Plants as a privacy screen for the garden and balcony

Don't want prying eyes? These 15 plants not only look beautiful, but are also perfect as privacy screens for your garden.

For many, the garden is a retreat where you can unwind. But when the end of the day is disturbed by prying eyes, the dream of a green paradise moves far away. Garden owners therefore often use privacy screens and fences to give their garden back a bit of privacy. The problem with this: Although the fences protect against unwanted views, they often look ugly and destroy the natural atmosphere that we love so much in the place.

Instead, use plants as privacy screens - they not only block out nosy neighbors, but can even be a decorative highlight in the garden. You can find out here which plants are particularly suitable for privacy protection.

1. liguster

The privet (Ligustrum vulgare) has always been a popular hedge plant. No wonder: After all, it is considered to be extremely robust and easy to care for. In addition, the privet is mainly known for its rapid growth, so that you will soon no longer be sitting on a platter, even when you plant a new one. A privet hedge is also ideal as a privacy screen, because it shines with a densely branched growth and can reach a considerable height of three meters. The privet remains reliably green even in winter and thus ensures undisturbed relaxation in the garden.

2. horsetail

The horsetail (Equisetum japonicum) widespread. With its minimalist appearance and straight growth, it is also a great addition to modern architecture. Here it not only becomes a stylish eye-catcher, but with a height of one and a half meters is also quite suitable as a privacy screen. However, the horsetail should best be planted in a pot, because similar to the field horsetail (Equisetum arvense), which is known to many as a weed, horsetail also spreads quickly and happily.

3. rhododendron

the rhododendron (rhododendron) is an absolute highlight in many gardens and the pride of their owners. Its large, beautiful flowers in particular make it a real feast for the eyes, but the evergreen leaves are also very decorative. But they are not only impressive as solitaires delicate rhododendrons: Lots sorts, especially those of the large-flowered hybrids, can also be planted as a hedge, which not only offers optimal privacy, but also draws everyone's attention.

4. tree of life

The Tree of Life (Thuja) is a real perennial favourite, even if many gardeners disparagingly refer to it as a “cemetery plant”. The tree of life has a lot to offer: With its dense, evergreen foliage, it is not only absolutely opaque, but also looks good. In addition, the plant is very adaptable and easy to care for. The tree of life also tolerates a topiary very well, but pruning is not absolutely necessary - this makes the tree of life a great addition to almost any garden.

5. ivy

ivy (Hedera helix) is a true classic when it comes to greening walls and facades. But the climbing plant almost unbeatable: Not only can it be used to transform unsightly privacy screens and walls, it is also suitable for blocking out prying neighbors. For this, the ivy only needs a trellis on which it can climb, and within a very short time the plant forms a green wall.

6. hornbeam

The hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) is a real sham because, despite its name, the plant does not belong to the beech family, but to the birch family. But you can't be angry with the plant for long, as it is ideal as a privacy screen. Especially its robustness and ability to regenerate make the plant so popular as a hedge. At the same time, the hornbeam offers a reliably opaque hedge for the whole year: the deciduous foliage first turns yellow and then brown in autumn, but remains on the skin until the following spring Plant.

tip: Many hedge plants require regular trimming to provide a dense privacy screen. In order to cope, they need an adequate supply of nutrients. Therefore, fertilize your hedge plants regularly, for green plants we recommend our Plantura Organic universal fertilizer. With its three-month long-term effect, this ensures permanently strengthened and resilient plants.

7. yew

Also a real classic among the hedge plants is the yew (Taxus baccata). With its soft, dark green needles, it is not only a pretty eye-catcher, but also completely opaque. At the same time, the yew is considered to be very robust and insensitive and can easily reach an age of several hundred years. But a yew hedge is not only popular with gardeners: many birds prefer the dense growth of the yew as a place to hide and retreat.

