What is a good privacy plant?

[nakactress]

Our backyard fence that lines the street is a chain link fence. The fence is in good condition so I would hate to replace it when it works just fine. However, I miss having privacy and was wondering what I could plant along our fence that would look nice and make it so we have some privacy.

Thanks in advance. I'm really new to learning about lawns and gardening.

 

[vfem]

I'm still new to this myself. For privacy at the back of our property (bumps up against a trailer park) the previous owners planted magnolias. I'm not too thrilled about that

I'm putting up chicken wiring in front of the trees and will be planting some jasmine and honey suckle to grow up it. It'll be like a nice wall of flowers with a lovely smell. Much prettier and cheaper then evergreen trees to me. Plus they'll attract butterflies.

They're also VERY hardy on there own and need little care, Just a good trim back in the fall so they have room to come back in the spring.

Climbing roses, hollyhock, and many other flowers work well too.

Of course evergreen shrubs are the popular choice, but I don't think work great with nature and the need of birds so much.

 

[beefy]

keep in mind that a lot of vines will eventually mess up a chainlink fence if you go that route.

 

[unclejoe]

Leyland Cypress It's a very hardy evergreen.
They grow in a wide variety of soils and once they're established, grow 2'-3' per year. Plant in the spring when there is more rain. I planted 26 in March to create a wind break. They all survived and I'm looking forward to a big growth spurt in the spring of 09 now that they're settled in.

 

[beefy]

its true but leylands are also susceptible to disease and when you have a whole row of them and one of them dies it looks really, really bad.

 

[Beekissed]

There are types of willow that stay small(do not grow into a tree) and create a good privacy screen and they also can be used to make baskets, trellises and waddle fencing. I can't remember the varieties right now but it seems they would be a very useful, as well as beautiful, screen.

Or how about dwarf cherry? More of a shrub than a tree, pretty flowers in the spring and tastey cherries to eat. Even if you don't want to eat them, a whole row of these would create a wonderful food source for bees, then birds.

There are types of bamboo, that are not as invasive as others, that also create a screen, a habitat for birds and can be useful later for gardening projects and crafts.

A row of forsythia would eventually be an effective screen but might take a long while.