7 Autumn-Colored Privacy Plants for Screening Your Space in the Fall Season
In the heart of autumn, gardens can transform into a riot of colours, and privacy need not be compromised. Here are seven plants ideal for fall gardens that offer both privacy and seasonal colour. These plants, a mix of evergreen shrubs, perennials, and drought-tolerant trees, are suitable for various garden settings and provide vibrant fall hues while serving as privacy screens.
1. **Autumn Joy Stonecrop** (*Hylotelephium spectabile*) - A dense, spreading perennial, this plant blooms late into fall with attractive pink flowers. Hardy in zones 3-10, it grows to a height and width of approximately 2 feet.
2. **Oregon Grape Holly** (*Berberis aquifolium*) - With its sharp, dense evergreen leaves, this plant adds seasonal interest with yellow flowers and purple berries in fall. It thrives in zones 4a-9a, growing to a height of 3-10 feet, making it excellent for privacy.
3. **Firepower Nandina** (*Nandina domestica 'Firepower'*) - This dense shrub, semi-evergreen in nature, offers year-round colour, transitioning from bright green to vibrant red all year, providing colourful foliage in fall and winter without losing all its leaves. It is suitable for zones 6-9, growing to a height and width of 2 feet.
4. **Cherry Heuchera** - A dense perennial groundcover, this plant thrives in shade and delivers striking fall colours that last. Hardy in zones 4-9, it boasts bright orange and red foliage that lasts through fall.
5. **Flowering Sage** (*Salvia spp.*) - These upright perennial shrubs provide continuous bloom with vibrant colours into fall. They are hardy in zones 5-10 and include cold-tolerant varieties.
6. **California Pepper Tree** (*Schinus molle*) - For larger scale or drought-tolerant landscapes (zones 8-11), this large tree with a dense canopy provides evergreen privacy with additional ecological benefits.
7. **Coast Live Oak** (*Quercus agrifolia*) - This large, dense evergreen tree creates a rich habitat and soil enrichment. Suitable for zones 9-11, it serves as an ideal privacy screen and is a majestic shade tree, salt tolerant.
These plants collectively cover a wide range of hardiness zones within 3 to 10, support various garden light conditions (full sun to shade), and bring vibrant fall colours along with effective privacy screening.
- The Autumn Joy Stonecrop (Hylotelephium spectabile), a perennial with a dense and spreading habit, not only delivers blooms late into autumn with attractive pink flowers but also contributes to the 'home-and-garden' lifestyle by serving as a privacy screen in fall gardens.
- The Oregon Grape Holly (Berberis aquifolium), with its sharp, evergreen leaves and seasonal interest in the form of yellow flowers and purple berries, is ideal for 'gardening' projects as it provides privacy in zones 4a-9a while adding a touch of colour to the home and garden setting.
