A Beautiful Dense Hedge That'll Add Extra Privacy To Your Yard

Some homeowners want privacy in their backyards. Some prefer privacy in their front yards too. Having a nice, private backyard not only provides a place for you to truly relax with your family and friends, it increases the value of your home as well. There are many simple tricks and ideas that'll add more privacy to your backyard. Even if you have a sloped yard, you can use creative ways to make your backyard more private. Don't think you can't have privacy if you have a chain link fence. 

By using clever methods for adding extra privacy to your chain link fence, you won't feel like your yard is open to the world. One very popular method of adding extra privacy to your yard is to plant Box leaf privet (Ligustrum undulatum). Also known as glossy privet, this lovely, dense hedge is perfect for trimming and shaping into whatever shape you choose and provides an excellent additional means of privacy wherever you plant it.

The box leaf privet is a fast-growing shrub that is popular because of its dense foliage and form that works well for adding a great privacy screen since it can't really be seen through. Box leaf privet grows to be about 4 feet tall and 2 feet wide. It originally grows as a small round bush but is often trimmed into a boxier, square hedge. Box leaf privet is frost tolerant, relatively drought resistant, and can handle coastal conditions making it a great choice for almost every garden. Another popular feature of the box leaf privet is that it is green all year long so your privacy hedge doesn't die off in the wintertime and leave you with less privacy part of the year. 

You will be able to create a nice dense hedge by planting a bush every 12 inches. If you want a high hedge, you can build raised box planters and plant the box leaf privets inside the raised planters for added height. The box leaf privet is best planted in hot, sunny spots in your garden or yard. It doesn't like shady areas and is not a good choice for planting in heavily shaded yards although it can handle a little bit of shade each day. Box leaf privet loves well-draining soil of any type making it a very versatile plant that isn't hard to grow. 

Once established it is drought-resistant and doesn't require a lot of water. In late spring and summer, box leaf privet will produce tiny white flowers with a lovely fragrance that attracts pollinators. In the fall, dark purple/black berries appear that are a secondary food source for a variety of bird species, but they are toxic to humans and pets. 

Very little maintenance is required with box leaf privet, but it needs to be trimmed on a regular basis to keep its shape and not look scraggly. Some companion plants that pair well with box leaf privet include coastal rosemary, bottlebrush, lavender, rose of Sharon, hydrangea, and many others. Box leaf privet, when trimmed and taken care of, can add an elegance to your garden that will feel like you stepped onto the grounds of an English estate.