Privacy Planting Brings Beauty, Color and Peace
Before
Existing lilacs and Rose of Sharon did not offer enough privacy in winter, and were simply planted in a row without much thought toward true garden design.
Lack of garden cohesiveness and an increasingly busy road made this homeowner want to re-envision their front yard plantings. Originally, a series of lilacs and Rose of Sharon shrubs had been planted in a row, with each shrub in its own mulched circle.
Garden Design Maine came up with a design that would create a 1,000-square foot garden to provide increased privacy for the yard, cut down on road noise, and offer four seasons of interest.
Chosen Design
Garden Design Maine opted to keep two of the taller lilacs and one desirable Rose of Sharon in place, but removed all other shrubs and plantings. Sod was removed to create a unified, continuous 1,000-square foot garden bed along the length of the road. A layered design using a combination of evergreens and deciduous shrubs would provide year-round privacy once fully matured, while also offering flowers and colorful foliage in spring, summer and fall.
DESIGN RENDERING: View from inside the yard, out toward the road. A combination of narrow evergreens - specifically Taylor juniper and spruces - mingled with flowering deciduous shrubs such as sand cherry and hydrangeas, while a variegated dogwood offered leaf contrast during growing season and red twigs in winter.
DESIGN RENDERING: View from the road and into the yard. Spirea, ornamental grasses and more dogwoods closest to the road would provide additional depth and interest spring thru fall.
Initial Planting - Early Summer 2023
This panoramic photo, while slightly distorted, shows some of the tiny plantings that were installed June 2023. The spruce varieties were altered so that all three would be Fat Albert Blue Spruce (a decision based on availability and price).
Fall 2023
This picture, taken a few months after planting, shows the progression of the garden. The shrubs settled in and grew nicely, the hydrangeas provided lovely first season blooms - even after being nipped by deer! Some perennials that were planted to fill in space while the evergreens mature provided great pops of additional color. Additionally, about 500 spring-blooming bulbs were added.
Spring 2024
In just one growing season, all the plants and shrubs increased nicely in size. Everything came through winter beautifully, and more herbaceous perennials were added to infill where spring bulb foliage (daffodils, tulips and hyacinths) had died back.
