Recommendation for privacy hedge

[JerryLBell]

After stopping in and checking out The Villages for three years in a row, my wife and I are in the process of buying a house down in Dunedin. Being a new area, this isn't exactly as rich in trees as up in the north end. Our lanai will be staring directly into somebody else's lanai. We're thinking we want to plant some that will grow fairly tall and thick but not so thick that it will take over our yard or the neighbors.

What do people plant in this part of Florida to provide some level of privacy in these small yards? Or is everyone just so darned friendly that you don't mind reaching out from your lanai and shaking hands with the folks over in their lanai?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[Choice Maintenance]

Most use Viburnums or podocarpus for taller privacy hedges. You can always use Bottle brush or ligustrums trees as well. Best thing to do is take a look around at other peoples shrubs and find something you like, then take a picture or find out the name. Once you find what you'd like to use we would love to provide you with a free estimate on picking them up and installing them for you.

Thanks,
Tate

[kaydee]

We have a wonderful privacy hedge of podocarpus. We recommend.

[justjim]

At our house in the Village of Hadley we planted a combination of bottle brush and ligustrum and it provided a nice hedge for privacy. It took about 2 years before we got a total private hedge.

[applesoffh]

The suggestions made are great! If you're thinking of something else, better check your deed restrictions first.

[PaPaLarry]

Very good suggestions here. What you don't want to do, is plant trees that not only branch out, but also the roots could crack foundation.

[Bonanza]

We wanted a privacy hedge like most Villagers, however, we chose not to have the boredom of only one type of hedge.

We planted, in even sections, podocarpus, viburnum and gardenias.
All are thick and after a year's worth of growth, are very attractive to look at and will only become better.

[tv2016]

Do the gardenias bloom ?

[Bonanza]

They have just started to bloom and are ready to explode!
The shrubs are a rich green -- thick, bushy and beautiful.

BTW -- they are not the thin leafed "frostproof" variety, and ours did fine over the winter..

[OldManTime]

Depending what district you live, deed restrictions are different, just make sure you bring your plan to the ARC board.

[tomwed]

Other than hedges for privacy has anyone come up with a different solution?

I have ordinary blinds for now but I'm thinking about the ones that drop down from the top so I can get more light into the room but still have privacy.

If you have a specific product in mind could you give the make and model, if possible?

[ConnieNonnie]

Hi. We learned the hard way - we planted hedge on both sides
Of newly installed pool/birdcage, staying 16 inches inside of our
Property line. Both neighbors complained, code enforcement
Came and measured. Rule is 24inches inside your property line.
We had to move every single shrub 8" in. Ouch! End result is
beautiful- we love our privacy. Good luck with your choice.

[Villager Joyce]

Bugs might be another consideration. Certain plants more than others attract wasps and bees. If there is one bee in the state of Florida, it will sting me.

[upstate]

Other than hedges for privacy has anyone come up with a different solution?

I have ordinary blinds for now but I'm thinking about the ones that drop down from the top so I can get more light into the room but still have privacy.

If you have a specific product in mind could you give the make and model, if possible?

We have a cellular shade in our bathroom that can be raised from the bottom and lowered from the top. It works very well and was purchased from Blinds.com.

[upstate]

We had bottlebrushes installed and had to get ARC approval. It will be two years this fall since they were planted. Hopefully, they will provide the privacy we are looking for.

[JerryLBell]

"...just make sure you bring your plan to the ARC board."
"...and had to get ARC approval."

We're coming down in a couple of weeks to close on the house. What is the process of getting before an ARC board to get approval? If we find a garden supply place to sell and plant the bushes, is that something they can do on our behalf or do we have to appear in person or what?

By the way, thanks for all your responses! I'm finding TOTV to be a great resource full of friendly, helpful folks! To be honest, the existence of a forum like this is one of the many factors that made us decide to buy into The Villages!

[Ozzello]

Podocarpus gets an A+ in most any privacy situation. Chinese fans are the best sound barriers. Really need to know the specs so you can be smart about what you will have 5-10 years down the road. Or you can be like 70% of the landscape customers in TV, and be ripping out and replanting in 3-7 years.

Funny how people will let a dog groomer or someone with limited experience , be their landscape designer, because the 'designer' works for a large company. Do yourself a favor, ask them what they were doing 5 or 6 years ago. A good salesmen might not be what you're looking for.

[billethkid]

What ever you choose try to stick with the plants that are cold hardy.
Tropicals are nice. They do grow well here.
But when we get the sub 32 weather for any prolonged period...they are gone.

[Bonanza]

Other than hedges for privacy has anyone come up with a different solution?

I have ordinary blinds for now but I'm thinking about the ones that drop down from the top so I can get more light into the room but still have privacy.

If you have a specific product in mind could you give the make and model, if possible?

Tom -- if price is not a problem, shutters work well when you want privacy, when that is an issue. We have both blinds and shutters in our house and we love the shutters because you can open the top portion while the bottom is closed, or just turn the louvers any way you want. For each window panel, the top and bottom move separately.

We got our shutters through Guy Murray. He does not have a store and consequently, his prices are better than most. He can be reached at (352) 239-9994. It's his answering service so just leave a message if you want to get an estimate from him.

This is the second time we have used Guy and have been very happy with his products and installation. He has all kinds of window products to choose from.

[herbaru]

Hi. We learned the hard way - we planted hedge on both sides
Of newly installed pool/birdcage, staying 16 inches inside of our
Property line. Both neighbors complained, code enforcement
Came and measured. Rule is 24inches inside your property line.
We had to move every single shrub 8" in. Ouch! End result is
beautiful- we love our privacy. Good luck with your choice.

Just wondering, what part of the bush had to be 24" in?

[DonH57]

We used those sweet Viburnum and Podacus something or else. Both florida friendly drought tolerant plants.

[upstate]

When we planted our bottle brushes they had to be two or three feet, I forget which from our villa wall. Make sure you get ARC approval.

[ConnieNonnie]

Hi. Please check with the review board first to
Avoid the problem I had - we planted row of
Shrubs 18" INSIDE of our property line, that
Is when we learned you must stay 24" INSIDE
Your property line. They wouldn't have come
Unless someone complained, so I asked my new
Neighbor if they really wanted me to move them
6"....... YES, they did. OUCH😣.

[OldManTime]

After stopping in and checking out The Villages for three years in a row, my wife and I are in the process of buying a house down in Dunedin. Being a new area, this isn't exactly as rich in trees as up in the north end. Our lanai will be staring directly into somebody else's lanai. We're thinking we want to plant some that will grow fairly tall and thick but not so thick that it will take over our yard or the neighbors.

What do people plant in this part of Florida to provide some level of privacy in these small yards? Or is everyone just so darned friendly that you don't mind reaching out from your lanai and shaking hands with the folks over in their lanai?

Thanks in advance for any advice!



Read your deed restrictions, privacy hedges are not allowed by the developer.

[Cedwards38]

Ligustrum trees. Quick, hearty, thick, fast, beautiful.

[Jima64]

We like podacarpus (japanese yew). You do have to be careful and keep them from spreading too wide. They do grow thick. Plented on 30ich centers and they filled in just nice.

[herbaru]

Read your deed restrictions, privacy hedges are not allowed by the developer.

They are all over TV AND they are being approved. Told they are not hedges, they are considered a tree. Or at least that was my experience.

[ConnieNonnie]

The root. 🌳