If you are looking for the best plants to grow for patio privacy you came to the right place.
There is nothing better than relaxing with your family on the patio on a warm day. But your tranquility can be shattered with noisy (or nosey) neighbors.
But you can reclaim your patio and create a private oasis by adding the right plants to block out unwanted eyes.
So what are the best plants for patio privacy?
The top patio privacy plants are the Emerald Green Arborvitae, climbing rose, boxwood, ivy, clematis, cherry laurel, buckthorn, Japanese holly, privet, bamboo, lilacs, and fan palm.
Patio Privacy Plants
You’ve spent time and money to create a beautiful patio for your family. But now you need to create the privacy and seclusion needed to fully enjoy it.
Luckily, there are numerous easy, and fast growing plants you can add to your patio to keep the prying eyes of neighbors away.
Emerald Green Arborvitae
This hardy plant is suited for zones 3-8 and is easy to maintain.
The Emerald Green Arborvitae is one of the most popular privacy trees around, and for good reason.
This evergreen tree is beautiful and provides a wonderful natural privacy fence you can surround your patio with.
Emerald Green Arborvitae grow from twelve to eighteen feet tall making them perfect for preventing the neighbors from watching your family as you relax on your patio.
Plant them about three feet apart for total privacy.
Climbing Rose
Climbing Rose are hardy plants suitable for zones 5-9.
Climbing rose is a beautiful plant perfect for filling in gaps in your patio privacy wall.
These flowering plants are best used by weaving them among structure such as a fence or trellis.
I love adding them to walkways at patio entry points. They create interest and provide lovely color to your patio.
Depending on the variety you select, your climbing rose will grow up to six feet wide and up to eight feet high.
Boxwood
Boxwood are suited for zones 5-8.
These evergreen shrubs are easy to care for and provide excellent privacy for your patio year round.
They are best used for creating a hedgerow that surrounds your patio. They are incredibly easy to prune and to shape making them an easy evergreen privacy option.
In the spring, boxwood will bloom lovely flowers that will add a touch of color to your patio privacy fence.
Fully mature boxwood trees reach up to eight feet tall. Boxwood thrives in full and partial sun.
Ivy
Ivy is best suited for zones 4-9.
If you have a fence around your patio and need a fast growing privacy plant, then ivy is an excellent option.
This plant is easy to grow but needs a lot of maintenance to keep it from overtaking your patio.
Ivy can grow up to nine feet per year and can choke off other plants so select where you plant it carefully.
Clematis
Clematis is suited for zones 4-9.
If you have time to wait for your privacy plants to mature, the clematis is a wonderful choice.
This vine plant takes over two years to mature but your patience will pay off as your clematis will provide large flowers that will add vibrant color to your patio privacy wall.
The foliage and flowers are thick and provide a wonderful privacy screen for any patio.
There are a number of varieties to choose from. Your clematis will reach heights from two feet all the way up to thirty feet.
Cherry Laurel
Cherry Laurels grow in zones 5-9.
This lovely evergreen is the perfect way to create a privacy boundary around your patio.
Popular in the Southeast, this stately tree grows from sixteen to thirty-five feet tall.
In the spring you will enjoy the wonderful white flowers that grow in small clusters.
Cherry Laurel is one of my favorite plants to grow around the patio for privacy.
Buckthorn
Buckthorn grows best in zones 2-7.
This wonderful privacy shrub grows up to seven feet tall and provides wonderful protection from prying eyes.
It the spring and summer it is a vibrant green that turns to a lovely yellow in the fall.
It is a great plant to surround your patio with as it will block out the neighbors view year round.
Japanese Holly
Japanese holly is suited for zones 5-8.
Another privacy plant that richly rewards patience. This slow growing evergreen will reach heights between six and ten feet once mature.
And once winter rolls around, it will produce black berries that add to the visual interest of this privacy plant.
Privet
Privet grows well in zones 6-8.
This fast growing plant is ideal for those looking to create a patio privacy fence quickly.
The first year of growth takes more care than average but once mature, this plant provides a dense privacy well perfect for patios.
Come late spring and early summer the privet produces wonderful, white flowers.
Bamboo
There are bamboo varieties that grow in zones 5-8.
Bamboo is a fast growing plant that is an interesting natural privacy fence perfect for patios.
One of the fasting growing plants around, bamboo is not often thought of for creating a privacy wall but it is an excellent option for those in need of a fast grower.
Bamboo can be grown in ground or planters so they are a versatile option.
There are many types of bamboo available so select a variety suited for your patio needs.
Lilacs
Lilacs are well suited for zones 3-7.
These beautiful flowering bushes provide a wonderful patio border for those looking for a fragrant plant.
Lilacs require full sun so they are best suited away from tall trees. Lilacs are easy to care for and can handle many different soil types.
Be sure to prune away dead branches each year for optimal growth.
Fan Palm
Fan palms grow well in zones 8-11.
If you are looking for a tall, easy to maintain privacy tree to surround your patio, the fan palm is an excellent choice.
These palms can grow up to fifteen feet high with leaves up to three feet wide making them perfect for a natural patio screen.
They are hardy trees that can handle yearly pruning.
Bottom Line
The great thing about these patio privacy plants is you can mix and match many of them to create a unique and interesting look perfect for your family.
Try adding an evergreen hedge with some flowering varieties for year round privacy that looks great too.