Flowering Shrubs GOOD for Privacy Along Fence? Zone 7

[Evil Scotsman]

I have been spending a considerable amount of time on both here and arborday.org researching EVERYTHING for my new yard. (I am clueless) but have received a tremendous amount of help for you guys here! Thank You. I am removing some old wild dying or dead boxwood hedges from our yard. I have only removed 3 bushes so far and it has really opened up the yard. I just found out yesterday that I am only allowed to have a 4' fence across the front of the yard, (City rules) I would like to plant something across the front to enable us some privacy in the yard. (will not be replacing hedges removed from the side only the front. I have briefly looked at Fortysea (sp?) Yellow flowers or Rose of Sharon. I would like something that flowers and also something that grows straight up as opposed to out too far/drooping? I am in Zone 7

Any suggestions? Thank You

[applestar]

Forsythias grow wide in a sweeping fountain in natural form though you can clip them like a hedge (I have to tell you I cringe every time I see them like that though ).

Rose of Sharon will grow upright but leaves out very late in spring. I'm not sure if mine has yet, though the last few days of heat wave might have done the trick. So it's rather inadequate as a privacy hedge.

You CAN prune most shrubs in a flat shape if you wanted to so as to limit the depth. Kind of like an espalier... And speaking of espalier, I'm growing apples, pears, cherries, and parsimon as espalier along the 5 ft front picket fence. I'm also training thornless blackberries and golden raspberries along the fence. I call them my Front Yard Fence Row and have posted some photos. Note though that my fence is well set back on the property so there is no chance of anyone bothering them and minimum chance of spray drifts or ground leaching from neighbors landscape chemical warfare.

I have a dwarf Magnolia that is just shedding their pink flowers. It might work for your purpose. Flowers early with smaller than full size bur still largish flowers that completely covers the shrub and then has full foliage cover through the growing season. I do have to give it the 10% Milk Solution treatment when the hot and humid season arrives because it gets grey mildew otherwise and left untreated, will cause it to shed all it's leaves, but the Milk Solution works like a charm. I guess it would depend on how big of a stretch you have.

Other possibilities include various native shrubs. I like Summer Sweet Clethra, Blackhaw Viburnum and other viburnums, Virginia Sweetspire, Carolina Allspice, and Shrub dogwoods

[Evil Scotsman]

Thank You Applestar I will look into these right away!! Cheers What is the 10% Milk solution? I have NO CLUE!

[rainbowgardener]

Here's some suggestions for narrow upright shrubs, many of which are evergreen like the boxwoods you are taking out:

Upright Juniper (varieties include Sky Pencil, Sky Rocket, etc)
Holly (there's also a Sky Pencil holly)
Boxwood
Arborvitae
Yew
Chokeberry (Red or Black)
Buckthorn: Columnar, Fineline
Lilac: Tinkerbell
Cornelian Cherry Dogwood
False Cypress

Type milk solution into the Search the Forum Keyword box and find lots written here about it.

[Evil Scotsman]

Thanks Rainbow!!! Appreciate it!