Privacy shield for anchor fence

My neighbors have an anchor fence on the property line between their yard and mine. There are about 18-24 inches of garden space between their fence and a two foot high rock wall in my yard. This area gets sun virtually all day long.

Right now there are photinia trees planted in the garden area. They provide lots of privacy, which I love, but are riddled with fungus that I have been unable to cure so I spend my life raking up photinia leaves. I am sick and tired of it.

I am thinking about cutting down the photinias (I can't dig them out because that will destroy the rock wall) and planting something else. I am looking for suggestions
of what to plant - something that will hide the anchor fence, provide privacy, grow in spite of the photi8nia roots that will remain, and be easy to care for. One person suggested evergreen clematis (clematis armandii) but someone else said the roots will get too hot. Another person suggested zebra grass but I am concerned about the runners and question whether there is enough room for it to grow in this narrow garden space.

I guess the other alternative would be to cure the photinia of fungus but everyone I talk with says that is virtually impossible.

Any suggestions/comments/warnings/etc. you have will be much appreciated. Thank you!!!!

NOVI,
I have NEVER HEARD of that kinda tree, do you have a pic?

Best;
bluelytes

I don't have a picture. Photinia looks like laurel but the new growth, which is coming out now, is red.

Have you thought of California lilac (Ceanothus sp.)? They have pretty good drought tolerance, evergreen, blooms, low maintenance and will get high enough to provide privacy if the right cultivars are selected.

I was not familiar with California lilacs but a little reading tells me they are worth looking at. Thank you for the suggestion. I have also wondered about star jasmine.

I wouldn't say star jasmine is 100% hardy and is not the best "bush" - it's more of a vining shrub and it can be cut back in our rare cold-snap. What type of fungus does your Photinia have? I was going to suggest Prunus lusitanica (Portugese Laurel) which has nice colour, easily shaped, evergreen and full but it might be susceptible to the same fungus. Ever thought of Magnolia grandiflora? I've read about using it as a hedge and trimming it. The evergreen leaves and white fragrant blooms would make it a unique Privacy shield.

Ceanothus are lovely. I planted one last fall. If I think of it later, I'll go snap a picture for you. It's not currently in bloom, but I have a photo of it when it was a little smaller and in bloom; will need to post that for you too. They do well in full sun.

Laurels are also great. They grow pretty fast and will probably require trimming, however. (I drive by a lot of 20' high Laurel on my way to/from work!) Our laurels are still small-medium (3-6'), but we don't have any problem with laurel dropping their leaves like our photina.

Another nice plant that does well in full-sun is Prostanthera rotundifolia (Australian Mint Bush). We have one that's done wonderfully; we've even trimmed it into a nice boxy shape. It gives off a strong, but pleasant, odor when brushed against. Ours has a Southwest exposure and is evergreen.

blue, here's a photina (behind the hedgehog). There are photina all over the place around here acting as privacy hedges...I see them at businesses along East Valley Highway in Auburn and have even seen them as trees down on Hwy 162 from Sumner toward Orting.

TIFF,
Ohhh, THOSE!! Was NOT doubting anyone, just did not know they had an actual NAME. lol

Best;
blue

LOL. Yes I knew that you'd know photina once you saw it. ;-}

Here's a photo of ceanothus in bloom, spring 2006.

And here it is today...approximate 10" growth on some branches in just 3 months.

And here's a photo of the Australian Bush Mint when it's not flowering.

I've had this for 2 years now and this was the first year it flowered. The PF pics show what it looks like when in bloom -- see: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/54050/index.html


Very pretty.

You guys are great! I love getting all these ideas to help solve my dilemma - And I research every option you suggest. Thank you a million!

The easiest option would be to solve the fungus problem on the photinia but so far no one is too optimistic about being able to do that.

Can you describe or photo the problem so I can come up with potential solutions. On the occasional cold-snap we have every 4 or so years the Australian Mint Bush would be toast. The other plant that might not be high enough but you could try is Choisya (Mock Orange) with the species and Aztec Pearl which are good choices. They are drought tolerant, low maintenance, full-sun tolerant, have blooms, evergreen.

Joining in the problem solving - I have Choisya - but it has grown very slowly here. It is a nice looking shrub - but I would not have used it to cover up or block anything. Laurel - the first thing that came to my mind. Some folks don't like it - just as some don't care for Photinia. How about some of the Miscanthus grasses ~ Zebra grass is especially nice.

I am giving serious thought to Miscanthus grasses - zebra grass has been recommended but I have not seen it. Can you tell me how I would care for the grass? Since the space between the neighbor's fence and my rock wall is only about 18-24 inches, would this be enough room for the zebra grass to grow? I know it would bend out over the rock wall which is fine.

I don't have a picture of the photinia but I have had it "diagnosed" by several folks and all are in agreement that it has a fungus which is fairly typical of these plants in this climate - and very difficult if not impossible to cure. I'm still thinking it might be worth one more try, maybe thin it out to provide better air circulation, add some mulch, spray for the fungus...

Thank you all for your help!!!!

Miscanthus is deciduous. Does it matter if it will be empty in winter? You could do a combo planting of the suggestions as a test. If the fungus is powdery mildew, opening it up will improve the situation. The reason I mentioned Choisya is that it can take cramped roots fairly well especially if you're not digging out the Photinia.

