Best Privacy Plants for Nashville Landscapes: 4 Options for a Low-Maintenance Screen

Privacy is one of the most common reasons Nashville homeowners invest in their landscapes.

Maybe a neighboring property looks directly into the backyard. Maybe the pool area feels too exposed. Or perhaps an outdoor living space would be much more enjoyable with a little more separation from the street or surrounding properties.

Plants can be an excellent way to create that privacy. But the goal shouldn’t simply be to plant as many trees or shrubs as possible and hope they eventually grow together.

A successful privacy screen considers how much privacy you need, how quickly you need it, how much space you have, and how much maintenance you want to take on over time.

In Nashville, that also means choosing plants that can handle Middle Tennessee’s hot, humid summers, clay-heavy soils, periods of dry weather, and seasonal temperature changes.

The right approach can create a privacy screen that becomes fuller and more attractive over time without becoming another high-maintenance part of the landscape.

What Makes a Good Privacy Plant for Nashville?

The best privacy plants for Nashville typically combine several qualities:

Reliable performance in Middle Tennessee
Evergreen or long-lasting foliage
A manageable growth habit
Appropriate mature size for the property
Reasonable maintenance requirements
The ability to integrate with the surrounding landscape

The last point is important.

A privacy screen should not look like an afterthought. Ideally, it should feel like part of the landscape design, complementing the architecture and creating a natural transition between spaces.

1. Holly: A Versatile Evergreen Screen

Holly is one of the most dependable choices for privacy screening in Nashville.

There are many holly varieties and cultivars, which makes it possible to select a plant that fits the scale and style of the property. Depending on the variety, hollies can provide moderate to substantial screening while maintaining evergreen foliage throughout the year.

They can be used along property lines, around outdoor living spaces, or as part of a layered planting bed.

One of the advantages of holly is its versatility. It can be incorporated into a more formal landscape or allowed to develop a softer, more natural appearance.

Best for: Medium to tall screening, property boundaries, and landscapes where year-round structure is important.

Maintenance: Generally low to moderate when the appropriate variety is selected and given enough room to mature.

Keep in mind: “Holly” includes plants with very different mature sizes. Choosing the right cultivar for the available space is important. A large-growing holly planted in a narrow bed may require unnecessary pruning later.

2. Cherry Laurel: Faster Privacy When Space Allows

Cherry laurel is a strong option when privacy is a priority and you want the screen to develop relatively quickly.

Its dense evergreen foliage provides substantial coverage and works particularly well for screening neighboring properties, pools, and outdoor living areas.

The tradeoff is size.

Cherry laurel can become quite large, so it needs adequate room to reach its mature dimensions. Planting it too close to structures, fences, or other plants can result in frequent pruning and a higher-maintenance screen.

When given enough space, however, it can provide substantial privacy with relatively little intervention once established.

Best for: Tall privacy screens and larger properties with enough room for mature growth.

Maintenance: Generally manageable when planted in an appropriately sized space.

Keep in mind: Fast growth can mean faster privacy, but it can also mean more pruning if the plants are installed where they don’t have enough room to grow naturally.

3. Arborvitae: Tall Privacy Where Space Is Limited

Arborvitae is a popular choice when homeowners want significant vertical screening without using a large amount of horizontal space.

Its naturally upright form makes it useful along property lines, near pools, and around outdoor living areas where width may be limited.

For the right site, arborvitae can create a clean, consistent screen that works particularly well with more structured landscape designs.

However, location matters.

Arborvitae performs best when it has adequate drainage and consistent moisture while becoming established. Hot, dry, exposed locations can create additional stress, particularly for newly planted trees.

Best for: Tall, narrow screening where horizontal space is limited.

Maintenance: Low to moderate when properly sited and given enough room.

Keep in mind: Not every arborvitae has the same mature height or width. Choosing an appropriate cultivar and location is important for long-term performance

4. Wax Myrtle: A Softer, More Natural Screen

For homeowners who prefer a less formal look, wax myrtle can provide a more natural approach to privacy.

Its evergreen foliage and adaptable growth make it useful for creating separation while maintaining a softer appearance than a tightly maintained hedge.

