Create a backyard oasis with shrubs and vines that screen views while beautifying your outdoor living space.
With the average size of home lots shrinking, establishingprivacy plantingsis more important than ever.
When it comes to planting up privacy arounddecks, you have options.

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These stylish privacy plants for decks accommodate all gardening styles, working equally well in containers and garden beds.
Evergreen shrubs provide year-round privacy, while deciduous shrubs add ornamental traits such as flowers and fall foliage.
Match the height and density of plantings to your desired amount of enclosure.

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When it comes to creating a sense of privacy, you dont always need a solid wall of greenery.
Plants can be further protected against cold weather through careful site selection and by applying extra insulation around containers.
When extreme weather is predicted, prepare plants by watering containers a few days before cold temperatures arrive.

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Diamond Spire Gardenia
Southern Living Plant Collection
Gardenias bring evergreen color and enchanting fragrance to deck plantings.
Diamond Spire Gardenia has a unique columnar growth habit, perfect for containers.
Its single white blooms begin to open in late spring and continue through fall.

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In general, container-grown gardenias benefit from shade.
They perform well in the filtered light beneath a tree canopy.
Let the soil dry out slightly between watering to keep your gardenia looking its best.

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The glossy evergreen foliage and rose-like blooms beautify decks when other garden plants are drifting off to sleep.
This variety enchants the autumn garden with long lasting rose-pink, double blooms in mid-autumn.
Provide container grown camellias with excellent drainage and protection from cold winter winds.

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The sweetly fragrant white flowers are well worth the wait!
Flowers are produced in flat clusters that cover vines in mid-summer.
Autumn brings golden yellow foliage.

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Though plants are deciduous, attractive exfoliating bark adds interest and texture through the winter months.
These low-maintenance plants take to pruning and shaping as needed, but look lovely in their natural form.
Use them to add a punch of color to deck plantings.

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With an upright form and sleek profile, JulietTM adds year-round color to deck plantings.
Cleyera benefits from afternoon shade in hotter locales and tolerates heavy shade.
Plants are heat and drought tolerant and typically unbothered by pests.

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In colder regions, plants can be grown as an annual or overwintered indoors as a houseplant.
Forever Goldy Arborvitae
Arborvitae is a coniferous native American evergreen long used for screening.
This exceptional variety has bright golden foliage that withstands summer heat and winters chill.

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Vanilla Spice Summersweet
Proven Winners
Attract butterflies and hummingbirds to the deck with this graceful flowering shrub.
The fragrant blooms open throughout summer against dark green foliage that turns yellow in autumn.
Plants perform best with some shade and tolerate heavy shade.

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They grow well in coastal gardens thanks to their salt tolerance.