• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • Garden design
  • Container gardening
  • Food to grow
  • Gardens to visit
  • Events for gardeners
Garden Making

Garden Making

Inspiring ideas and information for great home gardens

Home » Using trees to screen an unattractive view

Using trees to screen an unattractive view

By Beckie Fox Filed Under: Plants

An example of cedars used to screen a seating area, accented with an attractive metal trellis.
An example of cedars used to screen a seating area, accented with an attractive metal trellis (Garden Making photo).

Screening an unattractive view can be a challenge, especially in a small garden. For example, if you have a long, narrow city garden and your next-door neighbour’s shed is not in great shape, what can you do to mitigate its impact on your lovingly designed beds and borders? In this example, a fence isn’t going to do the job. Most municipalities limit the height of fences to six feet (1.8 m) and an unattractive shed, garage or addition you want to block from view is taller than this. The most effective means of obscuring an eyesore is to plant tall, narrow deciduous or coniferous trees — often called columnar or fastigiate trees.

Whether you select a deciduous or coniferous tree is a matter of preference, but keep in mind a coniferous tree will screen the offending view year-round, while a deciduous tree will only be effective during the growing season.

Deciding what to plant depends on a few factors. You could opt for a mix trees for more variety and a more informal look. Or, you could plant several of one type of tree for a more unified, formal design. In most cases, trees need plenty of sun and well-draining soil to thrive.

Trees with a narrow, upright profile take up less space than specimens with an open, broad branching habit, and most columnar trees also have a low canopy, meaning branches start near the ground, affording more privacy. However, even though fastigiate trees are narrow, you still need to allow for some canopy width when they mature, so site them with this width in mind. Also, be sure their mature height won’t conflict with any power lines overhead.

Most nurseries offer the best selection in spring, which is also a good time to plant, because plants are still dormant. After leaf drop in fall is also a good time to plant. Container-grown trees can be planted throughout the season, although the height of summer heat can be stressful for transplants. Here are a few trees to consider.

5 deciduous trees for a sunny site

 ‘Bowhall’ red maple (Acer rubrum ‘Bowhall’) 50 x 15 feet (15 x 5 m)

This selection of a native species has red spring foliage that turns green for summer and then evolves into bright orange-red in fall. Zone 4

‘Dawyck Purple’ European beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Dawyck Purple’) 60 x 20 feet (18 x 6 m)

Deep purple leaves all season; attractive smooth grey bark; low canopy. Needs consistent moisture. Zone 5

‘Princeton Sentry’ ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba ‘Princeton Sentry’) 60 x 30 feet (18 x 9 m)

Fan-shaped leaves turn bright yellow in fall; trees have a high canopy so better for screening distant views rather than a nearby eyesore. Zone 4

Columnar tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera ‘Fastigiatum’) 59 x 16 feet (18 x 5 m)

Cup-shaped, greenish flowers appear in late spring; four-lobed leaves turn yellow in fall. Zone 5

Pyramidal English oak (Quercus robur ‘Fastigiata’) 50 x 10 feet (15 x 3 m)

Low canopy; lobed leaves turn brownish green in fall, often remaining on tree through winter. Zone 5

3 coniferous trees for a sunny site

‘Slim Jim’ Norway spruce (Picea abies ‘Slim Jim’) 33 x 7 feet (10 x 2 m)

Stiff, short dark green needles. Zone 3

‘Iseli Fastigiata’ Colorado spruce (Picea pungens ‘Iseli Fastigiata’) 40 x 15 feet (12 x 5 m)

Selection of a native plant; bright blue needles on sharply angled branches; drought tolerant. Zone 2

‘Algonquin Pillar’ Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra ‘Algonquin Pillar’) 25 x 10 feet (8 x 3 m)

Keeps its lower branches (unlike other pines); greenish-blue variegated needles. Zone 3

4 trees for semi-shade

Although the following trees prefer sun, they will tolerate semi-shade.

‘Flame’ Amur maple (Acer ginnala ‘Flame’) 20 x 20 feet (6 x 6 m)

Not truly a columnar shape, but a multi-stemmed tree with a low canopy that can be pruned into a narrower silhouette. (Prune in summer when leaves are full formed to prevent bleeding of sap.) Attractive winged fruit (samaras) in spring; bright crimson foliage in fall. Zone 3

‘Frans Fontaine’ European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Frans Fontaine’) 40 x 20 feet (12 x 6 m)

Shiny, pointed leaves; gold fall colour; attractive grey bark; low canopy. Zone 5

Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica) 43 x 30 feet (13 x 9 m)

Not a columnar tree, but one with a low canopy and upright branching habit. Best for a large space, but still suitable for screening. Glossy green leaves that turn orange, yellow and red in the fall; exfoliating bark. Zone 4

Emerald cedar (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’) 12 x 4 feet (3.5 x 1.2 m)

Usually planted in rows for a dense, finely textured, rich green hedge. Requires consistent moisture. Zone 4

Costs for trees and planting

How much a tree costs depends on its variety and size. Most large trees sold in a nursery are labelled by caliper, a measurement of the trunk’s diameter about 12 inches (30 cm) above ground. Generally, the larger the tree, the more expensive it will be simply because it takes more time to grow it to a larger size. However, don’t let the cost of a large tree discourage you from planting one altogether. Younger, smaller trees are less expensive, and have the added benefit of adjusting to transplanting quite well, soon catching up to larger specimens planted at the same time.

