During a Labor Day family gathering this past week, a relative of mine talked about vacation.
"Time to start planning a trip so we have something to look forward to," she said.
That made me realize I don't take many extended trips away from home. I seldom feel the need to "get away from it all". For three seasons of the year there's always something new blooming in my home garden, and if I'm away too long I'll miss the show! If I do need a change of scenery, I head upstate to our modest house in the woods, where the nature-cultivated view always inspires and entertains.
It's not that I don't understand people's need to escape the everyday. As the world becomes increasingly crowded, noisy and intrusive, folks crave a break. Who doesn't long to unplug and relax every now and then? Going new places also sparks the imagination, and gives us the chance to cultivate friendships far and wide. For these reasons I enjoy venturing from upstate New York once or twice each winter to have a taste of the wider world. But come April, I'm right back where I love to be most: my own yard.
One of the main reasons my yard is so enticing to me is that it doesn't feel like a property in the middle of a neighborhood. Rows of smooth hydrangeas--backed by a privet hedge--prevent my northern neighbors from viewing my property (photo, above), as well as delighting me with seasonal scents and a knockout view of their own. The back and side yard to my south are layered in forsythia, a fast-growing perennial that can form a hedge in a season, and has amazing sound-proofing qualities. Visitors to my back-yard garden don't hear cars and lawnmowers from the streets and properties behind me--they hear birdsong and the trickle of fountains.
If you long for a retreat from the busy world but don't have the funds or desire to travel, try planting living hedges around your property to create your own little oasis. In addition to the shrubs and perennials I've already discussed, I've listed plants that I think make the best privacy protectors, grow the quickest, look the best, and last the longest:
Arborvitae: This tried-and-true shrub is your go-to for inexpensive hedging. By mid-fall (prime planting season) you can get a 6-foor shrub for as little as 25 bucks. My tip: plant them a little closer than directed on their tags to ensure you get a nice, tight hedge. Within a few years they will mesh and form a great wall of green. Yew is also a great choice.
Boxwood and hornbeam: These plants are both beautiful specimens if you want a more formal look. They're easy to clip and shape into hedges and a breeze to maintain (if you go out at regular intervals--try to establish a routine with these babies). The downside: they can be quite pricey.
Perennial grasses: If you have a summer place that you want to keep private but aren't really around in cold-weather months, grasses are the way to go. Grasses generally grow to a minimum of five feet (unless you specifically want a smaller variety). A stand of switch grasses will provide upright "fencing," like nature's soldiers standing at attention. If you want a more open, airy feel along your borders, opt for miscanthus. For all-out coverage, try the biggest of the bunch--a row of pompas grass will keep prying eyes and stray sounds away from your personal spaces.
If you've always loved the idea of floral fences, try climbing roses. You'll have to erect traditional wood, stone or wire fencing first, but if you buy enough rose bushes, you can completely cover the fencing with blossoms. This is a great option for a sunny, wide-open area that you'd like to enclose.
Whatever you choose to line your property with, plant in mid-fall, when temperatures are consistently cool, but not so cold that the plants can't successfully lay down roots and call your home their own.
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