6 plants to create a privacy hedge on your terrace

Mexican Orange Blossom, fragrant foliage and flowering

TheMexican orange blossom (Choisya ternata) is a beautiful bush with evergreen foliage and bright flowering. In spring and sometimes also in September, it adorns itself with small, immaculate white flowers. They exude a scent of orange blossom and are highly melliferous. The bright green foliage is also aromatic. A bush to delight the senses!

The Mexican orange blossom has the advantage of tolerating many extreme conditions: negative temperatures down to -15°C, drought, and even sea spray. Although its growth is not the fastest, it adapts well to cultivation in large pots, allowing for the creation of a lovely privacy hedge on a terrace or balcony. For this use, opt for vigorous varieties, measuring around 2 metres in height and spread. For example, choose between the standard variety or the cultivars ‘Aztec Pearl’ and ‘Goldfinger’, which have lighter foliage and flowers tinged with pink.

Not demanding, the bush will thrive in all exposures and will flourish in well-drained, light soil that is not waterlogged in winter.

To learn more about cultivating the Mexican orange blossom, check our file “Mexican orange blossom, choisya: planting, pruning, and maintenance.”

Choisya x dewitteana ‘Aztec Pearl’

Fargesia, the exotic touch

The Fargesia has the advantage of being non-running and less invasive than other bamboos. These evergreens are quite resistant to cold (-15 °C and below) and very easy to cultivate. They tolerate all types of exposure and thrive in ordinary soil.

Their dense, upright cane silhouette is ideal for creating a true vegetative screen. Bamboos also add a genuine graphic and exotic touch.

Suitable for small spaces, the Fargesia will grow effortlessly in a large container. Resistant to pollution, it will even acclimatise in city gardens.

For an original touch, consider the Fargesia nitida ‘Black Pearl’ (2.25 metres in height and spread) with its dark plum-coloured canes, or the Fargesia sp Jiuzhaigou ‘Deep Purple’ (2.5 metres in height and 2 metres in spread) with its purple canes tinged with red.

All our cultivation tips are available in the dedicated file “Bamboo, Fargesia: planting, caring for.”

Fargesia nitida (photo Daniel J. Layton – Wikipedia)

Pittosporum, a perfect screening plant for mild climates

The Pittosporum has many advantages: elegant dense evergreen foliage, fragrant spring flowering, compact rounded shape, resistance to summer drought, and tolerance to pruning.

Its hardiness is quite limited (from -5 °C to -10 °C depending on the varieties), so it should be grown in regions with a mild climate, where winters are not too harsh (Zone 8b).

We recommend Pittosporum tobira or Japanese Pittosporum, which proves itself in coastal climates by resisting well to salt spray and even strong winds. It provides a perfect green screen all year round. For an even more decorative touch, try the variegated foliage varieties, such as ‘Variegatum’.

Give it a sunny spot in a large pot, in well-drained soil that does not retain standing water.

Want to learn more about growing Pittosporum? Feel free to read our dedicated articles “Growing a Pittosporum in a pot” and “Pittosporum: planting, growing and pruning.”

Pittosporum tobira (photo Wikipedia)

Aucuba, to brighten dark corners

TheAucuba offers glossy green or variegated evergreen foliage, which is highly decorative. Low-maintenance, hardy down to -15 °C, disease-resistant, and tolerant of pruning: many qualities that make it a truly popular bush. To top it off, it is insensitive to pollution as well as salt spray. Our bush has all the characteristics needed to create a green screen and protect against prying eyes with elegance.

As a dioecious species, there are male and female plants. Female plants can bear attractive decorative fruits in winter.

Aucuba should be grown in a large container, especially in a shaded position, where it will brighten the area. It thrives in all types of ordinary soil.

For more information, please consult our file “Aucuba: planting, pruning, and maintenance.”

Aucuba japonica ‘Crotonifolia’

Honeysuckle, a climbing plant to shield from prying eyes

Climbing plants can also create beautiful flowering privacy hedges on a terrace or balcony. This is the case with Honeysuckle, whose voluble stems will gracefully adorn a trellis, fence, or tall screen.

This vigorous liana features either deciduous or evergreen foliage, depending on the variety. If your privacy hedge is intended to conceal a view only during the beautiful season, you can opt for varieties that do not retain their leaves all year round. If, on the contrary, you want a permanent green screen, choose evergreen varieties, such as Lonicera henryi ‘Copper Beauty’.

The long and abundant trumpet-shaped flowering of honeysuckles occurs from late spring to late summer. It comes in a variety of colours (white, red, pink, orange, yellow, or even multicoloured) and is highly fragrant.

A fast-growing, low-maintenance plant, extremely hardy, and not very susceptible to diseases, it is tolerant of various growing conditions: a foolproof choice, even for beginner gardeners!

For more growing tips, head to our section “Honeysuckle: planting, pruning, and maintenance.”

Lonicera henryi ‘Copper Beauty’

Griselinia, a privacy screen for seaside terraces and balconies

The Griselinia, also known as Griselinia or English Privet, is a bush ideal for mild climates that experience only light and short-lived frosts, as it is hardy down to about -5 to -10 °C. Well-suited to salt spray and drought, it is naturally an ideal candidate for coastal terraces and balconies.

Its bright light green evergreen foliage is particularly vibrant. The spring flowering, although very discreet, is nonetheless melliferous. Its upright and rounded habit, reaching over 2 metres in height and spread, along with its rapid growth, makes it a perfect candidate for creating a privacy hedge.

Grow Griselinia in a large pot, in well-drained, rich, and cool soil, in a sunny or partially shaded position.

To learn everything about growing Griselinia, we invite you to read our article “Griselinia, Griselinia: planting, pruning, and care.”

Griselinia littoralis