Grow This Pollinator-Friendly Flowering Shrub To Add Extra Privacy To Your Yard

Creating an intimate atmosphere in your yard doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes all it takes is the right plants, particularly ones that provide a natural barrier between you and the outside world (or at least between you and those neighbors with exceptionally good hearing). Try growing Abelia x grandiflora, or glossy abelia, as it's commonly known: a pollinator-friendly flowering shrub to add extra privacy. It provides just that bit of extra concealment and offers the bees and butterflies a nectar café.

With 30 species and a growing catalog of cultivars, there are many choices of glossy abelia for plant lovers. Common to all are showy, aromatic flowers and leaves that are usually a glossy dark green. The perennial can be evergreen under the right conditions, but in cooler climates, it's often deciduous. Nearly all the varietals appreciate a sunny locale but can tolerate some shade. The abelias are resistant to deer and other hungry creatures, and they're exceptionally resilient when planted near foundations, driveways, sidewalks, and roads.

While abelias in general are native to Asia, the x grandiflora is believed to have been cultivated in Italy, according to the N.C. Cooperative Extension. True to its roots, the shrub prefers more temperate weather, enjoying USDA zone 6 or warmer. Like its Mediterranean homeland where urban yards are often small but private, glossy abelia is one of the key elements every Italian-inspired backyard garden needs. Add a small fountain and some tomato plants, and you might think you're in Firenze.

Many cultivars of glossy abelia only grow 3 to 6 feet high, and the University of Illinois Extension asserts that the ones attaining loftier heights are normally those that reside in warmer USDA zones. If you find your yard framed by taller abelia, celebrate with a little whoop of delight and know the neighbors might not hear it. For many people, though, the pretty flowering shrubs won't reach those heights, so giving extra thought to building in privacy might need to be a consideration during planting. You'll want to make sure that you're creating a sense of seclusion, even if your glossy abelia tops out at only three feet tall. You could do this by companion planting your glossy abelia shrubs against some taller plants, like viburnum or rhododendron.

Now that you've figured out how to create a wonderfully private yard, enjoy it a little more, knowing that you chose plants that aren't very needy. Glossy abelia is one of the 10 low-maintenance hedges you can plant in your yard that won't require a lot of upkeep once you put it in the ground. That's good news for you and for the pollinators attracted to the abelia's trumpet-shaped, pale pink blossoms who won't be disturbed by having you fuss around them. As a bonus, plant one or more of the fast-growing ground covers that'll attract hummingbirds and pollinators to your yard, and watch the extra buzzing that occurs!