Wax myrtle works particularly well in landscapes with a more natural or relaxed character. It can also be incorporated into a layered planting design rather than functioning as a perfectly uniform wall.

Like cherry laurel, however, wax myrtle can become fairly large. It should have enough space to develop naturally without requiring constant pruning to keep it within a predetermined footprint.

Best for: Natural-looking privacy screens, larger properties, and informal landscape designs.

Maintenance: Generally low to moderate when allowed to grow naturally.

Keep in mind: Wax myrtle has a softer, less formal appearance than arborvitae or a carefully maintained holly screen. That can be an advantage when it complements the character of the property, but it isn’t the right aesthetic for every landscape.

Proper Spacing Is One of the Most Important Parts of Privacy Design

One of the most common mistakes homeowners make when creating a privacy screen is planting too closely together.

The thinking is understandable: if you want privacy, more plants should mean faster coverage.

But overcrowding can create problems as the plants mature.

Plants that are installed too closely may require more frequent pruning, compete for water and nutrients, develop poor air circulation, and eventually outgrow the space they were given.

Instead, spacing should be based on the plant’s mature size and the homeowner’s desired timeline.

If you need a screen to feel full relatively quickly, plants may need to be installed closer together. This increases the initial investment but provides more immediate coverage.

If you’re comfortable allowing the landscape to develop over several years, wider spacing can reduce the number of plants required and make the initial installation more cost-effective.

There isn’t always one “correct” spacing for a privacy screen.

The right spacing depends partly on how quickly you need the landscape to perform.

How Long Does It Take for a Privacy Screen to Fill In?

There isn’t one universal timeline.

The amount of time it takes for a privacy screen to become effective depends on:

Plant variety
Starting size
Spacing
Soil conditions
Sunlight
Irrigation
Maintenance
Desired density

A larger plant installed more densely can create a more immediate screen, but it also requires a greater initial investment.

Smaller plants with more generous spacing may take several years to create the same level of coverage, but they can be significantly more cost-effective at installation.

This is one reason it is important to decide how much privacy you need today versus how much you’re willing to let the landscape develop over time.

Time Can Be Part of the Landscape Budget

This is an important consideration when planning a larger privacy project.

Imagine two homeowners who ultimately want a 50-foot-long evergreen privacy screen.

One homeowner wants substantial privacy immediately. The planting may need to use larger, more mature plants or tighter spacing, which increases the initial investment.

The other homeowner is comfortable waiting three to five years for the landscape to fill in. Smaller plants spaced according to their mature size may provide the same long-term screen at a lower initial cost.

Neither approach is inherently better.

The important thing is to make the decision intentionally.

A landscape designer can help balance the desired timeline with plant size, spacing, budget, and long-term maintenance so that the screen performs the way the homeowner expects.

Privacy Doesn’t Always Have to Come From Plants

Planting isn’t the only way to create privacy.

In some situations, a fence, decorative screen, pergola, or strategically placed wall may provide a better solution, particularly when immediate privacy is important or the available planting space is limited.

Combining hardscape and planting can also create a more intentional result.

For example, a decorative privacy screen might provide immediate separation while evergreen shrubs and trees soften its appearance over time. A pergola can create privacy around an outdoor living area while providing structure for plants to grow around.

This combination can be particularly effective around pools and outdoor entertaining spaces where both privacy and aesthetics matter.

The goal isn’t necessarily to hide the property behind a wall of plants. It’s to create the right degree of separation while maintaining the character and function of the landscape.

The Right Privacy Solution Depends on Your Property

Different properties call for different approaches.

Your situation	Potential approach
Narrow side yard	Upright arborvitae or another narrow evergreen
Large property with room for mature growth	Cherry laurel or layered evergreen planting
Flexible year-round screening	Appropriately selected holly
Natural or informal landscape	Wax myrtle or layered planting
Need privacy immediately	Fencing, architectural screening, or a combination of hardscape and plants
Pool or outdoor living area	Layered evergreen planting combined with structural elements

These aren’t rigid rules. Site conditions, cultivar selection, mature size, and the character of the property all matter.