In addition to the cost of the tree, you may need to pay someone to plant it, especially if it’s sold with a large, heavy root ball. Prices for planting vary, depending on the size and also ease of access to the planting site. For example, Gauld Nurseries (gauldnurseries.com) in Niagara Falls, Ontario, generally charges $95 to plant a B&B tree, including mulch and delivery. In the Toronto area, Sheridan Nurseries (sheridannurseries.com) estimates delivery, planting and mulching a four- to five-foot (1.2- to 1.5 m) B&B or container-grown deciduous tree would cost between $200 and $250.

Trees are sold one of three ways:

  • Bare-root: Dormant trees with no soil surrounding the roots. Fruit trees are often sold bare-root.
  • Balled and burlapped (B&B): Root balls of field-grown trees are dug up and encased in burlap, then wrapped in heavy twine or a wire cage to keep the root ball intact. According to the International Society of Arboriculture, the diameter of the root ball should be at least 10 times the diameter of the trunk when measured six inches (15 cm) aboveground. Remove the twine or wire covering the burlap once the root ball is in the planting hole; also remove as much of the burlap as possible.
  • Container grown: Roots and soil are contained in a plastic or fibreboard pot. The pot is removed when planting.

More on planting trees

  • How to plant a tree
  • Plant a tree at the right depth
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Share this article

Published: March 23, 2018 | Updated: January 31, 2019

About Beckie Fox

Beckie is Editor of Garden Making. She is a Master Gardener and published author in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle says

    July 6, 2020 at 8:45 am

    Excited to see this article however trees with a canopy of 7 ‘ is still too big for small gardens.. or side gardens.

    Reply
  2. Joy Reddy says

    July 3, 2020 at 5:15 pm

    I need a tree that can withstand full sun with a narrow root system. Which Japanese Maple would be suitable. It will be planted near a wall to screen out the blazing morning sun from my kitchen. Zone 5b?

    Reply
  3. DaGracey Toronto Landscaping says

    July 6, 2018 at 4:13 pm

    Some of the other fast growing trees you can plant that are hearty for cold & warm climates are: Willow hybrids (6ft/year and full coverage), hybrid Poplars (about 7-9ft/year), and Leyland Cypresses (3-5ft/year, but very full all the way up). Each of them will grow over 30-50 feet if allowed to, and are great for privacy from neighbouring dwellings.

    Reply
  4. Rajith says

    March 24, 2018 at 1:16 pm

    Hi,

    Can you specify the growth rates of some of these trees?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Beckie Fox says

      March 25, 2018 at 11:04 am

      An excellent question. The only fast-growing tree listed is ‘Fastigiatum’ tulip tree. The following three grow at a medium rate: ‘Bowhall’ red maple; ‘Flame’ Amur maple; and Emerald cedar. All of the others listed would be considered slow-growing trees.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Footer

Garden Making website

explore

  • Books for gardeners
  • Containers in your garden
  • Events for gardeners
  • Food to grow
  • Garden design
  • Gardens to visit
  • Growing from seed
  • How to
  • Plant ideas
  • Prizes for readers
  • Tips for gardeners

Members

  • Member login
  • Register for free membership
  • Manage your email preferences
  • Add your event listing
  • View events you’ve submitted
  • Backup form to submit event

Events for gardeners

May 9
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

For the Love of Bees

Organizer: Georgina-Brock Garden Club
(905) 722-9569
May 9
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Succulent Gardening for Beginners and more with the Shannon Sisters!

Organizer: Oakville Horticultural Society
May 10
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Woodstock Plant Auction & Geranium Sale

Organizer: Woodstock Horticultural Society
519-533-0356
May 10
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Melanie Kramer talks about Top Native Plants for your Yard

Organizer: Orangeville and District Horticultural Society
May 11
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

May meeting: How to keep your soil healthy & how to have happy container plants

Organizer: Beaconsfield Garden Club
View Calendar

Get email updates

Join 9,717 gardeners who get our email updates. We do not share emails.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Copyright © 2022 Inspiring Media Inc. | GARDEN MAKING is a registered trademark | About | Service | Terms of use | Privacy policy