Best Privacy Plants & Shrubs for Niagara Backyards
Creating a peaceful, private retreat in your own backyard doesn’t require a tall fence or complex landscaping. With the right privacy plants and shrubs, you can add year-round greenery, seasonal colour, and natural screening that enhances the look and feel of your outdoor space.
Niagara homeowners have a distinct advantage—our region’s climate supports a wide range of beautiful, effective options. Whether you're looking for tall evergreens, fast-growing hedges, or flowering shrubs that double as privacy screens, there’s something for every space and style.
Click on these links to learn more about each option:
Gauld Nurseries is your go-to destination for high-quality privacy plants and shrubs. Let us help you lay the groundwork for a beautiful and functional outdoor space!
1. Emerald Cedar
If Niagara had an official privacy plant, Emerald Cedar might be it. This columnar evergreen is native to Ontario and widely favoured for its tidy appearance, vibrant colour, and cold-hardiness. Its compact size makes it ideal for lining fences, walkways, or defining narrow yard boundaries.
Emerald Cedars grow about 1 foot per year, topping out around 12 to 15 feet tall and just 3 to 4 feet wide. They're naturally dense, so you won’t need to prune them constantly to maintain a clean look.
Care & Maintenance:
Plant cedars in full sun where air circulates freely. Keep soil moist—especially during the first couple of seasons—and mulch around the base to lock in moisture. Avoid heavy trimming, particularly at the top, as cedars don’t regrow from old wood.
Design Tip:
For a more natural and wind-resistant barrier, stagger your planting instead of creating a straight line.
Local Tip:
Niagara winters can be windy. In exposed areas, wrap young cedars with burlap in late fall to prevent browning or windburn.
2. Yew
Yews are one of the few evergreens that thrive in shady backyards, which is what makes them so valuable as a privacy shrub. Their dark green needles and dense growth habit create a lush hedge, even in areas with less sun.
While yews grow slowly—typically 6 to 12 inches per year—they’re incredibly long-lived and highly tolerant of trimming. That makes them an excellent choice for shaped hedges or long-term privacy in semi-shaded spots.
Care & Maintenance:
Yews prefer partial to full shade but will tolerate some sun. They grow best in well-drained soil and benefit from annual pruning to maintain shape and encourage bushiness.
Design Tip:
Use yews to soften the transition between shady garden beds and sunnier lawn areas. Their texture complements ferns and hostas beautifully.
Local Tip:
Plant away from sidewalks or driveways where road salt could damage them—unless you're planting salt-tolerant cultivars.
3. Ninebark
This native shrub is a privacy powerhouse with personality. Ninebark offers a rich combination of features: fast growth, bold foliage, spring flowers, and peeling bark that adds winter interest. It’s particularly well-suited to Niagara’s soil and climate conditions.
Depending on the variety, Ninebark grows 6–10 feet tall and wide, forming a thick screen within just a couple of seasons. Cultivars like ‘Diablo’ (deep purple leaves) or ‘Amber Jubilee’ (golden hues) add vibrant colour to hedgerows.
Care & Maintenance:
Ninebark thrives in full sun to partial shade and adapts well to most soil types, including clay. Prune just after flowering to maintain its form without sacrificing next year’s blooms.
Design Tip:
Use Ninebark as a mid-height screen along fences, or combine it with evergreens for a privacy hedge that offers seasonal flair.
Local Tip:
Ninebark is deer-resistant—a huge bonus in rural Niagara settings.
4. Serviceberry
For a more naturalistic look, Serviceberry offers beauty and privacy rolled into one. It grows as a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree, providing year-round interest: clouds of white flowers in spring, edible berries in early summer, fiery foliage in fall, and elegant structure in winter.
Typically reaching 15–25 feet, Serviceberry is a fantastic choice for screening decks, patios, or neighbouring windows.
Care & Maintenance:
Plant in full sun to partial shade with moist, well-drained soil. Light pruning in late winter or early spring helps shape growth and encourages air flow.
Design Tip:
Plant in small clusters or use as a focal point at the corner of your yard. It also pairs beautifully with native ornamental grasses.
Local Tip:
Berries attract birds like cedar waxwings and robins—perfect for wildlife-friendly gardens in Niagara.
5. Eastern White Pine
If you’ve got space and need serious coverage, Eastern White Pine is your answer. This fast-growing native evergreen offers privacy, wind protection, and a soft, flowing texture that adds movement to the landscape.
White Pines can grow more than 2 feet per year and eventually reach 50–80 feet tall. They’re best suited for rural or large suburban properties where they can spread and mature naturally.
Care & Maintenance:
Choose a sunny location with room to grow. While adaptable, White Pine prefers acidic, well-drained soil. Water during prolonged dry spells, especially when young.
Design Tip:
Plant in rows 10–12 feet apart for a layered, natural windbreak effect.
Local Tip:
Avoid planting near heavily salted roads—Eastern White Pine is sensitive to salt damage.
6. Hydrangea
While not evergreen, tall hydrangeas like ‘Limelight’ or ‘Pinky Winky’ make for excellent seasonal screens. These shrubs are fast-growing, flower profusely in mid-to-late summer, and add softness to patios, decks, and pool areas.
Hydrangeas can reach up to 8 feet tall and just as wide, offering plenty of visual separation through the warm months when you’re most likely to be outdoors.
Care & Maintenance:
Plant in full sun or light shade with rich, well-drained soil. Prune in early spring to encourage vigorous blooms, and add compost or mulch annually to support healthy growth.
Design Tip:
Use as a living screen along fence lines or between seating areas. Pair with boxwood or ornamental grasses for year-round texture.
Local Tip:
These varieties hold their blooms well into fall, offering privacy long after other deciduous shrubs drop their leaves.
7. Boxwood
If you’re after a clean, formal look, boxwood is a compact and classic choice. These slow-growing evergreen shrubs are ideal for lower privacy needs—like around patios, front yards, or along walkways.
Boxwoods grow 2–5 feet tall, depending on variety and can be trimmed into neat shapes or left to grow more naturally. Their small, glossy leaves add structure all year long.
Care & Maintenance:
Boxwoods like partial shade to full sun and well-drained soil. Prune lightly in spring, and avoid shearing during hot, dry weather to reduce stress.
Design Tip:
Create symmetry by flanking paths or doorways. Use as a base layer in mixed privacy plantings for year-round coverage.
Local Tip:
In Niagara winters, wrap boxwoods in burlap if they’re near salted walkways to prevent leaf burn.
Why Choose Gauld Nurseries for Privacy Plants & Shrubs
Whether you prefer structured hedges or soft, flowering borders, the right privacy plants and shrubs can completely transform your backyard. At Gauld Nurseries, we’ve been helping Niagara homeowners grow beautiful, functional landscapes for over 75 years.
Reliable performance for both structural and decorative projects
Locally sourced materials compatible with Niagara’s soil and weather
Expert guidance from a team that understands your vision and project needs
Whether you’re a seasoned landscaper or a weekend warrior, we’re here to help you get it done right.
Come explore our full selection of privacy plants and shrubs at Gauld Nurseries.
Our friendly team is ready to help you select the right material and arrange for pickup or delivery.
Your privacy. Our plants. Naturally.
Contact us now or stop by the nursery to get your project off to a strong start.
“Great place to shop! The staff is super helpful and knowledgeable. I was having trouble finding the right trees and shrubs for my yard and the staff were amazing at helping me make the right choices. If you want knowledgeable people to help with your garden needs shop at gaulds!”