The important thing is to choose the privacy strategy first, then select the plants or materials that support it.

Privacy Doesn’t Have to Look Like a Wall

Some of the most successful privacy designs don’t rely on a single row of identical plants.

Layering can create privacy while making the landscape feel more natural and visually interesting.

A taller evergreen screen might be combined with:

Lower shrubs
Ornamental grasses
Flowering perennials
Small trees
Groundcovers

This creates depth and allows the privacy planting to become part of the overall landscape rather than functioning as a visual barrier.

It can also soften large screens and create a more refined transition between the home and its surroundings.

For luxury properties, this distinction can make a significant difference. The goal is not simply to block a view. It’s to create privacy in a way that enhances the property.

Plan for the Screen You Want Five Years From Now

Privacy planting should be designed around the landscape’s mature appearance, not just how it looks on installation day.

Before selecting plants, consider:

How tall does the screen ultimately need to be?
How much horizontal space is available?
How quickly do you need privacy?
Are you comfortable with regular pruning?
Do you prefer a formal or natural appearance?
How will the planting relate to the architecture and existing landscape?
How much are you comfortable investing upfront?

Thinking through these questions can help determine whether a faster-growing, more densely planted screen makes sense or whether a slower, more widely spaced approach is the better long-term investment.

It can also prevent a common landscape problem: choosing a plant that looks appropriate when installed but eventually becomes too large for the space.

Low-Maintenance Doesn’t Mean No Maintenance

Even the best privacy plants require some care.

The goal of low-maintenance landscape design isn’t to eliminate maintenance completely. It is to reduce unnecessary work by making better decisions at the beginning.

That means:

Selecting plants suited to the site
Allowing enough room for mature growth
Using appropriate irrigation
Avoiding unnecessary pruning
Choosing durable materials
Designing the privacy screen as part of the larger landscape

When these decisions work together, a privacy screen can become easier to manage as it matures rather than requiring increasingly intensive intervention.

The best privacy screen is not necessarily the fastest-growing plant or the most densely planted row.

It’s the solution that fits the property, performs well in Nashville’s climate, and supports the way you want to use the space.

For some homeowners, that may mean an evergreen screen of holly or cherry laurel. For others, arborvitae may make better use of a narrow space, while wax myrtle may provide a more natural character. And in some situations, combining plants with fencing or architectural elements may create a better result altogether.

With thoughtful plant selection, proper spacing, and a clear understanding of how quickly you need the screen to mature, privacy can become an integrated part of the landscape rather than another high-maintenance feature.

The goal isn’t simply to block the view. It’s to create privacy that complements the property, fits the way you live outdoors, and becomes more beautiful as the landscape matures.

What are the best privacy plants for Nashville?

Holly, cherry laurel, arborvitae, and wax myrtle can all be effective privacy plants in Middle Tennessee when the appropriate variety is selected and the plants are placed in suitable conditions. The best choice depends on the desired height, available space, landscape style, and how quickly privacy is needed.

How far apart should privacy plants be planted?

Spacing depends on the mature size of the plant and how quickly you want the screen to fill in. Closer spacing can provide more immediate coverage but increases the initial cost and may create more maintenance as plants mature. Wider spacing can be more cost-effective when homeowners are willing to allow several years for the screen to develop.

How long does it take for a privacy screen to fill in?

The timeline varies based on plant selection, starting size, spacing, growing conditions, irrigation, and maintenance. A densely planted screen using larger plants can provide more immediate coverage, while smaller plants with wider spacing may take several years to create substantial privacy.

What is the fastest-growing privacy plant for Nashville?

Cherry laurel and wax myrtle can provide relatively fast growth under suitable conditions, but faster growth isn’t always better. A plant that grows quickly may require more pruning or more space as it matures. Choosing a plant based on its mature size and the conditions of the property is often more important than choosing the fastest-growing option.

Can I create privacy without planting a hedge?

Yes. Fencing, decorative screens, pergolas, walls, trees, and layered plantings can all contribute to privacy. Combining architectural elements with plants can be especially effective when immediate privacy is needed or when the property doesn’t have enough space for a traditional hedge.