Privacy/greenery suggestions

kcult

Wish you were closer
Charter Member
Supporting Member
Multi-Factor Enabled
Joined
Dec 17, 2016
Messages
20,138
Location
ChesCo SC
Rating - 100%
54   0   0
I'm in the process of removing the 17 year old Leyland Cypress trees from my backyard, but I want to plant something else for privacy.

I would like something that will grow to about 8ft tall and wide, but with a root system that won't reach out and invade a neighbor's septic tank. Roots going out 8 to 10 feet shouldn't be an issue.

There were red tips here when we bought the place, but I think I want to go with something different.

109044.jpeg
 
There's been a blight (or something similar) that's been killing off the red tips for years, I'm sure it's from china.
Ligustrum sounds like what you're after. DO NOT plant Chinese (privet)ligustrum! It's an aggressive and troublesome shrub and listed by SC & NC Exotic Pest Plant Council as a “severe threat” in the Carolinas.
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/ligustrum/
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/ligustrum/growing-ligustrum-shrubs.htm
https://www.southernliving.com/plants/privet
 
Green Giants - you can keep them trimmed back but they make an excellent privacy tree
 
I am partial to thornbushes, specifically hawthorne and pyracantha (firethorn).........Mojave Pyracantha gets up to 12ft tall, fast. Very pretty as a hedge, with non-poisonous red berries and evergreen. They attract birds so don't plant them near a driveway unless you park in a garage.

Hawnthorne is a bit less 'ornamental' but way more functional. They use it in the parking lot islands at work to discourage people cutting thru and not using sidewalks. It's a slow grower. But you had better wear gloves when you're pruning it :D

But nobody short of Iron Man is coming thru that hedgerow without a trip to the ER ;)
 
Last edited:
images


I just planted 20 of the Green Giant arborvitae, which are supposed to be resistant to the Leyland blight, but they grow 60'. I guess you could keep them topped out.
 
I am partial to thornbushes, specifically hawthorne and pyracantha (firethorn).........Mojave Pyracantha gets up to 12ft tall, fast. Very pretty as a hedge, with non-poisonous red berries and evergreen. They attract birds so don't plant them near a driveway unless you park in a garage.

Hawnthorne is a bit less 'ornamental' but way more functional. They use it in the parking lot islands at work to discourage people cutting thru and not using sidewalks. It's a slow grower. But you had better wear gloves when you're pruning it :D

But nobody short of Iron Man is coming thru that hedgerow without a trip to the ER ;)
Flying dragon trifoliate oranges grow fast and would slay a lion that attempted to move through the brush as well. Be damn sure to pick up EVERY clipping from the ground when pruning, because when it dries, it'll pierce your foot, after going through your boot.
 
Better go with something over 8' if you're trying to stop this guy.

Looks like he can jump.
Dog.png
 
with a root system that won't reach out and invade a neighbor's septic tank.

View attachment 213434


While I don’t have a suggestion, I just want to commend you for this statement! Refreshing!
I am currently fighting roots from my neighbors yard and their attitude is they just don’t GAF!
 
I am in a similar situation figuring out what to plant for privacy so I will be interested in the "helpful" replies in this thread.
Scrub Cedar is one option but haven't figured out the root system.
 
While I don’t have a suggestion, I just want to commend you for this statement! Refreshing!
I am currently fighting roots from my neighbors yard and their attitude is they just don’t GAF!

I'm no saint. I'm just not interested in being sued over someone's doo doo coffin.
 
Last edited:
We have another active thread where we're discussing neighbors who suck. Maybe being "that guy" will get them to install bushes on their own. Bring home and dress deer out back in full view. Hang laundry on the line butt nekkid. Be creative.
 
Emerald Green Arborvitae. They grow about 15’

ETA: put some barberry bushes on the outside of those. Millions of little thorns
 
We have another active thread where we're discussing neighbors who suck. Maybe being "that guy" will get them to install bushes on their own. Bring home and dress deer out back in full view. Hang laundry on the line butt nekkid. Be creative.

My backyard butts up to four other backyards. If you knew some of the neighbors, you would know I can't out-trash, out-ghetto, or out-perv them.

I don't mind spending the time and energy blocking them out.
 
Recurve ligustrum, Osmanthus fragrans, chindo viburnum and cleyera all are good options for large shrub screening and all are hardy drought tolerant and no major pest or disease issues. Green giants will get as big as the Leyland and can’t be pruned much because they shade out on the inside so if you cut them back you will have bare spots.
 
Waxed Myrtles are another option. They make a good screen and are native to the deep south and coastal areas.

For maximum screen, go for a layered approach. Different species of different heights. The more depth to the screen, the less grass to mow too haha!
 
All the trees and stumps are gone and I'll say that I miss my privacy...a lot.

One of my backyard neighbors got his ass chewed because his wife drove her motorized wheelchair to the fence to look at the dirt, I guess, and found where he had been dumping his empty liquor bottles. He was out there about an hour later bagging them up. The dead pine tree looks much better now.

Although we still plan to plant green stuff, we are considering a privacy fence on just the back side. We got a quote that seems reasonable, but a couple of details set me back.

I planned to take down the chain link fence before a privacy fence goes up, but my wife says the guy informed her that the privacy fence would be six inches above the ground. Really? I don't think I've ever paid attention, but I don't recall seeing one that high above the ground. So, if we go this route, I have to find a way to keep the rat dogs out of my backyard. There's three that roam the neighborhood and they all are small enough to slip under that size gap.

