I’m always thinking about next season’s garden. I’m weird that way. So at this time of year, I’m thinking about spring. Fall is the very best time to plant just about anything. Trees and shrubs planted now have a chance to send down roots and acclimate to their new home before next summer’s heat and stress arrives, giving your new plants an opportunity to thrive.

For my epilogue on creating shade and privacy, I have a few last tips and favorite plants to consider. Landscaping can be expensive, so it’s important to get the biggest bang for every buck invested. I always advise lots of research and spending time planning before you buy even that first plant.

Tips on creating privacy:

1. If you want to plant evergreens for year-round screening, measure the area you have to work with, and estimate how many trees or shrubs it will take to fill the area.
2. Note the rating of the plant size at maturity. My rule of thumb is to assume plants will reach around 80% of their estimated size, depending on the soil and environmental conditions.  Take special note of areas needing very narrow width, or columnar plants, as they are called in the landscaping industry. There are several specific plants that will fill this particular requirement.
3. Don’t plant too close together. Plan for void or empty areas where appropriate. The balance of positive and negative creates interest in the garden and is necessary for balance and harmony.

Plan to take full advantage of the characteristics and natural features of your site. For instance, note the direction and orientation of the sun and plant to benefit from it. One example is to plant deciduous trees on the southern side of your home. The trees will provide passive solar protection shading and cooling your home in summer. After their leaves fall, the bare trees allow the warmth of the sun to bathe your home in winter. Our home is sited this way, and it has been a wonderful feature in our landscape.

My master plant list is the result of years of painstaking data creation and development. For any specific project, I choose plants from my huge list that are perfectly suited to their environment, create seasonal interest and beauty, and need only minimal care . Here is an excerpt of a few favorite trees and shrubs for creating shade and privacy.