Home Gardening Outdoor Gardening 9 Best Plants for a More Private Backyard Gardening pros share the best plants to create privacy from your neighbors. By Katie Holdefehr Katie Holdefehr Instagram Website Katie Holdefehr is the associate editorial director at Real Simple. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 7, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Oceane2508/Getty Images When chosen strategically, the right plants will not only add beauty to your backyard, but also some much-appreciated privacy. If filling out the landscaping around your house to boost curb appeal in the front and increase privacy in the back has been on your home to-do list for a while now, you'll want to take a tour of our 2022 Get It Done virtual home. This 3D house is full of inspiration for completing those "someday" tasks—and it will convince you to make this the year that you finally invest in landscaping you love. To check backyard privacy off your to-do list, we reached out to plant pros at Monrovia and Costa Farms to figure out which plant varieties are best for this purpose. From false cypress trees that will form a natural screen around your yard, to a climbing vine that will weave its way up trellises, there's an option here to match every style. Check that the plant will survive in your planting zone, then have some patience as it grows. The wait will be worth it when these plants provide privacy from your neighbors and turn your outdoor space into your own personal oasis. 5 Easy-to-Grow, Flowering Plants to Boost Your Home's Curb Appeal 01 of 09 Burgundy Queen Bougainvillea MONROVIA / PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRANDON FRIEND-SOLIS "Burgundy Queen features stunning flowers and gorgeous foliage," says Georgia Clay, the new plants manager at Monrovia. "The new growth leaves are a showy, deep wine-red, while the flower-like bracts are an even more dramatic burgundy hue." This fast-growing, climbing vine is also an ideal plant for creating privacy from neighbors. Clay explains: "Burgundy Queen is a vigorous climber, growing up to 30 feet long. It is the perfect selection for weaving through trellises and fences for privacy, or as an accent plant in large patio pots." Zones: 10 to 11 02 of 09 Darkstar Purpleleaf Sand Cherry D-Ozen/Getty Images With dense branching that starts at the ground and grows up to 5 feet tall, this border plant will add both privacy and color to your backyard. It features purple-red to maroon foliage, and come springtime, you'll enjoy light pink to white blooms. Zones: 3 to 9 03 of 09 Jade Waves Fernspray False Cypress Monrovia / Photography by Doreen Wynja "The beautifully arching branches and airy green foliage of Jade Waves bring a serene feel to the garden," Clay says. Plant a row of false cypress to create a privacy screen of evergreen, fern-like foliage. With time, they will grow to be about four feet wide and up to eight feet tall. Zones: 4 to 8 04 of 09 Sparkler Arrowwood Viburnum Monrovia / Photography by Doreen Wynja This viburnum variety combines glossy green leaves with delicate white flowers. It also produces berries that will attract birds to your yard. When arranged together, several viburnum will form a hedge along the perimeter of your garden. Zones: 4 to 9 05 of 09 Emerald Colonnade Holly Monrovia / Photography by Doreen Wynja To create a lush privacy screen, allow this holly variety to grow into its natural pyramidal shape. In gardens where privacy is less important, this dense evergreen also makes an excellent topiary. When left to grow unchecked, this plant can climb to 12 feet tall, forming a high border around your yard. Zones: 7 to 9 06 of 09 Mandevilla Getty Images "This fast-growing vine sports red, pink, or white flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds and quickly scrambles up a trellis, arbor, or other structure," says Justin Hancock of Costa Farms. Plant it in spring after the danger of frost has passed, selecting a spot in full sun. Mandevilla comes in two forms, climbing and mounding, so if privacy from your neighbors is the goal, make sure to find the climbing variety. "Bonus: It's also usually ignored by deer and rabbits!" Hancock adds. Zones: 9 to 11 07 of 09 Jasmine Getty Images "Like mandevilla, there are several types of jasmine that grow as vines, allowing you to cover a wall or screen a view in their lush dark green foliage and fragrant white flowers," Hancock says. Depending on the variety of jasmine, they are hardy in different zones, so be sure to check the care tag before choosing one. Zones: 7 to 9 (depending upon variety) 08 of 09 Blue Arrow Juniper Getty Images "Here's a hardy (it can survive -30 degrees Fahrenheit!), evergreen shrub that only gets about three feet wide and grows 12 feet tall or so, making it perfect to use as a living privacy screen without eating up a lot of yard space," Hancock explains.With a base of cool blue foliage, this juniper pairs well with a wide variety of plants. Once established, it's fairly drought-resistant.Zones: 4 to 9 09 of 09 Horstmann's Silberlocke Korean Fir Getty Images "It's hard for me to pick a favorite plant, but I absolutely adore this evergreen tree," Hancock says. "It's a pretty slow grower, but has dense branching, which makes it excellent for providing privacy." If you're patient, within 10 years it will grow into a beautiful, 10-foot-tall and 6-foot-wide screen. "It does best in climates with cool summers, all-day sun to part shade, and moist, but well-draining soil."Zones: 5 to 7 15 Impossible-to-Kill Outdoor Plants Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit