Monday, May 4, 2009

Privacy Please

Our property in SJC is surrounded by a block wall in the front and chain link fencing in the back. It doesn't sound very appealing, but you hardly notice it because of the mature landscaping that was there when we moved in two years ago. This picture is an example of the fencing around the pool that separates our yard from our neighbor's yard. It is made up of a combination of plants including podocarpus, ficus, pyracantha, rhaphiolepis, and agapanthus along with a few queen palms. It gets lightly pruned about once a year and that is about it. There is a definite feeling of privacy when using the pool which is just perfect. The one thing that I think is important to point out is the combination of plants. On other parts of the yard the chain link is camouflaged using only one type of plant, oleander, and that plant is dying out in our part of the country due to a disease called scorch. This is leaving us with bare fencing which would not be the case if there were more than one type of plant used.

5 comments:

Dirt Princess said...

I think that is great. I love a "live" fence. They are much more attractive if maintained and to gangly

Anonymous said...

That's a very good point -- and these plantings look as though they serve you well. Enjoy the pool!

Kathleen said...

That looks like exactly the type of privacy I'm looking for along my back patio area Sheila. I am on a serious quest for the perfect solution this season but was thinking fencing (because of how long it takes for natural hedges to mature). I should have planted something back when I moved in. What will you replace the Oleanders with??

Megan said...

I like your living screen. I wish my chain link was covered like that. Gives me something to think about. And good point about using diverse planting, I hadn't thought about it in those terms.

Sheila said...

Kathleen, I will most likely replace the oleanders with a very similar combination of plants as seen here by the pool. They seem to thrive so it makes sense to me to stick with what already works.