Privacy Screen Planting
Living screens that grow —
not fences that rot.
A fence gives you privacy on day one and starts deteriorating from day two. A well-designed living screen gives you something better — privacy that thickens with every season, looks intentional from both sides of the property line, and adds value rather than requiring replacement.
LP designs privacy screens around your specific screening need: road noise, a neighbor's sightline, a utility area, or prevailing wind. We select species proven to establish and grow in North Idaho's Zone 5b climate — not species that thrive in Pacific Northwest nursery catalogs but fail in Kootenai County winters.
Cold-hardy species, fast results,
and design that looks like a landscape.
Cold-Hardy Species That Actually Grow Here
LP's privacy screen plant list is filtered against 20 years of installation experience in Kootenai County. We don't recommend Leyland Cypress (dies in North Idaho winters) or Privet (invasive and cold-tender). We use species with a proven record of establishing and growing in our specific climate.
Privacy in 3–5 Years, Not 15
The right species selection and initial plant size determine how quickly your screen becomes effective. LP uses larger-caliper stock and fast-establishing species to deliver meaningful privacy within a few growing seasons, not a decade from now.
Design That Looks Intentional
A line of arborvitae planted at exactly equal spacing and nothing else reads as a fence substitute, not a landscape. LP designs privacy screens to look like intentional plant compositions — layered heights, mixed textures, and species variety that provides privacy while enhancing the property's appearance.
Wind and Noise Buffering as a Side Benefit
A dense evergreen screen planted on the windward side of a property provides measurable reduction in wind exposure and some buffering of road or neighbor noise. LP positions screens to maximize secondary functional benefits alongside visual privacy.
From screening goal assessment
to drip irrigation for establishment.
Privacy Needs Assessment
LP starts by identifying what you're screening: a neighbor's line of sight, road noise, a utility structure, or prevailing wind. The screening goal determines the species, density, planting pattern (single row vs. staggered double row), and spacing that will work most effectively.
Evergreen Screens for Year-Round Privacy
True year-round privacy requires evergreen species that hold their foliage through North Idaho winters. LP's top performers: Arborvitae (Green Giant, Emerald), Rocky Mountain Juniper, Austrian Pine, Norway Spruce, and Douglas Fir — all cold-hardy to Zone 4 or colder.
Deciduous Screens for Seasonal Privacy
Where year-round evergreen density isn't required, deciduous hedgerows provide spring-through-fall coverage with the added benefit of seasonal interest. LP uses fast-growing deciduous screen plants: native Chokecherry, Red Osier Dogwood, Arrowwood Viburnum, and Mock Orange.
Fast-Establishing Screen Design
LP considers growth rate as a primary selection criterion for privacy screens. Thuja 'Green Giant' — one of LP's most-used screen plants — reaches 10–15 feet in 5–7 years under North Idaho conditions. LP sizes and spaces plantings to deliver meaningful privacy within 3–5 seasons, not 10–15 years.
Ornamental Grass Screening
For informal screens, property line buffers, or areas where a naturalistic aesthetic is preferred, ornamental grass masses provide effective visual screening from June through winter. LP uses large-statured grasses — Karl Foerster, Maiden Grass, Switchgrass 'Shenandoah' — that reach 5–7 feet and hold their form through dormancy.
Integrated Drip Irrigation for Establishment
Newly planted screen trees and shrubs are most vulnerable in their first two growing seasons. LP can install a dedicated drip irrigation system for new screen plantings, ensuring consistent moisture during establishment without relying on hand watering — critical for screen plants in North Idaho's dry July and August.
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Living screens that deliver real privacy
from Rathdrum to Sandpoint since 2005.
"LP's privacy screen transformed our backyard from feeling exposed to completely private. They planted a double row of Green Giant Arborvitae that grew 8 feet in just 3 years. The crew knew exactly how to space them for maximum density."— Michael T., Hayden, ID
"We needed to screen out the neighbor's second-story windows. LP recommended a mix of evergreens and deciduous plants that provide year-round coverage. Their knowledge of what grows well in our climate was impressive."— Sarah K., Post Falls, ID
"The privacy hedge LP installed has matured beautifully. They started with larger specimens and filled in with smaller plants for immediate impact. Five years later, it's a solid 12-foot wall of green."— David R., Coeur d'Alene, ID
Frequently Asked Questions
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