Variegated privet (semi-evergreen) is a lovely plant with small variegated yellow and light green leaves on arching branches, providing a wonderful fine texture to landscapes, screens and containers. Waxleaf ligustrum is an evergreen large shrub that may be limbed up into a small multi-trunk tree and features fragrant, white flowers. Sunshine ligustrum is much smaller in size and offers bright yellow foliage that works well as a contrast to burgundy or green foliage plants.

• Sun to Part Sun
• Plant in well-drained soil
• Fragrant flowers

Landscape features vary with specific species and variety.

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Do you live on a busy street or need to build in some privacy around your home and outdoor living space? Then you may want to consider planting a living fence, or privacy fence. The benefits of a privacy screen include blocking strong winds, limiting street noise, and defining spaces in addition to masking unsightly views. Read on for more information about screening plants for Arkansas landscapes.

Before you choose a screening plant, take a few moments to consider the following aspects of a privacy screen. These will help you choose the right plant for your space.

• Available space. Measure the area you can plant in and decide how tall you need your screen to be to block the unwanted view.
• Is your landscape formal or informal? Do you need a plant that’s neat and tidy, or will your yard accommodate a more natural, relaxed look?
• Evergreen or deciduous. Evergreen plants provide a year-round screen, whereas deciduous options offer more flowers and colors.
• Function in the overall landscape. Will your screen be an integral part of the look of the yard, or is it far from your windows? Does it provide a backdrop to a central flowerbed, or fade in the distance? This will affect the look of the plant you ultimately choose.

After you’ve determined the answers to the above questions, it’s time to choose your screening plant(s)! We have some recommendations below.

If you’re looking for year-round privacy, you have many evergreen screening plant options. A number of hollies, such as the Foster, Burford and Nellie Stevens Hollies, make for great screens. Green Giant Arborvitaes lend a stately presence to landscapes, and grow up to 3 feet each year! If you need a fast-growing screen, eleagnus is a great option with unique silvery green foliage. You can also consider Little Gem Magnolias, Japanese cleyera, sweet olive, large growing loropetalums, waxleaf privet and cryptomeria. Finally, don’t forget podocarpus, camellias and large growing azaleas if you have a shady area that needs some filling in!

Curious about what flowering or colorful options you might have in the deciduous screening plant department? Variegated privets have delicate, fragrant flowers and grow well in a variety of soil conditions. Viburnums come in a number of varieties and have showy flowers, require little maintenance, and tolerate shady environments. Also look into Rose of Sharon, crapemyrtles or vitex if you are would like summer blooms. Forsythia and large spireas such as Bridal Wreath work well if spring flowers are your favorite. If you’re looking for fall color, a burning bush will show off its red flair nicely in your yard.

Some folks may need screens for narrow spaces. In this case, consider installing a trellis and growing vines! From trumpet vine to chocolate vine, you have lots of options for flowers. If you’re hoping for color year-round, look into evergreen clematis or English ivy. Finally, depending on your interest in performing maintenance on your screen, you may find that a shrub mentioned above could be kept in check in your smaller space with regular pruning. Emerald Green Arborvitaes (pictured above) are another narrow screening option. The have a mature size of 3 to 4 feet wide and about 15 feet tall.

As always, come out and see us at The Good Earth Garden Center if you have questions about screening plants for Arkansas landscapes. We’re happy to talk through the specifics of your situation and help you pick a plant that will be successful in your landscape!  A visit to our inventory might be helpful too; check out the plant descriptions in the screening plants category.

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Encore Azalea

Encore Azaleas were developed from a variety of older types of azaleas and have several unique and attractive qualities.  These evergreen shrubs can thrive in more sun than traditional azaleas, provided there is good drainage and adequate, regular watering.  As the name Encore would indicate, these plants offer encore seasons of blooms, with a full bloom in the spring, sporadic flowering in the summer and another full bloom cycle in the fall.  There is an Encore azalea for everyone with colors ranging from white to pink, red, and even purple and bi-color.  As with traditional azaleas, prune after spring blooms fade, and apply Ferti-Lome Azalea/Evergreen Food with Systemic Insect Control several times throughout the summer to both feed and protect the plants.  We just stocked up again and have many available!  See our current Encore Azalea inventory here.

‘Sunshine’ Ligustrum

‘Sunshine’ ligustrum is one of our favorite new plants of the past few years!  The vibrant golden foliage is present year round, and the small, oblong leaves provide a fine texture to landscapes.  This from the Southern Living plant collection, which features plants that grow well in the southern states. ‘Sunshine’ Ligustrum works well as a hedge, planted as accents, mass planted and also in container plantings!  Pair it with one of the other plants mentioned here for maximum contrast and outstanding visibility!

Drift Rose

Who doesn’t love roses?  Ok, who doesn’t love easy roses?!  Drift roses are low growing, easy to grow, and easy to care for roses.  Only two feet tall and three feet wide at maturity, Drift roses make a wonderful border for sunny landscape beds.  Prune hard in February and enjoy blooms from April to November.  Apply an all in one rose food with insect and disease control throughout the growing season for maximum blooms. Drift roses are also disease resistant!  With many colors to choose from, including this lovely Coral Drift, this series is a winner!  See which Drift Roses are stock now.

Loropetalum

‘Purple Diamond’ loropetalum is also from the Southern Living plant collection.  When you think of loropetalums, you may think of the 8 feet tall, traditional varieties but there are smaller ones available such as ‘Purple Diamond’ which is only 4-6 feet feet tall with a spread of 4-5 feet wide. It can be kept at a 3-4 ft height. The purple foliage and hot pink blooms in spring contrast well with the bright foliage of some plants… such as ‘Sunshine’ ligustrum!  There are actually several newer varieties of smaller sized loropetalums such as Crimson Fire and Cherry Blast.  See our complete inventory here.

Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental grasses may not bloom all season, but they absolutely shine in the fall!   Ornamental grasses are easy care, drought tolerant, showy and unique, which is why they make the list.  Even in the winter when the grass blades have turned a wheat color, they offer visual interest.  Every fall, we get many questions about the purple blooming grass at Pleasant Ridge Town Center just up the road.   Purple Muhly grass, with its showy purple clouds dancing in the breeze, is stunning and we are very well stocked at the moment.  We also have many other ornamental grasses, both in 3 gallon containers and for the first time, quart size grasses, which are perfect in fall container gardens or in areas where compacted soil makes for difficult digging.    Check out our inventory here.

This isn’t a complete list, of course; there are so many new and exciting shrubs to choose from!  We invite you to take some pictures of your landscape, take note of how much sun your area gets and come see us for more possibilities!

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