19+ Backyard fence line landscaping ideas (With Pictures)

A lot of homeowners will find that they want to include a privacy fence in their outdoor space. A property fence defines your property line and gives privacy to your outdoor oasis.

There are many choices for a privacy fence such as a picket fence, lattice fence, PVC vinyl fence, chain-link fence, and a wooden fence. After getting a fence up you’ll have a great opportunity to come up with the perfect fence line landscaping for your front yard or back yard.

No matter the type of fence or retaining wall you have, you can a beautiful landscape by yourself or with a landscape designer.

Trees

A great option for along your fence line is small trees. Trees are a great way to add style and even more privacy to your yard. Privacy trees tend to be easy to grow and are attractive to look at. Evergreen trees are a great choice, they grow thick branches and do not drop their leaves during the winter, hence the name, evergreen. If you are looking for added privacy you will want to consider trees that are able to grow closer together, grow taller than eye level (think at least 6 to 8 feet tall), and are moderate to fast growers, you don’t want to wait too long for that added privacy you are looking for. Some of our favorite evergreen trees are the arborvitae tree, the lawson cypress, and the Leyland cypress. When planting trees you want to make sure you have enough space for them to grow and thrive.

Flowering dogwood trees, cherry blossom trees, and thundercloud plum trees are good choices if you are looking for flowering or leafy trees to add to your yard. The flowering dogwood blooms white flowers for a month or two but gives you beautiful glossy green leaves during the summers and shares crimson berries in the fall. Cherry blossom trees produce pink and white blossoms and can spread up to 20 feet. Also spreading up to 20 feet is the thundercloud plum tree. They have gorgeous purple leaves.

Shrubs

When choosing shrubs to plant near your fence or in specific areas, you’ll want to make sure the plant you choose is best for your zone and needs. Take mature height, amount of sunlight needed, and the care and pruning requirements into consideration. These shrubs have the ability to give you the perfect backdrop year-round.

Evergreen Shrubs

Golden Globe Arborvitae is a slow-growing shrub that is around 2 to 4 feet high. They form in a rounded globe-like shape. They have beautiful soft yellow foliage that is scale-like

Baby Gem Boxwood is a dense shrub that also takes a rounded shape. Its foliage is green and glossy while being small and oval-shaped. It grows up to 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide. These are easy to prune into whatever desired shape you’d like.

The juniper golden creeping evergreen shrub is a ground cover. Perfect for hiding the bottom of a fence. They have golden and yellow foliage in spring and summer, and mauve tones in the winter. It can be up to 4 inches tall and 4 feet white. They grow at a slow rate.

Tall Shrubs

Holly is an evergreen shrub with broad leaves that can grow up to 10 feet tall. It features dark green foliage and bright red fruit.

Red twig dogwood is another shrub capable of growing up to 9 feet tall. It has full foliage and flowers during the warmer months. This plant has striking bright red stalks.

The Rose of Sharon is another beautiful tall shrub to plant along your old fence. It features beautiful flowers that bloom all summer. They can grow up to 8 feet while staying low maintenance.

Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental grasses such as the ones planted along this wood fencing are strong and easy to maintain. They have the ability to add movement, texture, and color to your outdoor area. The only maintenance grasses require are being cut back during the spring. Taller grasses can also give privacy.

Zebra grass is a type of grass that can grow up to 5 to 8 feet tall with a spread of up to 4 to 6 feet. They need full sun and are typically grown as a hedge. They feature variegated foliage that can add visual interest to your yard.

A very large grass to consider is Clumping Bamboo. This type of bamboo can grow up to 17 feet tall, though they grow slowly They prefer full sun or partial shade and are a good choice if you want to add more privacy along your fence.

Pink hair grass grows about 3 to 4 feet tall. They have soft feathery flowers that bloom in the fall and can last till winter. When planted in the right place, such as around a seating area this grass can offer some screening.

Vines

Vines are the easiest way for covering metal fences, specifically chain-link fences. You can choose between the annual vine and the perennial vine.

The trumpet vine is a perennial vine that is fast-growing. They are known to attract hummingbirds. They have beautiful tubular flowers. The colors range from yellow to orange and red. These vines have the ability to reach between 30 and 40 feet in just one growing season. To keep their size under control it is a good idea to prune them often. Since the roots are creeping you’ll want to keep them away from the exterior walls of your home.

Morning glory is a fast-growing vine that blooms from May to September. They come in a variety of colors such as blue, red, white, purple, and yellow. They grow well in the full sun and can easily establish themselves along fencelines. They are low maintenance and an annual vine.

Ground Covers

Ground covers are low-growing, wide-spreading plants that help to fill in bare spots, and keep weeds away in your flower beds or garden space.

Creeping phlox is a pastel-colored ground cover that grows well on slopes or along a garden wall. It will grow to a maximum height of 6 inches. They bloom in early spring and stay through late spring.

The purple ice plant is one of our favorite plants that adds a visual appeal that most plants don’t. They are succulents that have bright flowers that appear daisy-like. They bloom from late spring, through early summer into fall. They grow about 3 inches high.

Rock Garden

If you don’t have much green thumb consider adding a rock garden along your fence. It’s a good way to get a natural look year-long, even during winter months. Rock gardens don’t just limit you to using rocks, you can create a rock border and use plants to get a simple focal point against any type of fence, even an ugly fence.

Perennial Plants

The perfect way to get a secret garden-type feeling in your yard or side yard is to create a perennial garden using a variety of plants and fragrant flowers. Unlike annual flowers, these pants don’t need to be replanted each year. Some of our favorite flowers to grow along a wood fence or even wire mesh fence are hydrangeas, sweet viburnum, and rhododendron. When planning your space, you’ll want to include plants that bloom throughout the different seasons to get the best results.

Tall Perennials

Hibiscus plants grow 7 feet to 9 feet tall making these tall plants. They have gorgeous red, pink, and white flowers that grow up to 12 inches wide. They will bring an exotic look to your yard. They are easy to grow and can do well in moist soil that is well-drained.

Delphiniums are gorgeous flowers that grow in spikes of blue, pink, white, and purple. At their largest, they can grow up to 6 feet tall with a spread of 1 to 2 feet wide. They are easy to grow and bloom during the summer and fall. Planting them near good fences is a great way to keep them supported.

Cutleaf coneflowers grow up to 9 feet tall with drooping petals and domed centers. They bloom from July to September, giving you quality time with these beautiful yellow flowers. Some people might say this flower has too weedy of an appearance and gives a beautiful natural look while continuing to be low maintenance.

Tropical Plants

The bougainvillea plant is a fast-growing plant that adds vibrant color to your yard year-round. These plants can grow up to 20 feet wide and tall giving you the perfect opportunity to add more privacy to the fence line and corners of your yard.

Firethorn bushes are tropical plant that blooms in the spring. It is covered with white blossoms during the spring and green berries that turn red in the fall and winter. These bushes attract birds. New plants will do well with support from the fence until they are strong enough to grow on their own.

Citrus trees are another type of tropical shrub to consider planting along new fences and in a small garden area to add to your backyard privacy ideas. Citrus trees bloom during the early spring and tend to fill your yard (especially a small yard) with a citrus fragrance. One downside to having a citrus tree is that you will need to clean up any fruit that falls.

No matter the design of the fence you are able to pick the best plants to add an elegant look, a modern look, and so much more to your space. Check your local home improvement stores for inexpensive ways and find the best choice for what to plant along your fence. Remember you can add a variety of plants to fit your space.