Increase Privacy in Your Yard With Natural Fences Made From Plants and Shrubs

What Is a Living Fence?

For creating privacy or defining outdoor spaces, the go-to choice is fencing. But what if you could craft a living fence that subs plants for traditional fence materials? The result would be as beautiful as it is functional. A living fence is a plant-based barrier featuring rows of shrubs or trees planted closely together to form a dense, green hedge. It’s a stunning solution that’s sustainable and enhances biodiversity by providing habitat for wildlife of all sizes.

Caring for Living Fences

Establishing: Living fences need time to establish, usually two to five years depending on the plants and spacing.

Pruning: A living fence doesn't necessarily demand intense pruning. Formal gardens filled with neatly clipped hedges may require that care routine, but low-maintenance living fences work just as well. These informal living fences include different plants in varying sizes, such as a small tree paired with an intermediate shrub. The combination creates an ecologically diverse setting that’s typically maintained with light hand pruning once a year to help direct or shape growth.

Watering: Water plants regularly the first few years to help root systems grow strongly. Aim for deep, infrequent watering, using drip irrigation or soaker hoses to deliver water right to the root zone.

Mulching: Maintain a 2- to 3-inch-thick mulch layer to keep weeds in check and retain soil moisture. If your living fence needs pruned to hold its shape, do so regularly to promote branching and fuller growth.

Mix Evergreen and Seasonal Shrubs

Towering ‘Emerald’ arborvitae skirted with voluminous hydrangea (above) show how striking a low-maintenance living fence can be. The evergreen arborvitae hedge brings year-round privacy and grandeur to this poolside fireplace. As temps rise, hydrangea blooms debut, adding a layer of softness to the natural fence just in time for swimming season.

Want to see more great examples of living fences that bring privacy and polish to outdoor spaces? Scroll down to find inspiration for creating living fences, hedges and natural garden walls.

Use this stately patio as your guide and guard your fence with a series of gorgeous arborvitae shrubs. This fast-growing evergreen shrub can reach astounding heights of up to 40 or 60 feet. The spray branches provide dense coverage for ample privacy and block wind to maximize your comfort while entertaining or eating al fresco.

Don’t be afraid to play with tree specie when creating your natural fence. Not only will incorporating two or more species of trees add visual interest to your landscape, but it encourages nutrient-rich soil. Take notes from this dapper Charleston courtyard. A line of young, leafy trees takes root in front of evergreen hedges creating an extra layer of privacy for pool goers during the spring and summer. Evergreen olive trees stand tall against the adjoining wall. Their silvery sage leaves add visual contrast against the vivid green tones found against the other wall and offer year-round privacy from next-door neighbors.

While stone privacy walls are fantastic for creating distinct zones within your outdoor space, they can appear bulky against an otherwise lush, grassy landscape. Soften your existing partitions by blanketing them in climbing vines like creeping fig, star jasmine or Boston ivy. This Mediterranean-inspired oasis features an ivy-clad privacy wall that serves as the backdrop to lounge chairs and eventually connects with a series of manicured hedges for an effortless appeal.

Fact: Sitting on your front porch with a morning cup of coffee is exponentially more relaxing when you have a built-in barrier between you and your well-meaning but chronically chatty next-door neighbor. Take notes from this contemporary covered porch and train potted vines to create a lush barrier between you and the rest of the world. Thin inky slats installed side-by-side add modern flair and serve as the anchor to vibrant greenery and captivating, climbing clematis blooms.

Make this swanky courtyard garden your muse and give your existing fence an extra boost of privacy with the help of a couple of potted espalier trees. Here, the landscape architect trains acer campestre, or field maple, trees against a wooden trellis to create a manicured barrier between the home and neighboring property with time.

While towering trees are ideal for shielding your outdoor space from passersby on the street or nosy next-door neighbors, they are not the best option for creating distinct zones within your backyard. Ornamental grasses like maiden, fountain, purple moor and dwarf Pampas will provide privacy between your al fresco entertaining, swimming and dining spaces without visually overtaking the yard. Unlike trees and shrubs that can reach exponential heights, ornamental grasses stay between 1-5 feet, leaving your yard appearing open and large.

Black iron fences are popular because they disappear from the surroundings and allow owners to enjoy the neighboring views. The one drawback? They provide little-to-no privacy for your outdoor space. But, not to fret! You can have your cake (in this case, inky iron fence) and eat it (privacy from passersby), too, by constructing a living garden wall. This dreamy display features a mix of hazy purple succulents and greenery in a wave pattern. The living wall stands guard behind the diving board, serving as a lush backdrop to family days by the pool.

Who says you need simple boxwoods and laurels to create a living privacy wall for your outdoor space? Skip the emerald hedges and instead drape your garden fence, arbor or pergola with vibrant flowering vines and trailing blooms. This whimsical garden fence provides ample inspiration with climbing ivy filling in the lattice panels and trailing Supertunia petunias overhead.

But remember, although flowering plants offer a beautiful barrier during the spring and summer months, they may not be the best option if you want to avoid eye contact with your next-door neighbor year-round. If the main goal of your natural fencing is a greater sense of privacy, remember what may be a robust barrier in May can end up as little more than a wooden skeleton in January.

Tall-growing trees and fast-growing vines are go-to choices for creating a natural privacy wall, but we say, think outside the box. Take notes from this contemporary backyard, where an elevated stone bed overflows with dense, free-flowing shrubs and flowers that provide privacy to the pool below. Although all the plants are modest in height, the raised flowerbed and mix of compact, textural foliage creates an impenetrable barrier for the outdoor space.