Hi Novice - If I understand your original post correctly, there is approximately 2' of space between the rock wall & the fence, exposure is sun all day & Photinia is currently planted there, right? Are you trying to screen the fence year-round? Prefer deciduous or evergreen? If you plant something that is going to grow wide, do you care if it hangs over the rock wall and if grows into your neighbor's property, & would this possibly cause a problem? You did not mention how tall you want your screen. Also - if you cut the Photinia down, how much room will there be between the root systems? What is the soil like - is it nice or depleted? Sorry about all the questions, but it easier to zero in on an answer with more info. Whoops - last one: what is an anchor fence made of - wire?
I have a couple of Choisya & several Ceanothus - be aware that they grow very wide: spread is anywhere from 6' - 12'. My experience with most tall grasses is that they tend to grow wide, also.
I have 1 1/2 acres and have had to deal with multiple landscaping situations over the years, ripping out a fair share of what was here originally - my best advice is to plant something that you will not be fighting with in the future.

Growin is right about the deciduous nature of Miscanthus - as well as other ornamental grasses. They are still attractive in the dry brown state - BUT - you would have that period in early spring when you have to cut back brown to make room for the new green. I didn't even THINK about that when I made the recommendation....my apologies. If you are interested in a grass type that stays green, the clumping bamboo that doesn't travel would stay green year round. I have both kinds - clumping and running - and the clumping isn't a fast growing plant. There is NO care required, however.

Lots of good questions, Katye. You are right about the space I am dealing with. I am trying to screen the fence year around. It is fine if the plant grows over the rocks - and the neighbors, well, I am not sure they will even realize if I make a change. Minimum 5 feet tall, 6 or more would be better. Soil is not good and has roots from mature photinia that are planted only about 2-3 feet apart. The anchor fence is wire.

Thanks again everyone for your help!

Novice - I will noodle this one a bit, but the plants that come to mind are:
Ceanothus - there are some lower growing cultivars - my 'Julia Phelps' is almost 5' tall; Evergreen Barberry - not sure about height or availability;
Upright Junipers - ditto previous;
Cotoneaster - Parneyi is one, but I think it exceeds your height requirements;
Elaeagnus - probably too tall - not sure. Mine reached about 7' in 6 years, it was in the worst soil imaginable, and put out the most incredibly fragrant flowers (tiny) every September for about 3 weeks.
I'm sure there are more, but work was intense today, and my brain wants to be horizontal!
How long is this area? Budget? - the number of plants will depend on the spacing, spacing will depend on which plant you select.
I'll get back to you after I dig a bit...

The planting area is about 50 feet long, give or take a few. Budget?... well, I'll just have to save until I have enough for whatever alternative seems like the right one. I am realizing this is not a particularly easy problem to solve. Budget may be dictated by the viable option.

Clumping bamboo might be an answer, but the majority of the clumpers need some shade, especially in the afternoon. If you think seriously of going that way, I would suggest you discuss it with a bamboo specialist. Dotti

Novice - sorry it took me so long to get back to you - it's been a very busy week.
Considering the zone, site size & exposure, soil conditions, heighth preferences - here is what I was able to find:
Evergreen -
Berberis darwinii - evergreen Barberry, 5-7' ht & spread, flowers - tiny yellow which become berries, tolerates poor soils. "Tolerate" being the key word. These are great plants - very low maintenance, but there are a bit spiny. I don't prune any of mine except to shape the plant a bit. They have the flower/Berry interest, and have no pests or diseases that I have experienced. I am north of you - due east of Seattle, so zone-wise these would be great. Availability is good in my area.

Ceanothus - there are several types, some more prostrate in growth habit. They can get quite large, but would make a nice hedge. I'v had no problems with mine, except that they can experience die back in colder winters. Nice range of blue flowers - the bees love them. I think they would do ok in poor soil, but mine are all in nice soil, so I have no first-hand experience. Readily available at Nursuries.

Raphiolepis indica - I have been growing them for about 10 years - the flowering is sparse. They probably need a great deal of sun/heat to flower prolifically. No problems in the way of pests / diseases that I have experienced. Slow growers, though - my largest is about 3.5'. Easy...I ahve seen them at HD & Lowe's, but they are small.

Juniper pyramidalis - evergreen, silvery blue/green. Slower growing in cooler climates, but effective as a hedge. Cost will be higher due to being a conifer, but check it out. Low maintenace - they want extremely good drainage, and I doubt the existing Photinia root system would faze them.

Mugo Pine - more spreading, same cost situation - unless you want to buy small & wait!

Ilex crenata - would be another, but they might require better soil conditions.

Along that note - are you going to try to remove any of the existing Photinia roots, or leave them as is? I understand the implications of digging out roots of existing plants - i am in the process of digging out 2 long hedges of box-leaved Euonymus. It took 2 days to get out 6 plants! But I was able to broaden my choices by providing a better site.
If I think of anything else, I will let you know. I wish I had access to something like this 20 years ago - but at least I learned a lot from all my research.
Hope this was helpful. Take care!

Katye - Thank you, and everyone else, for all of your help - You all are a wealth of information!

I have thought about digging out the photinia but I am certain that would demolish the rock wall and the project would become WAY bigger than I want to take on. Right now I am going to see if I can nurse the photinia back to health (it certainly is not in a terrible state yet) with some good old fungicide and maybe a little thinning out to improve air circulation. We'll see what happens.

Hello again, Novice!
I am glad that the information was helpful. Sometimes all we need to know are our options & the possible outcomes.
In regards to rejuvenating the Photinia - a neighbor did just that - whacked them back (emphasis on "whacked") and with a little TLC, they are looking quite nice. She did this last year, a bit later in the summer, but they recovered just fine. If it does not turn out for you the way you like, you can resort to one of the many listed options! Personally, I like working with what I have, but I measure the situation in terms of time. Digging out the roots is a chore: that vs spraying the Photinia foliage seems like a no-brainer. I wish my hedges did not have gall - even thinking about digging out the roots makes me tired...Take care & hope all goes well for you! K