Top 5 Screening Trees for Privacy along Your Backyard

Regardless of small or large backyards, privacy is something everyone is looking for. On the other hand, your neighbors may have a bird's eye view across your every activity. Tall, fast growing, good in your area, tolerates wide range soil are something you look into screening trees.

What trees can function as effective privacy screens and still withstand? Thankfully, there are many screening shrubs which are ideal for hedging in your backyard. Hedges have been in used for years. They offer not only privacy but perfect for screening. So even if you are barbecuing in your backyard area, you will not have to worry about neighbors interfering.

Below are the top 5 trees for privacy along your backyard fence

1. Cherry Laurel (Prunus Laurocerasus Schipkaensis)- Schipka cherry laurel is an ideal choice if you are looking for a narrow screening hedge evergreen in nature. Prunus laurocerasus schipkaensis is one of the hardier laurels that is easy to maintain & tolerates different range of soils. Its dense foliage makes it an excellent hedge for screening.

Features-

• Easy to prune and maintain for clean appearance
• Dark green foliage stays evergreen throughout the season
• Thrives perfect in shadier environment.
• Produces aromatic creamy white flowers in spring.
• Has smaller leaves than other laurels (english laurel & portuguese laurel)

2. Emerald Green Arborvitae- If you want an evergreen hedge that doesn’t have fruits and flowers then emerald green arborvitae is an excellent choice. Thuja occidentalis ‘smaragd’ hold its rich color and remains sturdy throughout the season. This hedge is so adaptable, that it thrives even in hotter and humid climates. 

Features-

• Stays evergreen throughout the winter
• Ideal hedge for taller screens for privacy
• Responds well with regular pruning
• Thrives in a variety of soils but prefers loamy and well drained soil.
• Low maintenance hedge

3. European Hornbeam- You don’t need evergreens for a privacy screen, because if the leaves aren't out, neither you are. Considering gorgeous screen of broadleaf trees that turn beautiful colors in the autumn is not a bad idea. Scientifically known as Carpinus Betulus; European hornbeam is a great deciduous hedge selection that has fluted gray bark and sharply-toothed dark green foliage that turns yellow-orange in autumn. The hedge looks more beautiful in winter as shown in the picture below-

Features-

• Deer Resistance’
• Ideal for USDA zone 4-8
• Drought tolerant 
• Works perfectly as windbreak or screen, when planted in groups
• Works well with hard pruning

4. Arrowwood Viburnum- Viburnum Dentatum is a rounded deciduous shrub that typically matures between 6 and 10 ft tall that makes it an ideal screening tree for privacy. The hedge can reach upto 15 ft under optimum growing conditions.

Features-

• Deer resistance
• Notable for its non aromatic white creamy flowers in late spring
• The flowers later give away blue-black berry like drupes that becomes source for birds and other wildlife.
• Best suites for zones 2-8
• Makes perfect screening tree with regular and hard pruning.

5. Magnolia Stellata- Royal star magnolia stands first if you want flowering tree with low branches, deciduous in nature. The hedge is often grown as rounded shrub. The shrub Significantly becomes taller when grown in slightly shaded environment. 

Features-

• Tolerates different range of soil
• Deer resistance
• Ideal for USDA zone 5-9
• Low maintenance
• White flowers bloom best in full Sun.