[MarkAguglia]

Looking to add some evergreens to border my backyard. I have chain link on the sides and a vinyl fence across the back. Its a small yard, approx. 1600 sq ft. I'm looking to add several evergreens to serve as a border and for privacy. However, I do not want Arborvitae...my neighbor has them lining their property and I hate the way it looks.. too straight and formal for me! Maybe one or two here and there, but don't want a bunch of them in a line. I love colorado spruce but they likely get too big for my yard. The one you see I have is a baby blue spruce. The other tree us a serviceberry. So, I'm looking for suggestions as to what other evergreens/trees I can plant. They need to be planted close to my fence so they dont protrude into the rest of the yard. Another thing is that it is always damp and shaded along the white fence. My eventual goal is to have a nice border of evergreens and small trees all the way around my fencelines and then have them in beds, edge and mulch in front of them and have shrubs, flowers etc. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[Jconnelly6b]

Yard looks very good!

Blue Princess Holly are very tidy and hardy, but are prickly so if you have little ones maybe not the best choice. Boxwoods are always an option.

How tall do you want them to be? Are deer a problem?

 

[MarkAguglia]

Nope, deer arent a problem. Looking for privacy so 8+ feet tall is good. I expect to buy them smaller and wait a few years for the privacy benefits. I think sticking with dwarf spruces may be a good idea as they only get about 10ft wide and 15 ft tall.

 

[Jconnelly6b]

You can look into Montgomery Blue Spruce, Spartan Juniper,

Spruce "Baby Blue Eyes" and Spruce "Bakeri" are the nice blue color, and stay pretty tidy. Not sure of their hardiness in your zone though.

There are a few more here https://www.fast-growing-trees.com/blog/medium-sized-privacy-trees-to-block-nosey-neighbors/

I like the look of the Wichita Blue Juniper in the link too.

 

[MarkAguglia]

I love that baby blue eyes! Is it different from my baby blue? It sure looks nicer in photos. My baby blue that I have has hardly grown at all in its first 2 years.. that blue eyes says it grows over 12" a year... awesome.

 

[Jconnelly6b]

I'm sorry I don't know enough if they are the same. Most trees grow very little in their first year after transplant, sometimes 2 years. By the third year they should take off - their listed growth rates are at this point, after establishment.

 

[MarkAguglia]

I read that somewhere that they take off the 3rd year. Looking forward to seeing that very soon as 2 of mine will be hitting that point.

 

[BXMurphy]

Nope, deer arent a problem. Looking for privacy so 8+ feet tall is good. I expect to buy them smaller and wait a few years for the privacy benefits. I think sticking with dwarf spruces may be a good idea as they only get about 10ft wide and 15 ft tall.

I think you would like arborvitae for a wall of green. I like Thuja occidentalis because it is not so pointy and pyramid-shaped.

 

[MarkAguglia]

Nope, deer arent a problem. Looking for privacy so 8+ feet tall is good. I expect to buy them smaller and wait a few years for the privacy benefits. I think sticking with dwarf spruces may be a good idea as they only get about 10ft wide and 15 ft tall.

I think you would like arborvitae for a wall of green. I like Thuja occidentalis because it is not so pointy and pyramid-shaped.

I don't know why but I don't like the appearance of Arborvatie! Especially when they are planted in a row. I looked up the thuja Occidental kind of looks the same as the others to me.

 

[chrismar]

I would say arborvitae as well, if you liked them.

I planted some hetz wintergreen arborvitae in May of 2016. They were tiny little buggers, maybe 18" tall. Right now they're about 36" tall. Not quite at privacy height yet, but they sure do grow fast!

 

[BXMurphy]

I don't know why but I don't like the appearance of Arborvatie! Especially when they are planted in a row. I looked up the thuja Occidental kind of looks the same as the others to me.

Hmmm... evergreen... small yard... that might be about it. Tall, skinny evergreens... that is arborvitae all day.

What is nice about the thuja is it fills in right up to the top. There are some species that look more like Christmas tree where you don't get as much privacy at the top.

But... if you don't like it... you don't like it... what are ya gonna do?

Mine bent over and some snapped this winter with some heavy, wet snow weighing them down. You can replace them for like $20 bucks or something...

 

[BXMurphy]

I would say arborvitae as well, if you liked them.

I planted some hetz wintergreen arborvitae in May of 2016. They were tiny little buggers, maybe 18" tall. Right now they're about 36" tall. Not quite at privacy height yet, but they sure do grow fast!

The first year they sleep.
The second year they creep.
The third year they leap.