Greenhouses, Sheds and Sun Rooms - Plants for privacy

We have a 6' wall between the neighbors and if I wanted to put a planter with plants on the top to gain more privacy, what would be a good plant to plant?

where do you live. grow zone would be a huge consideration in choosing a plant.

So Cal- 5 miles from ocean. We would prefer something with a nice smell. If it dropped down on both sides, that would be all right. We could each do our own trimming.

Up here we have to take leaves falling off in the winter into consideration, so I like evergreen plants for privacy. Don't know if that's an issue in SoCal.

rpatzer,

"A 6' wall" -- but what will it support??

My thought would be to plant something in the GROUND that gets over 8' tall and let it do it's thing!!

The dirt to grow a plant on top of a 6' high wall is gonna be a LOT of weight, plus you'll have to water it, which will add more weight.

NOT A GOOD PLAN!!

I agree with Lefty. Many climbers will top that wall in no time. You could rig some kind of support; the leaves will cover it. There are bylaws limiting fence height, but plants & their supports may be any height you like. ;)

But, gentlemen, what happens when it is time to clean the fence or stain the fence? Certainly if you have plants hanging on the fence, it will need to be cleaned or stained at least every other year. Also, if you opt for vines, most have suckers which are detrimental to the wood. Won't hurt vinyl, but is unsightly.

It may be simply easier to extend the height of your fence by adding a lattice trim to the top. (Check your local building codes to be sure a fence over 6 feet is permissible.)

If the area you wish to screen is small, perhaps you could just strategically place some large tropicals in large pots.

It's a "wall" in Southern California. I imagine concrete with enviously mildew-free stucco.

I've heard the argument that a suckering vine will leave permanent marks on stucco if one ever wanted a bare wall again. But why would anybody want to strip it back? The argument goes on forever...

...Stucco will leave permanent marks on concrete, if one ever wanted bare concrete again....

I have embarrassed myself, yet again.:o For some unknown reason, I thought we were talking about a privacy fence. Please forgive my addled intrusion...I assure you, I am usually quite sensible!

Kobuchi,

You're in southern CA and I'm in northern CA. But I'm willing to bet that the codes aren't THAT much different (even if the climate and lifestyles are!!)

The FENCE (wall, if you will) can be 6' high without a problem. Landscaping can be as high as it grows without a problem. You guys have palm and eucylyptus trees over 60' tall!! (We have pines, firs and redwood -- lucky us!!)

But, as soon as you try planting the landscaping ON TOP OF THE FENCE, you're gonna be running afoul of the local codes.

Plant some tall growing plants in the GROUND and let that screen your yard. Nobody can say squawt.

Plant GERANIUMS on top of a 6' high fence and the gods from the local bldg. dept. will be all over you! Plant a palm that grows 80 feet tall and nothing can be said.

How about bamboo??? Now there's a thought!

Um, Lefty, I'm in Vancouver, Canada... where we have douglas fir trees 70' at 30 years young, often self-seeded in the narrow between houses. And now strict regulations (+fines) against cutting any urban tree, even if you own it. :eek: One can actually use trees as slow weapons against a hated neighbour.

Kobuchi,

I know your country -- I lived in western WA for over 15 years -- Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish counties.

Yip -- doug firs grow exactly like you say they do. They grow like that here too,IF I go 50 miles north, east or west.

But rpatzer can't grow them in SOUTHERN CA!! (At least not some place within 5 miles of the Pacific.)

His choice of trees is going to be palm and a few dozen others that will grow where he's at. The TYPE of tree doesn't much matter, as long as it's something that will grow in the area where he's at.

But the idea is the same -- plant a line of trees and let THAT be the screen. Trying to plant something on the top of the fence isn't a good option.