Wish you had a little more privacy in your outdoor space? You're not alone. As neighborhoods grow denser and backyard spaces get cozier, more and more gardeners are looking for creative ways to carve out a little solitude. Whether you're screening out views from a second-story window or just want a quiet spot to unwind, we've got ideas to help. Plus, learn how a quick round of deadheading can tidy up tired blooms and keep the color coming.
Need a living screen that looks good and gets the job done? These 15 shrubs are some of the best picks for privacy, whether you're going for a naturalistic hedge, a low-maintenance backdrop, or a quick-growing buffer from your neighbors. You’ll find options for sun or shade, evergreen or deciduous, formal or free-flowing. Pictured: Incrediball® smooth hydrangea planted in a hedge from Proven Winners.
Looking for something a little taller? Find the right trees to create privacy for your garden.
Whether you're looking to block an unsightly view, reduce street noise, or simply create a peaceful garden retreat, there are plenty of ways to add privacy with plants, structures, or a mix of both. Discover smart design ideas and real-world examples to help you get started. In the photo above, several strategic choices make this small garden more visually appealing, such as the retaining wall and wood fence being softened by layered trees, shrubs, and perennials. Gardener: Eloise Carson, Photo by: Janet Loughrey.
Top 10 Flowering Shrubs for Hedges
Whether you're seeking a petite border to define a garden room or a grand statement that creates privacy, we've got you covered. Find the ideal match for your garden with this list of 10 flowering shrubs, arranged by height from shortest to tallest. Pictured: Sonic Bloom® Pink reblooming weigela. Photo: Proven Winners.
Design tip: When looking at plant lists arranged from shortest to tallest (such as this one), always think about layering!!
Privacy Talk: Real Solutions from the Pros
Looking for even more ideas to add privacy to your yard? In this video, Janey from Dig, Plant, Water, Repeat chats with award-winning landscape designer Michael Glassman about smart, real-life solutions for screening out unwanted views.
Deadheading 101:
Keep Your Summer Garden Blooming
Why is summer the ideal time to master the art of deadheading? Here are 3 reasons:
- Deadheading can extend the blooming season of many summer flowers, potentially allowing them to continue flowering into fall.
- Summer heat can stress plants, and deadheading helps redirect energy from seed production to new growth and blooms.
- Many popular summer-flowering annuals and perennials benefit greatly from deadheading, such as petunias, marigolds, zinnias, and black-eyed Susans.
Learn how to get the most from your summer garden with this simple task.
Plant of the Week:
Beyond Midnight® Bluebeard
This beauty brings a punch of rich color to late-summer borders just when many perennials start to fade. Beyond Midnight® has glossy deep green leaves, a tidy compact shape, and striking purple-blue blooms that pollinators can’t resist. It’s heat and drought tolerant, needs no deadheading, and pairs beautifully with other sun-loving plants.
P.S. I have one in my garden, and it’s absolutely buzzing with bees all day!
—Linda
It’s amazing how fast things can change in the garden. One minute a plant’s thriving, and the next… well, I just watched a big, beautiful salvia get completely overtaken by mealybugs in less than two weeks. The entire plant is covered with the sticky honeydew and the ants are having a field day! Sometimes you do everything right and still end up pulling a plant out and starting fresh. Gardens are always a work in progress!
Happy gardening!
—Linda
Did you enjoy this newsletter? Forward it to a friend
Not currently receiving this weekly newsletter? Subscribe here!
No images? Click here for a web version of this email.
