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using landscape to hide large items


Question
My neighbor has a very large motor home that he parks in the front driveway. I would like to use some type of landscape to help hide it. We do not have a homeowners association. I would like to use some type of landscape to hide it during summer and winter.

Answer
A common problem.  The average motor home is 9-1/2 feet tall.  There are many types of plant materials that are tall & skinny that can screen such a beastly object.

I am assuming a couple of facts here:
1. They park in their front driveway, that is adjacent to your front driveway.
2. You live in a standard subdivision, so there isn't a lot of room to plant anything.
3. You get at least a few hours of sunlight a day for plant growth.
4. Your area isn't sub-Arctic (it is snowing where I am, today!!) and your area will actually suppoort large shrubs & trees.

Each of these factors may influence the type of plant or fencing material you choose. Actually not having an HOA is a good thing, because the solutions you decide to impliment won't be judged and/or rejected by a board that doesn't live next to this giant problem.

Here is a quick list of large, slender & narrow evergreen screening trees & shrubs:
http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/PrivacyTrees.htm
http://www.evergreenplantnursery.com/Narrow-Evergreen-Privacy-Screen-s/44.htm
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/ag/homehort/Evergreen.html
(I don抰 suggest you buy them at these web vendors, only that they have pictures for you)

Thuja, Cypress, Holly, Privet ?Notice the last link is in Florida, so many of their suggestions won抰 work for Utah, Arizona, North Dakota, etc.  You need to be aware of your growing zone and chose accordingly.  UDSA Plant Hardiness Zones of the US:
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html

Other ideas would be to install a fence system AND landscaping.  The more layers of screening elements, the less contrived it will appear, if you have the extra area to work them in. So, perhaps you start with large screening trees, then large shrubs, then a split-rail fence, then medium-sized shrubs, then finally edging plants at your driveway shoulder.  You then have 5 layers of progressive screening; Again, IF you have the room.

Best of luck ~Marc

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