Best Trees for Your Front Yard to Achieve More Privacy

Your front yard is the most important part of your house when it comes to creating the right first impression in the minds of your guests. This is where trees can play a very important role. Planting the right tree will help you achieve a lot more privacy and protection in a natural way. Live fencing is also extremely eco-friendly, making it a popular choice in modern households. This article will focus on the best trees for the front yard that will help you achieve more privacy.

What is a good tree to plant near a house?

new tree hedge in front yard, by Jeff Sandquist on flickr [CC BY 2.0]

There is a wide variety of trees that you may choose to plant near a house. The fast-growing tree varieties are naturally a popular choice for the easy-to-add layer of organic privacy. Fast-growing trees such as Hybrid Willow tree, Leyland Cypress, Green Giant Thuja, and Weeping Podocarpus can easily prove to be a great addition to any yard. While the growth rate is an important point to consider, the size of the yard is also an equally important determinant in this regard. Following is a list of the more popular options for large areas, mid-sized places, and small yards.

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1. Eastern Redcedar

Photo by Famartin from wikimedia commons – CC BY-SA 3.0

This tree can reach 60 feet high and have a width of 20 feet at maturity. This is a great option for larger front yards. You will need to plant these trees about 20 feet apart. Also, make sure the trees are away from power lines.

Height: 40-60 feet

Width: 10-20 feet

Sunlight: 3 to 6 hours per day

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2. Hybrid Willow Tree (fast-growing)

Photo by En el nido (Nest) from wikimedia commons – CC BY 3.0

This is a fast-growing privacy fence tree that will have you covered quickly. This disease-resistant tree has a growth rate of 6 to 12 feet per year and reaches its mature height in just five years. These plants are best suited for large to mid-sized yards.

Height: 35-45 feet in rows, 75 feet alone

Width: 20 feet

Sunlight: 3 to 6 hours per day

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3. Leyland Cypress (fast-growing)

Photo by Michael Rivera from wikimedia commons – CC BY-SA 4.0

A popular tree for privacy, the Leyland Cypress is a fast-growing, beautiful evergreen that is great for full coverage in large, well-drained front yards. They require mild to moderate temperatures.

Height: 40-60 feet in rows, 70 feet alone

Width: 15-20 feet in rows, 30 feet alone

Sunlight: 6 hours per day

4. Spartan Juniper

Chinese juniper Spartan, by Drew Avery on flickr [CC BY 2.0]

Spartan Junipers do best in dry soil and require a lot of sunlight. This tree is a great option for mid-sized front yards.

Height: 15 feet

Width: 3-5 feet

Sunlight: 6 hours per day

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5. Sky Pencil Holly

Photo by David J. Stang from wikimedia commons – CC BY-SA 4.0

The Sky Pencil Holly will provide you privacy while taking up little space. These plants are prone to root rot if overwatered, so make sure to have a well-drained system.

Height: 8-10 feet

Width: 2 feet

Sunlight: 3 to 6 hours per day

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6. Green Giant Thuja – Arborvitae (fast-growing)

Photo by David J. Stang from wikimedia commons – CC BY-SA 4.0

This is known as one of the best trees for privacy and is extremely popular in many American front yards. These trees require very little maintenance and grow around 30 feet tall.

Height: 30-40 feet

Width: 5-8 feet in rows

Sunlight: 3 to 6 hours per day

7. Emerald Green Thuja (Arborvitae)

Photo by Harvey Stillnot from wikimedia commons – CC BY-SA 4.0

This species has a controlled growth rate of just 6 to 9 inches per year. This makes them a great choice for yards that are not too big. You will need to space them 2 feet apart for optimal privacy coverage.

Height: 12-14 feet

Width: 3-4 ft in rows

Sunlight: 3 – 6 hours per day

8. Flowering Dogwood Trees

Photo by Pxhere CC0

This is a good privacy tree that comes with seasonal colored coverage. You will need a well-drained soil that isn’t too dry for this species. These trees are perfect for large and mid-sized front yards and can grow up to 25 feet tall.

Height: 15-25 feet

Width: 15-25 feet

Sunlight: 3 to 6 hours per day

9. Weeping Podocarpus (fast-growing)

Photo by Tangopaso / Public domain from wikimedia commons CC0

This is a fast-growing evergreen and is a popular privacy tree choice in Florida and California. These trees are good on large properties and need to be planted 10-15 feet away from buildings. When planting in rows, you will need to leave a gap of  5-10 feet between each tree.

Height: 35-45 feet

Width: 10-20 feet

Sunlight: 3 to 6 hours per day

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10. Goldspire Ginkgo

Image by Piyarat Toomsap from Pixabay CC0

This is a durable, smog-resistant species that will do best in mid-sized front yards. 

Height: 14-16 ft

Width: 5-6 ft

Sunlight: 3 to 6 hours per day

Where should you plant a tree in your front yard?

Photo by Pxhere CC0

While planting a tree in the front yard, you will need to know the mature size of the tree in question. It is a good idea to plant trees at least 15-20 feet away from the house to avoid structural damage to the building. If you are looking to plant a tree with a spreading root, you may have to plant it further away from the house.

So, what are you waiting for? Pick the best trees for your front yard and give the exterior of your house a renovated feeling. You may want to use our cost estimator to calculate the total cost of the renovation project that you have in mind.

Read more: 8 Budget-Friendly Front Yard Landscaping Ideas