City living means your neighbors may have a bird’s-eye view of your outdoor space. Attack your outdoor privacy from all angles by installing a pergola across a portion of your balcony or patio. Capture the contemporary charm of this al fresco lounge by weaving bistro lights along your pergola and training climbing vines to create a blanket of leaves overhead.

Sometimes using a single hedge variety leaves a space feeling a bit boxed in. One way to soften your living fence is to incorporate a second hedge with a different texture and color. This approach brings dimension to the perimeter and appears more natural than an opaque green wall. See more inspired privacy plants from this yard in the next slide.

Share a fence with your neighbor? Avoid awkward eye contact as you flip burgers for the fam by growing a lush barrier behind your outdoor cooking station. Here boxwood hedges and cascading ivy create a tranquil, private backdrop for backyard cookouts and outdoor entertaining.

A tree-lined garden fence has more benefits than just privacy. Planting trees and shrubs along your partition is a designer trick to create a sense of cohesion within the outdoor space. This contemporary yard features a caramel-stained privacy fence lined with leafy young trees spaced equidistance apart for a streamlined look. Their glossy foliage speaks to the other green elements in the yard, including the turf, fluffy shrubs and handsome olive tree. Better still, putting down roots along the parameter of your landscape draws the eye to the limits of the space, lending a finished and thoughtful result.

It doesn’t get more classic than the manicured hedges playing backdrop to this pool. Evergreen boxwood shrubs are fast-growing and can reach heights of up to 15 feet, making them an ideal substitute for a wooden privacy fence. The boxwood’s emerald foliage is easily trimmed to the shape or silhouette of your choosing, and, better still, boxwood shrubs are deer resistant.

Tired of looking at your old chain link fence? A few well-trained trees or vines are all you need to disguise the unsightly metal and create a lush outdoor escape. Winding woody trunks cling to the chain fence behind this resort-style lounge area, and their branches lend a canopy of vibrant green foliage overhead. Achieve a similar result by training woody grape vines or fruit trees against your existing fence or trellis.

Italian cypresses are another evergreen tree to consider for adding height and privacy to your outdoor space. The striking tree grows rapidly and, in the right environment, can reach between 50 and 150 feet tall. In other words: Even the nosiest neighbors will have a difficult (read: impossible) time snooping over your fence with these beauties in place. Plant a line of Italian cypresses in lieu of a fence or put down roots in front of an existing partition for added security as you wait for them to fill out.

Dial up the drama on your garden wall with an elegant tree display. This luxurious home boasts a living wall with espaliered pear trees in a diamond pattern that demands attention from passersby. The cross-hatched leafy branches shine against the creamy-white backdrop adding a polished, manicured appeal to the home’s façade. Espalier pear trees against your home, or apply the same technique with apple, camellia or Japanese maple trees.

Cascading vines are a failproof option for adding movement and romance to existing walls and fences. Some popular cascading vines worth considering for your natural privacy fence include evergreen English ivy, cascading wisteria, clematis, cascading roses and honeysuckle.

Up your privacy detail during the summer months — and elevate your flowerbeds while you’re at it — with this striking combination: arborvitae shrubs and fluffy hydrangea hedges. The evergreen arborvitae will maintain a private perimeter throughout the year, while the hydrangea will awaken during spring, cushioning your outdoor space with a bevy of blooms by midsummer.

If you love the look of lush boxwoods lining a yard but are working with limited landscaping space, this trick is for you. Create the same look with a living fence like the one leading to this ivy-adorned home. Swap traditional fence slats for trellis or lattice panels and train evergreen English ivy to fill the grid. The results are as stately as manicured hedges, but the vines take up much square footage.

Up your curb appeal and enhance your privacy wall with full flowering rose bushes. Rose bushes are deciduous, meaning they drop their leaves during the fall and winter, so they are not the best choice for creating year-round privacy on their own. However, these prickly posies make for a winning addition to an existing stone wall or fence, as their woody stems blend in with the brown and gray tones. And, of course, rose hedges make a striking statement during the spring and summer as their glossy foliage emerges and buds bloom into a romantic wave of color.

Make the most of your Mediterranean climate by planting a row of evergreen citrus or olive trees along the perimeter of your outdoor space, as seen in this contemporary courtyard. Once they reach full height, their branches will provide your yard with a blanket of privacy year-round, and come summer, fruit trees will bestow your garden with a bright pop of color. Some of our favorite varieties beyond the classic olive tree include orange, lemon and kumquat trees.

Bring Boston Ivy into the mix to breathe life into your brick privacy wall a la this stately poolside partition. Glossy emerald leaves cling to this elegant columned brick wall, accentuating the structure's curved lines and lending an organic softness to the design. And, despite the beauty seen here, the best is yet to come because Boston ivy turns from a deep green to a rich, ruby-red hue during the autumn months.

Sometimes less is more. Case in point: The perfectly manicured hedges lining this luxurious lawn. The dense, emerald boxwoods provide the same privacy and security as a traditional wooden fence. Better still, the tidy foliage blends into the surrounding landscape, creating an illusion of a more expansive yard and lending tranquility to the space.

If you live in a tropical climate, you likely spend much (if not all) of the year enjoying your backyard. Take cues from your locale and put down some native roots, like palm, elephant ears or banana trees, to create privacy for your outdoor space. Lush fronds tower above the pool, creating a private alcove for the owners of this Key West home.

Who says living fences are reserved only for backyards? Bring a bit of privacy and head-turning charm to your front lawn with a manicured boxwood fence a la this Cape Cod beauty. The tidy shrubs create a polished partition around the property, interrupted only by a white, rose-adorned garden arch that grants entry to the brick-paved front walk.