Traditionally, living fences have been defined as trees or shrubs planted closely together that delineate a property line, provide privacy, are part of the overall landscape design, function as a windbreak and can be all or any combination of these.
Trends in modern living fences are about personalization – creating options that serve your needs both functionally and aesthetically. That may include adding plantings to an existing structural fence, vertical gardening and mixed materials incorporating a variety of containers, structures and plantings.
Develop your plan for a living fence by determining what you want from it: Do you need privacy year-round or only in the warmer months when you spend time outdoors? This can help you decide between evergreen or deciduous plantings.
If you and your neighbors have ample property space, and/or your gathering area in your yard is a distance from your property line, the height and density of your plants may not be as important as it would be if your patio or deck is within a dozen feet or so from your neighbor or you’re close to public foot traffic or roadways.
Perhaps privacy isn’t much of an issue, and you just want to delineate property boundaries. You can opt for deciduous plantings, lower-growing shrubs, perennials, containers, vines – a wide variety of choices.
Other aspects to consider are existing fences – would you like to hide them or enhance them with plantings? How do you want your living fence to factor into your overall landscape design? It can function as a backdrop, focal point or something in between.
And finally, how much time, effort, and cost are you willing to invest in upkeep and maintenance? While both beautiful, a hedge of arborvitae vs. a trellis of hanging plants have vastly different care demands.
Here are six creative fencing trends to consider for your landscape:
Classic Coverage – For year-round privacy and coverage, traditional evergreens like arborvitae, juniper, yew and boxwood are hard to beat. They come in a variety of heights and widths, growth habits and even color variations. Most are easy to care for, with trimming being one of the chief maintenance requirements, but even that varies depending on your selection and look you want. You can sculpt a neat, dense wall, leave a more natural growth patterned look or take it up a notch to topiary splendor if you’re so inclined!
Broad Leaf Appeal – Broad leaf evergreens are another great year-round option for living fences. Varieties come in a wide array of sizes, shapes, textures and colors, plus flowering options. Popular choices in our area include boxwood, holly, euonymus, rhododendron, andromeda, viburnum and some azaleas, given the right growing conditions. Other broad leaf evergreens to consider that you might be less familiar with include golden-speckled leaf aucuba, pyracantha with its beautiful ornamental berries, holly-like osmanthus, Japanese privet (avoid European and Chinese privet which can run rampant in the garden) and flowering options like photinia and camelia.
Soft Structure – Ornamental grasses continue to gain popularity in the landscape and with good reason: the variety, versatility, durability and ease of care these plants provide make them welcomed in the garden. Grouped in a line up, ornamental grasses can create a stunning living fence, in a range of sizes, density, and colors. They lend a soft, graceful presence to the landscape, many also offering a show of billowy seedheads in the fall like fountain grasses and maiden grasses. Pink muhly grass is a particular standout, its bright pink seed heads creating clouds of cotton-candy color that glow when backlit by the sun.
Flowering Color – Flowering shrubs are true showstoppers when it comes to living fences. It’s easy to imagine a swath of bright yellow forsythia in full spring bloom lighting up any landscape. Perennial favorites include rhododendron, azalea, lilac, spirea, camelia, shrub rose, hydrangea and viburnum. Explore additional options such as weigelia, amass with vibrant pink blooms, early-spring blooming flowering quince, fragrant mock orange and pastel-pretty, dappled willow.
Vertical’s the Way to Go – Structures like arbors, trellises, pergolas and privacy walls are all made more beautiful (and often more private) with the addition of plants, particularly those that climb, cling and spill over. Vines are great options for weaving privacy into open structural fences, softening the look of hard structures (as well as hiding the views of unattractive ones) and adding vertical visual appeal to your landscape.
Keep in mind that vines have different growing habits; some need supports to twist around, like morning glories and clematis, while others, like English ivy, have tiny aerial roots that grab onto rough surfaces like tree barks, stone walls and brick facades. Along with morning glory, clematis and English ivy, trumpet vine, honeysuckle and jasmine are beautiful vines to consider. Climbing roses and wisteria look stunning spilling over fence gate entrances and pergolas, with the added bonus of their sweet fragrances. Akebia or chocolate vine is a fast, dense grower that provides privacy along with chocolate-scented flowers in April.
Mixed Materials – Get creative and mix it up when it comes to your living fence.
- Add potted plants along a low stone wall for added privacy and garden appeal.
- Create a privacy fence of mixed plantings – conifers, broad-leaf evergreens, deciduous flower shrubs – to create depth, texture and interest to your living fence.
- Layer plants for a seamlessly natural looking living fence. Place the tallest plants in the back (evergreens, small trees) then move forward by adding shrubs, smaller perennials and finally ground covers.
- Create free-standing succulent or moss wall panels that you can use as movable living fencing.
- Purchase planters with attached trellises to create portable living walls/fencing.
- Tuck herbs, and heat-tolerant plants into openings in industrial fencing.
- Line tall planters closely together and fill them with perennial grass for a living wall that is both dramatic and graceful.
- Bland brick wall? Tired trellis? Breathe life into them with espalier.
All images in this post are credited to Monrovia.
