Problem / need solution!

17 years ago

We really NEED some sort of privacy screening from our nextdoor neighbors!!!

MS zone 7 clay soil, mild winter, humid hot summers! Soil in this particular area is very good(woodsy area). Lots of humus mixed in with clay.

Ideally, I need something fast growing, that likes shade. One area is part-shade, the rest is pretty much full shade (deciduous woods). Must be evergreen.

We are desperate for some privacy from these neighbors(they bug us a lot) and really we want to enjoy our outdoor space without them!

We could put up trellises and put vines on them. What would you suggest?? What vines would fill in quickly(evergreen) in shade. One area part-shade the rest very shady. I think this would give us more privacy than waiting for shrubs to grow.

Thanks so much. Could use a good solution that doesn't break the bank, so to speak. It's just too difficult to fence back there with all the trees. We could put up well placed trellises (between gaps in trees) with thick vines.

Comments (5)

landofoz_07
17 years ago
Here are a few evergreen shrubs that I found in a shade gardening book that I really liked, they all are evergreen and hardy in your zone. I have no idea about prices though.

Camellia
Grape Holly
Pieris
Sarah
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
17 years ago
Unfortunately, those don't grow fast, several won't be happy in full shade and none will make good screening material. And not too many evergreen vines will tolerate much shade, except English ivy and I'd never encourage anyone to plant that monster. You could try Clematis armandii in light shade (it will be marginally hardy for you), but I'd consider bamboo for your purposes. There are many different types of hardy bamboos, many of which are non-aggressive clumpers, and most will tolerate shade, some more so than others. Bamboo is one of the best choices for a fast privacy screen.
Related Professionals
West Milford Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Kapaa Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Middletown Landscape Contractors · Chelmsford Landscape Contractors · Clearlake Landscape Contractors · Downey Landscape Contractors · Lehigh Acres Landscape Contractors · Paterson Landscape Contractors · Ponte Vedra Beach Landscape Contractors · Selden Landscape Contractors · South Hackensack Landscape Contractors · Suitland Landscape Contractors · West Haverstraw Landscape Contractors · Winchester Landscape Contractors · East Norriton Landscape Contractors
michele_1
Original Author
17 years ago
Thank you for your sage advice.

What type of bamboo would be best to grow here? Non-invasive and shade tolerant.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
17 years ago
Look at various species of Fargesia - they are some of the most cold hardy of the clumping bamboos (not that that's a huge concern for zone 7) and are all rather shade tolerant. Note that growth will be slowed a lot in very heavy shade so either select larger, mature plants to begin with or be prepared to wait :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Fargesia
sugarhill
17 years ago
Confederate jasmine is an evergreen vine that should survive winters where you are. It definitely follows the sleep, creep,leap law, so you would have to wait a while. It probably won't bloom well in the shadier area, but I think Mississippi has enough sun for jasmine to grow in a good bit of shade. If you can put up stout trellises, I think akebia might be evergreen for you, and it's fast to grow. Keep in mind though that akebia has been know to lift roof joists, so when I say a stout trellis, I mean stout.

There is always good ole eleagnus (ugly agnes as it's also called). It grows fast, fast, fast. You would have to decide which is uglier - the eleagnus or your neighbors, and make a decision based on that.

The other thing to consider is holly. Some of them make excellent screens although I don't grow them and can't tell you which ones do best in southern shade. I'm sure there must be a forum here that can tell you all about hollies.

I agree with gardengal49 that camellias grow too slowly, but if you're willing to wait, they will do fine in the shade in Mississippi.