Living Fence Shrubs
Living Fence shrubs are the fastest and easiest way to create a living hedge. When planting a living fence, look for fast growing shrubs and trees that will grow into a dense form with tight branching making a great privacy hedge.
Fast growing trees and shrubs that make an excellent living fence are rosa rugosa, lilac, rose of Sharon, cedar green giants, and nishiki willows.
Here you will find Greenwood's ideas for planting beautiful fast growing living fences. Use our QuickNav on the left handside to quickly narrow down the selection of plants to your needs.
Fast growing shrubs are often used as privacy hedges. The Thuja Green Giant is one of our most popular fast growing trees growing in zones 5 through 9.
Living Fences and Windbreaks: Just as trees are critical for providing shade during hot spring and fall days,more protection may also needed during the cold winter months. During winter months, wind chill can decrease the temperature by more than double, depending on wind speed. A Living Fence or windbreak will reduce wind speed for a distance of as much as 10 times the living fence or windbreak’s height! Windbreaks help to reduce drifting snow and soil erosion on exposed sites. Let Greenwood help you select bushes and shrubs for your windbreak.
Did you know...Windbreaks and living fences planted on the north and west sides of a building can reduce heating costs by up to 30 percent!
Hedges, Privacy Screens, Living Fences, and Windbreaks in your Landscaping:
- Use several rows (one to five) of defense to create your windbreak. Make it at least 15 feet wide.
- Plant your rows in a line perpendicular to the prevailing wind and upwind from the space or building you want to protect. Check with your local weather station to find out the direction of prevailing winds in your area.
- Design your windbreak as three parts: the windward, centre and leeward. The windward row is what the wind hits first and should be made up of dense, fast growing trees and shrubs that prevent snow from piling up in the centre. This also helps to prevent moisture accumulation in the spring in areas where snow is trapped and is not melted by the sun. The middle row should be made up of tall, fast-growing trees and shrubs that force winds to rise up over the windbreak. Finally, the leeward row should be made up of dense-growing trees and shrubs.
- Use both evergreen and deciduous bushes and shrubs to provide a variety of food and shelter for wildlife.
