Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
1 rating

Wednesday - May 28, 2008

From: Delta , BC
Region: Canada
Topic: Shrubs
Title: Evergreen shrub/tree for British Columbia.
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

What kind of hedge or trees might work to provide privacy in our lower mainland British Columbia yard/garden? We need something evergreen that is perhaps,fast growing. Our yard is not deep and our kitchen window is only about 7 metres from a shared wooden fence. Any advice would be appreciated!

ANSWER:

You are very lucky living in British Columbia where you have several evergreen shrubs and trees from which to choose. Actually, you are very lucky living in British Columbia because it is really beautiful there!

Here are a few suggestions for you.

SHRUBS

Ceanothus velutinus (snowbrush ceanothus) and more information from Washington Native Plant Society.

Gaultheria shallon (salal) and more information from King County, Washington.

Ledum glandulosum (western Labrador tea) and information from Montana Plant-Life.org.

Mahonia aquifolium (hollyleaved barberry) and more information and photos from Virginia Tech University.

Morella californica (California wax myrtle) and more information and photos from Virginia Tech University.

Rhododendron macrophyllum (Pacific rhododendron) and information from Washington Native Plant Society.

SMALL TREES

Taxus brevifolia (Pacific yew) and more information from the British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range

Thuja plicata (western red cedar) and more information from University of Connecticut.


Ceanothus velutinus

Gaultheria shallon

Ledum glandulosum

Mahonia aquifolium

Rhododendron macrophyllum

 

 

 

More Shrubs Questions

Plants for streambank area in Oregon
September 14, 2012 - I am ready to replant a streambank area with native plants..what do you recommend for the Willamette Valley in Oregon? Thanks much!
view the full question and answer

Plants to hold a slope in NY
May 17, 2010 - We recently built a house (on a hillside) and now are having some drainage issues on a fairly steep slope (a small creek is forming in the swale the excavator made "deal" with the drainage). Yester...
view the full question and answer

Flowering shrub for Kihei, Hawaii
August 12, 2015 - I live in Kihei Hawaii, near the beach but across the road from it. I am looking for a hedge that flowers, can be trimmed is dense and grows rather quickly. 3-4ft in height. We have bougainvillia now ...
view the full question and answer

Evergreen fast-growing native shrubs for privacy shield in Baytown, TX
March 07, 2006 - A gas well is going in across the road. We need a fast growing native tall shrub to line our property next to the road. It needs to maintain its leaves in the winter also. We hope to cut down on th...
view the full question and answer

Poison Ivy in Semi-wetland Massachusetts
June 27, 2013 - You answered this question for Tennessee, but I would like an answer for a Massachusetts semi-wetlands area: What can I plant to discourage poison ivy, or at least make it very clear that it is poison...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.