[autumnspring]

Originally Posted by DonH57

Besides being a lot of maintenance when the Viburnums are trimmed they don't provide good privacy. I removed the ones we had and placed with the Podocarpus since the neighbor behind us chose.

You discussed it with your neighbor. You allowed them to pick the plant. NO ONE FELT AS IF THEY HAVE BEEN SLAPPED IN THE FACE.

Good bushes make good neighbors-ESPECIALLY IF THEY PICK THE BUSHES-

[BoatRatKat]

I like the bottle brush plants as well but you likely do not need 17 of them! The grow really, really fast and will fill in quickly so give them more space. Don't know how big your lanai is but you can probably get away with half as many and save yourself some money. By next summer you'll have your privacy.

[CWGUY]

Originally Posted by DessertFirst!

Building a new house and (like many here in The Villages), our lanai will back up to another lanai.

Looking for a plant that will be bushy and provide good privacy to plant across the back property line.

Went to two nurseries yesterday and are thinking of either a bottlebrush BUSH (not the weeping tree) or a Viburnum. The nurseries had these plants in 7 gallon size for $40 each. Planted at their recommended 3 feet apart, it would be about 17 plants ... around $1340.

I'm leaning toward the bottlebrush because I like the flowers and the softer leaves.

If anyone has any opinion, please help me out here. Also, any recommendations for good nurseries would be helpful.

What am I missing? $40.00 X 17 plants =$680

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Villageswimmer

All the plants you mentioned can provide privacy. It’s largely a matter of personal taste.

I would encourage you to take your time. Don’t rush. Drive around and see what you really like a lot. Talk with the homeowners and ask questions. You will likely live with these plants a long time.

It’s very easy to plant something and have it grow much larger than you anticipated very quickly. Then you may hate them. Been there.

Another suggestion...have you considered European fan palm?

We chose Bottle Brush. Planted them ourselves. Bought them at Home Depot. We have sandy soil, easy to dig and drop them in. These plants were two foot tall just six years ago. Easy to maintain and grows FAST and not nearly as expensive as quoted by your landscaper. TAKE your time and when you move in, see how easy it is to dig a hole in the sand under the sod.

[Chi-Town]

A ligustrum privacy hedge in back of the lanai screens is all you need. No need to worry about property lines or approval.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by suesiegel

You discussed it with your neighbor. You allowed them to pick the plant. NO ONE FELT AS IF THEY HAVE BEEN SLAPPED IN THE FACE.

Good bushes make good neighbors-ESPECIALLY IF THEY PICK THE BUSHES-

I was assuming he meant the neighbor behind him planted them on his property, making it unnecessary for him to plant anything. Thus the high-five icon. A very inexpensive way to go, if I'm right.

I agree with whoever said the bottlebrush plant can thin out toward the bottom. Ours did. Plus it's not very attractive and needs to be trimmed so frequently to keep it in check that the blooming is frequently interrupted.

I don't need a privacy hedge, but I really do admire some I've seen along the bigger roads, especially Tamarind Grove and St. Charles. You should drive around and just look. Some of them are combinations of plants and look lovely.

Also--Coolaroo shades do more than afford privacy--they cut down on wind a bit, and rain. They also cut down on the sun shining in your eyes when you're trying to read the morning paper, inside and out. We love ours. We bought them at Lowes and had them installed by them. I think it was around $300 apiece, or $1200 total for our Begonia in 2012.

You might consider 15 feet of privacy plantings plus the shades.

What a lovely dilemma to have, huh? Good luck!