9 Living Fence Ideas To Inspire Your Backyard Design

Fences play different roles in our lives. Whether made of wood, brick, or chainlink, a fence keeps nosey neighbors out of our business, masks the sounds of a busy street, and offers pets and livestock a safe space to roam free. A living fence is meant to serve a similar purpose as a regular fence, but instead of manufactured products, it's made out of living vegetation, native plants, or hedges that are placed close together and form a barrier between your space and the rest of the world. We have some examples to help spark your imagination for building a living fence that features a variety of plants, like graceful bamboo, willow branches, and arborvitae trees, to name a few.

Living fences go a step further than ordinary fences because they not only are a sustainable and eco-friendly way to reduce your footprint, define your property, and elevate your backyard aesthetic, they also give birds and pollinators food and shelter. For those of you who live in a neighborhood that's monitored by a homeowners association (HOA), the choices are limited with how creative you can get, and you'll likely have to settle for planting trees and hedges around your fence for added privacy. Whether you choose to plant rows of flowering trees that grow with natural clumps, blooming vines, or colorful hedges and shrubs, the possibilities are unlimited. Just be sure to check your USDA plant hardiness zone map before picking your plants. 

Whether you're as prickly as a cactus or not, when you have a tall cactus fence, every critter will think twice before stepping onto your property. The Mexican fencepost cactus (Pachycereus marginatus) can grow as tall as 15 feet and will create pretty blooms in the spring. The vertical accent succulent can live up to 100 years or longer with minimal water and lots of sunlight. It grows best in USDA hardiness zones 9 through 11. Find out how to give your outdoor space a western touch with a prickly plant privacy fence.

With graceful bamboo plants (Bambusa textilis gracilis) lining your yard, you'll barely be able to make out the neighbor's house behind you, making it the perfect living privacy fence. These variegated plants can reach heights of up to 25 feet in less than three years and will cover up unsightly scenes in no time. It thrives best in USDA zones 8 through 11, requiring moderate water and partial shade. As it matures, it will create tight vertical clumps with wispy leaves that offer a tropical vibe throughout the year.

Panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) are hands-down the prettiest way to build a dense, flowery hedge. On top of that, they're also one of the easiest to grow. These beauties can thrive virtually anywhere because they're both cold and heat-tolerant. There are wide varieties of panicle hydrangeas to choose from, with each offering something a little different to the grower. For instance, some have more vibrant colors, grow taller, or have a more expansive hedge. So, decide what look you want to achieve and then check your zone for that variety's growing needs in your area. 

Making a fence from live willow (salix) branches isn't for anyone with little to no patience. The slow growers should be pruned and set in water for 24 hours before being planted in soil. To thicken your fence, cut back any new shoots in the winter each year when they're dormant. Most sticks are sold between 7 and 9 feet tall, and they will continue to grow. The branches can be trained to grow together or woven to create a lattice pattern. If you live in New York, steer clear of the large gray willow (salix atrocinerea Brot.), as it is prohibited. 

We don't think there's anything much prettier than a living fence made from oversized bright, vibrant sunflowers. Perhaps the unofficial flower of summer, the fast-growing American giant sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is suitable for zones 3 to 10. They will give you tall blooms that feature huge flower heads, which can be as large as 1 foot across or more. These giant sunflowers have very sturdy stalks and can grow up to 15 feet tall. Plant the seeds 3 to 4 inches apart and watch them take over. Just be ready for the wildlife to take notice of your pretty sunflowers.

Sweet viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum) is a lush, dark green shrub that can make a statement, though not a super showy statement. It has white, fragrant blooms in the spring followed by small red to black berries that will certainly add appeal as the border hedge that surrounds your property line. Although considered a somewhat slow to moderate grower, the dense shrub can reach between 25 and 30 feet tall and can spread out 15 to 25 feet wide in USDA hardiness zones 8b to 10a.

Plant a row of easy-to-care-for American arborvitae trees (Thuja occidentalis) to boost the privacy of your living fence. Giving off a similar vibe as Christmas trees, these evergreen plants are low maintenance and provide a lush green privacy screen. They grow roughly 2 to 3 feet every year and should be lightly pruned once a year. You can even prune them into a different shape, like a spiral topiary, to give your backyard an extra special aesthetic. The full growth of these trees depends on what cultivar you choose and can be anywhere from 3 to 70 feet tall in zones 2 through 8.

When you want heaps of greenery and a bold splash of color to mark your territory, you don't have to look any further than the red tip photinia (Photinia x fraseri). This rapid-growing perennial can reach between 10 and 20 feet high and up to 10 feet wide, allowing for lots of coverage and privacy. It's a dense, low-maintenance hedge that's not only drought-tolerant, making it ideal for zones 6 through 9, but also doesn't attract deer. But the fiery red shrub does attract all kinds of birds to your yard.

If you don't mind the wildlife finding your home enticing, plant a few fruit trees along your borders. For example, fig trees (Ficus carica) can grow up to 6 feet wide and 12 feet high within a single season, depending on your hardiness zone. The great thing about fig trees, besides the figs they produce, is they don't attract many pests. For anyone living in warmer climates, add a Meyer lemon tree (Citrus x limon) or two. They can grow up to 12 feet tall.