Layering Evergreens For Privacy: Is It Actually A Good Idea?

Evergreens make excellent privacy screens for blocking out busy roads and nosy neighbors. And while neat rows of columnar trees can be perfect if you like a more formal aesthetic or don't have a lot of space, they don't always create the most natural look. To provide yourself with a living privacy screen that also looks natural and soft, one popular option is to layer different evergreens. 

Multilayered borders of mixed evergreens give the appearance that the trees grew that way naturally, instead of through careful planning. Besides their aesthetic advantages, they offer practical ones too: If you lose a few trees, you don't have to worry that replacing them with smaller, non-identical trees will destroy your privacy garden's symmetry. Moving away from planting all the same species can also decrease the chances of all the trees being stricken by the same pest, as different trees are vulnerable to different pests and diseases. This is a lesson many gardeners have learned the hard way after having their hedges decimated by box tree moths. 

On the other hand, mixed evergreen borders can take up a lot of room, potentially leaving you with little yard left for picnics and playing. Depending on the light exposure in your yard, they can also shade out more of your yard and block light from coming in your windows. This can be especially problematic in winter, when the sun is at a lower angle in the sky, so while layering evergreens for privacy can be a good option, it depends on your circumstances and specific needs.

Whether you create more relaxed landscapes instead of formal ones by using mixed evergreens, or opt to plant a neat row of identical trees, you'll obviously have to take care of your foliage. If you're only dealing with just one type of tree, it can be easier to know its needs and growing conditions. With a mixed evergreen planting, on the other hand, you have far more trees and shrubs, all with diverse needs, to care for. While this could be a fun challenge for some, for others it's just a headache. 

Even if you decide that you don't want to use mixed evergreens for privacy all year, you can still incorporate some aspects of it into your plantings. Instead of creating a neat, straight line of trees in an evenly spaced row, consider planting some trees slightly closer to the fence or property line you're trying to hide, and bring some trees into the foreground. Even if you only use columnar trees like 'Taylor' red cedars or 'Skyrocket' junipers, this will still help soften your privacy screen a bit and provide some biodiversity.