When I questioned why the gap, she said because the pickets aren't treated and would rot if they were sitting on the ground. So, the guy installs the fence and I have to follow up with some sort of treatment? Sheesh. I guess I know nothing about this stuff.

Is the anything I need to know, avoid, request, if we get one installed? I'll probably have to get creative in blocking that gap, too.
 
All the trees and stumps are gone and I'll say that I miss my privacy...a lot.

One of my backyard neighbors got his ass chewed because his wife drove her motorized wheelchair to the fence to look at the dirt, I guess, and found where he had been dumping his empty liquor bottles. He was out there about an hour later bagging them up. The dead pine tree looks much better now.

Although we still plan to plant green stuff, we are considering a privacy fence on just the back side. We got a quote that seems reasonable, but a couple of details set me back.

I planned to take down the chain link fence before a privacy fence goes up, but my wife says the guy informed her that the privacy fence would be six inches above the ground. Really? I don't think I've ever paid attention, but I don't recall seeing one that high above the ground. So, if we go this route, I have to find a way to keep the rat dogs out of my backyard. There's three that roam the neighborhood and they all are small enough to slip under that size gap.

When I questioned why the gap, she said because the pickets aren't treated and would rot if they were sitting on the ground. So, the guy installs the fence and I have to follow up with some sort of treatment? Sheesh. I guess I know nothing about this stuff.

Is the anything I need to know, avoid, request, if we get one installed? I'll probably have to get creative in blocking that gap, too.

It’ll be expensive, but you should quote out using plastic instead of the wood. They’ll never need sealing/staining and will last a very long time. You should be able to drop that right down to the ground if you choose.
 
Bamboo ... clumping bamboo. The Green Screen or Rufa clumping varieties do well in the SE and will top out about 8 to 10 feet tall. Rufa once settled in is a nice grower and you can actually split off pieces of the clumps and replant it to extend or fill in the line or start a new stand.
 
Last edited:
Waxed Myrtles are another option. They make a good screen and are native to the deep south and coastal areas.

For maximum screen, go for a layered approach. Different species of different heights. The more depth to the screen, the less grass to mow too haha!
I have a dozen only 1.5 years old on a berm in back. I pulled one out for some reason and was shocked at the lengthy root system it had already established. There’s a reason they can survive salt water at the beach.
 
Looks like we'll be going with a wooden privacy fence along the backside of the yard. Probably starting Friday or Monday. I'll be removing an almost 20 year old chain link fence the day before.

I assume the posts have limited reuse because of the concrete, but the fencing itself, I'm sure can be used again. It's about 200ft long. I'm going to try my best to get it rolled up, but I'm not sure how successful I'll be.
 
Looks like we'll be going with a wooden privacy fence along the backside of the yard. Probably starting Friday or Monday. I'll be removing an almost 20 year old chain link fence the day before.

I assume the posts have limited reuse because of the concrete, but the fencing itself, I'm sure can be used again. It's about 200ft long. I'm going to try my best to get it rolled up, but I'm not sure how successful I'll be.
Nail one end of the fencing to a 2x4 and that should help you roll it up.
 
Ligustrum was gonna be my suggestion being South Carolina, but apparently those are listed as "invasive." Had those around the yard as a kid. They get 8-10' tall and very thick, and can be shaped.
 
Ligustrum was gonna be my suggestion being South Carolina, but apparently those are listed as "invasive." Had those around the yard as a kid. They get 8-10' tall and very thick, and can be shaped.

We'll still be planting something for privacy on the east side. The west side still had cypress trees, at least through the summer.

The southern side of the lot is getting a privacy fence with mostly ornamental stuff planted.
 
We'll still be planting something for privacy on the east side. The west side still had cypress trees, at least through the summer.

The southern side of the lot is getting a privacy fence with mostly ornamental stuff planted.
Forgot to add: as a kid growing up in FL...not SC. I'm sure they're invasive in FL, too. But FL is a lost cause for invasive anythings.
 
A nice stand of bamboo looks nice and grows in pretty thick... plus it has the added bonus of taking over your neighbors yard if they don't keep it cut back.
 
Ligustrum was gonna be my suggestion being South Carolina, but apparently those are listed as "invasive." Had those around the yard as a kid. They get 8-10' tall and very thick, and can be shaped.

DO NOT plant these near a house. They are extremely invasive, hard to kill, and hard to 'shape' unless you plan on continually trimming ala Edward Scissorhands. In short, they suck. Just about like every 'ornamental' from China.
 
Ligustrum was gonna be my suggestion being South Carolina, but apparently those are listed as "invasive." Had those around the yard as a kid. They get 8-10' tall and very thick, and can be shaped.
DO NOT plant these near a house. They are extremely invasive, hard to kill, and hard to 'shape' unless you plan on continually trimming ala Edward Scissorhands. In short, they suck. Just about like every 'ornamental' from China.
And some variants are toxic to animals ... horses especially but others have been known to become ill also.
 
DO NOT plant these near a house. They are extremely invasive, hard to kill, and hard to 'shape' unless you plan on continually trimming ala Edward Scissorhands. In short, they suck. Just about like every 'ornamental' from China.
I think that's the Chinese Privet (post 3), they're spreading anywhere on our land where sunlight meets dirt.
 
Last edited:
The root structure for many trees is 1.5X the dripline. So if you have a tree where the branches extend 20' past the main trunk, the roots usually grow to at least 30' away from the trunk, if not more.
 
Back
Top Bottom