a height of up to four meters. However, so that no one really sees the way into the garden, the lilacs have to be planted relatively closely - the hedge only becomes really dense from four plants per meter.
15. Ilex
Finding a privacy screen that should be beautiful, robust, uncomplicated and ideally versatile is not that easy. Luckily there is the Ilex (Ilex), also known as holly: The uncomplicated plant grows by itself and looks beautiful at the same time. The Ilex impresses all year round with its shiny, toothed leaves and its dense growth. In spring, it also enchants with its white flowers, which elegantly contrast with the dark foliage. However, the Ilex is particularly beautiful in winter - that is when it bears fiery red berries, which bring a colorful contrast to the otherwise white winter world.
You can find more colorful plants for the winter in our special article.