What To Plant Along Fence Line (Here's What You Can Do)

Jalin Coblentz
by Jalin Coblentz

Whether you’re trying to hide an ugly fence line or want to add beauty to your landscape, there are a ton of good things to plant along your fence. Planting the right things along your fence line requires planning and forethought. Simply throwing some trees or plants into the ground isn’t going to be enough.

Fence lines are excellent for many different plants and trees, including pine trees, magnolia trees, flowers, or shrubs. There are many viable options to choose from, and the right plant depends on your taste and what the area will allow.

If you want to spruce up your fence line but aren’t sure what to plant there, you’ve come to the right place. There are dozens of options to choose from, but picking the right one can be challenging. Our goal is to give you tips and tricks to make your choice as easy as possible.

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Reasons to Plant Things Along Your Fence Line

A big part of determining what to plant along your fence line is knowing your goals. Depending on what you want to accomplish, you might want to rethink what you plant.

To Hide an Ugly Fence

If your goal is to hide an old or ugly fence, you’ll want a plant that covers a broad area. You’ll also want plants that are dense and thick to hide as much of your fence as possible.

To Add Beauty

Regardless of what you plant along your fence line, you want it to be beautiful.

For Protection

There are also times when a simple fence isn’t enough to protect you from intruders or animals. It might be necessary to plant some briars or similar plants for added protection.

For Shade

If your fence line is in an area that you like to hang out and spend time around, then shade might be your primary goal. If that’s the case, you should think carefully about what you want to plant.

What to Plant Along My Fence Line

Now that you’ve decided what your goals are and what you want to accomplish with your plants, here are some of the best things to plant along your fence line.

Pine Trees

Pine trees are one of the best plant or tree options along a fence line. They grow tall and strong but usually not overly wide or round. If you plant them at perfect intervals, they will grow together and provide perfect coverage once they’re full-grown. However, you don’t want to plant them too close together or too close to the fence line.

The downside of pine trees is that they’re a long-term investment. If you want to hide your fence immediately, pine trees might not be the plant for you. However, if you’re willing to wait for a few years while they grow tall, pine trees are some of the most beautiful trees to plant along a fence line.

Arborvitae

Arborvitaes are kind of like the short, plant version of pine trees. They are evergreens, similar to pines, but they don’t grow nearly as tall. Arborvitaes tend to grow straight upward in a pyramid shape, and they’re very dense and thick. This makes them perfect for hiding an ugly fence line, and you can transport full-grown plants directly to your property. These plants crave sunshine, so it is best to have them near an open fence line.

Clematis

Clematis is one of the best climbing plants that you can put along your fence line. They have a beautiful array of rose petals that blossoms into purple, pink, blue, or white colors or sometimes a combination of all of them. This makes for a beautiful arrangement along a fence line.

As clematis plants grow taller, they start to cling to whatever fence they’re near. Their roots actually prefer shade to the sun so having them near a fence is ok as long as the area gets decent shade. Whether you want to hide an ugly fence or make your fence line the envy of the neighborhood, clematis is an excellent option.

Hydrangea

Hydrangeas are one of the most unique and beautiful flowers/plants that you can have along a fence line. They grow luscious and thick and feature flowery heads that explode in a dazzling array of pink, blue, green, white, or purple. While the flowers of a hydrangea provide beauty, the plant itself is thick and wide and provides ample coverage for your fence line.

You can plant a series of hydrangea plants along your fence, or you can mix them in with other plants. Their beauty and versatility make them stand out no matter what. Hydrangeas need plenty of water, so exposure to the elements is a good idea. However, if they don’t get enough rain, it might be necessary to water them yourself.

Cherry Laurel

If your goal is to hide a fence or add a thick shrub of protection around your home, cherry laurels are the plant for the job. They are incredibly thick and dense plants that thrive in almost any condition and need minimal attention.

As a bonus, cherry laurels also give off a sweet fragrance when they bloom in the springtime. They are hardy plants that grow up to three feet per year and cap off at 16 feet tall. You can always trim them down, however, if you’d like.

Southern Magnolia Trees

Southern magnolia trees are another excellent tree option for fence lines. They grow tall and wide with leaves to match them in girth. Magnolia trees are regarded for their massive leaves, and they blossom for several months in the summer. When they bloom, magnolia trees explode forth with large, white flowers growing up to a foot in diameter. They’re also evergreen trees which means they provide year-round coverage for your fence line.

Azaleas

Azaleas provide thick and luscious coverage when planted along a fence line. They are flower plants that are available in nearly any color that your heart desires. The great thing about azaleas is that once they’re planted, they’re incredibly hardy and survive well on their own. They also return when spring and summer roll around and resume their blooming every year.

Hostas

Hostas, much like azaleas, are perennials that return every year, without fail with the arrival of spring. While they aren’t the prettiest plant globally, they are resilient and require minimal care to thrive. Their thick leaves provide a ton of coverage for a fence line, but they don’t grow very tall, so that’s something to keep in mind. I’ve seen them grow as tall as two feet, but that’s about it.

Lilly Pilly

One of the all-around best coverage and beauty plants for a fence line or anywhere else is the Lilly Pilly. It’s an Australian plant that grows thick and up to 10 feet tall if you let it go wild. The Lilly Pilly features green leaves, red leaves, or even flowers that grow thick and provide great coverage. These plants are also evergreens which means that they don’t take the winter off but continue to grow and thrive.

Roses

If you want a classic look of beauty and elegance, roses are an excellent choice. There are tons of different roses to choose from, including resilient ones that require minimal care. Roses can grow fairly tall but probably not tall enough to completely conceal a fence line.

Stipa tenuissima

The Stipa tenuissima is actually a type of fancy grass plant that’s perfect for providing coverage and distraction to a fence line. These plants are extremely dense at their base but flare out and flow as they get taller. On a slightly breezy day, these ornamental grass plants provide an almost hypnotic ambiance as it sways in the breeze. They only grow around two feet tall, but they’re easy to care for and fairly cheap plants.

Can I Install Plants Along My Fence Line Myself?

Gardening and planting trees and shrubs are things that anyone with a green thumb can do. There are some plants that are more difficult to plant than others and some that are tougher to maintain. Pine trees and magnolia trees, and most evergreen plants will require annual pruning and trimming. Plants that aren’t perennials will require assistance to resume their bloom when spring and summer return.

In general, however, if you’re willing to learn what your plants need and are willing to do the work, there’s no reason why you can’t do your own planting.


Related Questions

Do I have to plant my own plants?

If you don’t like the idea of sweating and breaking your back to plant things along your fence line, you can always hire a professional landscaper.


Are there certain plants to stay away from?

While there aren’t necessarily plants that you can’t plant along your fence line, it’s important to think about where you’re planting them. Planting trees too close to your fence will cause damage to the tree or the fence as the tree blossoms and the branches spread out.

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Final Thoughts

As you can see, there is a seemingly endless supply of fence line plants to choose from. Plants and trees offer natural beauty and glory to even the most mundane of fence lines. Whether you want to add shade, protection, or character to your fence line, hopefully, this list gave you some helpful ideas.

Jalin Coblentz
Jalin Coblentz

Before I started writing, I worked for 6 plus years in the plumbing, electrical, and HVAC business. I was primarily an HVAC installer but also worked as a plumber and electrician. Now I'm a copywriter, focusing on home improvement content and guides.

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