Screening is an important part of landscaping. We all love our mountain views, but the view your neighbor’s RV? Not so much. Screening eases the eyesores and adds beauty, privacy and interest to your property.
Before planting anything, be aware of how tall and wide a particular plant will grow. Proper placement and spacing will allow for healthy growth and spare the headache of crowded plants down the road. Take the time to visualize what you would like to screen. Look at the site from different vantages: from inside your home, from your deck or from your driveway. You may want a straight hedge or a combination of a few plants in differing heights.
These hardy trees and shrubs will help block out the unsightly views:
- Colorado Spruce: These big, beautiful conifers are our best seller season after season. Dense branching covered with bluish-green needles offer year round screening. Mature height is 60 feet mature width is 20 feet.
- Peking or Hedge Cotoneaster: This durable deciduous shrub has dense branching, helpful for screening even after the leaves have dropped. Rounded shape up to 6 feet tall and wide with glossy deep green foliage. Cotoneaster is a great choice for a hedge and takes well to trimming. Red fall color.
- Siberian Peashrub: A great choice for a tall, drought tolerant shrub. Dense branching helps screen in winter. Pretty yellow flowers bloom late spring. Grows up to 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide.
- Mugho Pine: This is the best low growing evergreen in our region. Ball-shaped shrub with long needles up to 6 feet tall and wide.
- Canada Red Chokecherry: In its shrub form, this regional staple will grow up to 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Though the branching is not as dense for screening in winter, the deep purple foliage makes a nice contrast combined with other plants and will screen well until fall.
- Alpine Currant: This is one of best choices for a lower growing screen. Dark green foliage and dense branching grow up to 5 feet tall and wide.
- Dogwood: These hardy shrubs grow up to 8 feet tall and wide. These natives have the added bonus of vibrant red stems for lovely winter contrast.
- Swedish Aspen: These gorgeous aspen grow up to 40 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Their narrow profile make these ideal for closer spacing to offer a tall screening effect. Vibrant orange-red fall color make these a standout.
