Plants for Landscape and Privacy Screenings

Jasminum nudiflorum, commonly called winter jasmine, is a trailing, viny shrub that grows from a central crown. As a shrub, it typically grows in a sprawling mound to 4’ tall with arching branches, and spreads by trailing branches that root as they go along the ground. As a vine, it typically grows to 10-15’. Willowy green stems are attractive in winter. Non-fragrant, bright yellow flowers bloom along the stems in late winter before the leaves. Compound, trifoliolate, dark green leaves with ovate leaflets (to 1.25” long).

Best grown in well-drained sandy loams with regular moisture in full sun to part shade. Tolerates full shade but with much reduced flowering. As a vine, it is perhaps best sited where it would receive full winter sun, such as the south side of a building or against a south-facing wall. Tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions. Train as a vine on a support structure or sprawl along the ground. When grown as a ground cover, plants will spread less aggresively in poor, lean soils. Prune as needed in early spring just after flowering is completed. If renovation is needed, cut back hard to 18-24” or replace plants.

The winter jasmine, Jasminum nudiflorum, is really a wall shrub, but its long, lax stems are easily trained over trellis or on wires to cover screens and fences. Masses of starry golden yellow flowers appear on bare stems in late winter and early spring.

The handsome, broadly pyramidal form makes this an excellent choice for an evergreen screen, hedge, background plant, or lawn specimen. This is a male form that does not produce berries. The bright silver-blue foliage retains its brilliant color year-round. Give this robust silver-blue Juniper lots of space. It is a rugged and reliable plant for large-scale screening, massive hedges and windbreaks. Also works well as a single specimen in lawns or in conjunction with other groundcovers. Use as a corner element streetside or to interrupt long fence lines.

Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Adapts to a wide range of soils. Performs well in dryish, sandy soils with good drainage. This tree of western North America is generally intolerant of the hot and humid growing conditions of the deep South. Intolerant of wet soils. ‘Wichita Blue’ is a compact, conical, male form that grows slowly (6-12” per year) to 10-15’ tall, but may eventually reach 15-30’ tall. As the cultivar name suggests, it is noted for its blue or blue-gray foliage that retains good color all year.

Providing year round interest it also is tolerant of deer, drought, erosion, dry soil,shallow-rocky soil, and air pollution.

The plants selected for this screening are Arborvitae “green giants”. The green giant arborvitae is a large, vigorous, fast-growing evergreen. It’s pyramidal to conical shape boasts dense, rich green foliage that darkens or bronzes slightly in the winter. The Thuja is a living fence that provides much-needed privacy from neighbors with very little yard space required, The Thuja Green Giant is a high-quality, easy pick that grows 3-5 feet per year once it’s established.

Thuja Green Giants grow in a uniform shape and height, offering a classic look without the hassle of pruning or shearing. Best grown in moist, fertile, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Tolerates somewhat wide range of soils and some dry conditions and like its parent Japanese arborvitae it thrives in USDA zones 5 though 9. Some species develop bronze streaks in winter. While arborvitaes have lost some of their popularity with gardeners in recent years, the cultivar ‘Green Giant’ is an exceptional plant.

A vigorous and beautiful evergreen, Green Giant (Thuja x ‘Green Giant’) grows rapidly into a pleasing pyramidal shape. Green Giant arborvitae have flattened sprays of scale-like leaves. The foliage is bright green and darkens a little in the colder months. It never bronzes like the Oriental arborvitae. Look for a white line on the bottoms of the leaves of these plants. It is faint but adds a touch of brightness to the foliage.