If you want your backyard to feel secluded and offer ample shade, tall, fast-growing privacy trees are an attractive way to separate your property from your neighbors. The best privacy trees for backyards in the Atlanta area have lots of foliage suitable for hardiness growing zones 7 and 8.
Leyland Cypress and Thuja Green Giants are excellent evergreen trees for privacy, and the Weeping Willow is a lush deciduous tree that provides shade and isolation. All these tree species can offer seclusion and shelter for backyards with the proper care and tree services.
Evergreen Trees
Evergreen trees and shrubs are preferable to deciduous trees because they keep their green foliage year-round. This means your trees and shrubs provide privacy even in winter. The maximum height, diameter, and foliage density vary significantly between evergreen tree species, impacting the amount of privacy you receive. Leyland Cypress and Thuja Green Giant are two of the best trees to plant in your backyard.
● Leyland Cypress The low-maintenance Leyland Cypress is characterized by its slender cylindrical shape and scale-like foliage. Its mature height reaches 60-70 feet, and it grows 3-5 feet annually. They are best planted in a row of 10-12 feet apart so that all the trees receive partial to full sunlight. This is one of the best trees for privacy in a backyard because of its rapid growth and drought tolerance.
Leyland Cypresses are susceptible to a few diseases like Cercospora needle blight and Seiridium Canker. Cercospora needle blight is the most common disease and causes brown needles. It is treated with fungicide.
● Thuja Green Giant A Thuja Green Giant grows to be 50-60 feet tall and 15 feet wide at the base. If you plant them close together (5-6 ft. of separation), they will only grow to 30 feet.
They have a deep green coloration and conical shape, makings them popular for hedges and privacy screens. With regular trimming, you can avoid the pests or diseases like aphids and juniper blight that sometimes attack Thuja Green Giants. Fungicides with copper and careful pruning keep Thujas healthy.
Deciduous Trees
Deciduous trees are less common for privacy trees because they lose their foliage in the winter. When planting for privacy, you should combine deciduous trees with fast-growing plants like cold hardy ornamental grasses or strategically placed evergreen shrubs. One of the best deciduous privacy trees is a Weeping Willow.
● Weeping Willow The distinctive rounded, drooping branches and long leaves of the weeping willow provide a beautiful privacy screen in backyards. Weeping Willows in Atlanta grow tall and wide; their width can often match their 30-40 feet height.
The Weeping Willow grows quickly, averaging around 24 inches a year. Weeping Willows grow their leaves early in the spring and do not fall until late November. Weeping Willows grow best next to standing water.
Care for Your Trees with OuterElements Tree Services Division
Planting and growing trees for privacy is not always a simple task, but with the help of OuterElements tree care professionals and our fully-stocked garden center, you will be set up for success.
Ask our experienced workers what trees and plants will work best in your yard. Then, as your trees mature, keep them pruned and healthy with help from our Tree Services Division.