8. hydrangea

hydrangeas (Hydrangea) and gardens belong together for many like sulphur. So what could be better than using the pretty hydrangea not only as an eye-catcher, but also as a privacy screen? In fact, hydrangeas can be grown quite well for high and opaque hedges if you choose the right one hydrangea variety watch out: peasant hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) are not as suitable as panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata), as these become higher and at a pruning not lose their abundance of flowers.

9. elephant grass

Grass as a privacy screen? What sounds unbelievable at first glance is not magic. With a height of up to three meters, the elephant grass (miscanthus x giganteus) a true giant among the grasses and can be used wonderfully as protection against unwanted looks. At the same time, the giant Chinese reed, as the plant is also called, is absolutely easy to care for and is characterized by good winter hardiness, with an additional pretty yellow coloration in autumn scores. Elephant grass is a great privacy screen, especially for gardens with a pond, because it loves moisture and can therefore also be planted on the edge zones of garden ponds.

10. Wisteria

Anyone who thinks that a privacy screen only has to be boringly green has never had the wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) seen: From May to June, the plant impresses with a violet-blue sea of ​​flowers that rightly attracts everyone's attention. But even after flowering, the wisteria is a real ornament with its summer green, pretty feathered foliage. Since the wisteria is a climbing plant however, it needs a little help: a stable climbing aid is the be-all and end-all so that the plant can thrive as a blooming privacy screen.

11. cherry laurel

Evergreen glossy foliage and a robust growth – will cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) for the first time, you immediately know why the plant is so popular. With its pretty leaves and delicate panicles of flowers, the cherry laurel is a real gem in the garden and is perfect as a privacy screen due to its dense growth. At the same time, the cherry laurel is considered to be absolutely uncomplicated, easy to care for and easy to grow. He presents himself with a large Varieties, which has the right variant for almost every garden and taste.

12. hibiscus

Tired of evergreen hedge plants and want something with a bit more colour? Then he is hibiscus (Hibiscus) just right for your garden. Because although the garden marshmallow, as the plant is also called, is kept by many as a solitary plant, it is also perfect as a hedge. This not only serves as an optimal privacy screen, but is also a real feast for the eyes: From From June to September, the hibiscus bears large flowers in the colors white, red and even to Violet. However, you should make sure you choose the right variety for the hibiscus: Some varieties are extremely frost hardy, so that Overwintering the hibiscus is possible outdoors. Unfortunately, other varieties are not suitable for the German winter.

13. umbrella bamboo

In Asian-inspired gardens, the umbrella bamboo (Fargesia murielae) has long been a must, but the plant is also finding a place in more and more German gardens. Hardly surprising, after all, the umbrella bamboo brings with it a whole host of advantages: Robust and hardy, the plant shows its fresh green foliage all year round and provides a Far Eastern Flair. The majestic plant forms dense shoots and reaches a height of up to three meters - ideal for privacy. Another advantage is that umbrella bamboo is extremely easy to grow: it forms within a very short time a dense foliage that not only blocks out unwanted views, but also unwanted sounds dampens.

14. lilac

If you not only want a privacy screen that is pleasing to the eyes, but also to the nose, you should definitely go to the lilac (Syringa vulgaris) to grab. Especially the beautiful flowers that it bears from May to June make it a real eye-catcher. In addition, the lilac enchants with a wonderful scent that beguiles the senses. As a hedge, it is relatively undemanding and can reach a height of up to four meters. However, so that no one really sees the way into the garden, the lilacs have to be planted relatively close together - the hedge only becomes really dense from four plants per meter.

15. ilex

Finding a privacy screen that is beautiful, robust, uncomplicated and ideally versatile is not that easy. Luckily there is ilex (ilex), also known as holly: The uncomplicated plant grows naturally and looks beautiful at the same time. The Ilex impresses all year round with its shiny, toothed leaves and its dense growth. In spring, it also enchants with its white flowers, which elegantly contrast with the dark foliage. However, the Ilex is particularly beautiful in winter - that is when it bears fiery red berries, which bring a colorful contrast to the otherwise white winter world.

Further colorful plants for the winter can be found in our special article.