How to grow a living privacy screen with plants like sunflowers, dahlias and sweet peas
Do you want to create a green, beautiful and fragrant barrier that protects against view and at the same time enhances the expression of the garden? A living privacy screen – grown with sunflowers, dahlias and sweet peas – combines function with floral splendor. The tall sunflower acts as a natural fence, the lush dahlias provide fullness and the winding sweet peas add a lovely fragrance. By choosing the right plants and planting them in smart layers, you create a screen that blooms all summer. In this guide you will find practical advice, sowing times and care tips for how to succeed with these three favorites – based on New Botanics' carefully selected assortment.
Sunflowers – tall, stately and easy to grow
Sunflowers are perfect for privacy screening due to their height and rapid growth. Varieties like Claret or Goldy Double can grow up to 1.5-2 meters tall and form a natural wall against privacy.
Sowing: Pre-cultivate indoors in April or direct sow in May when the soil is warm. Sunflowers thrive best in a sunny location with well-drained soil.
Care: Water regularly and provide extra nutrition as the plants grow. Tie up taller varieties to a trellis or sturdy stakes.
Tip: Plant the sunflowers in a row as the first layer in your flowering display for maximum height.
Dahlias – a riot of color and volume
Dahlias not only add a fantastic splash of colour to your garden, they also add volume and lushness to the middle layer of your privacy screen. Choose varieties that grow between 80–120 cm tall and bloom profusely from July until frost.
Planting: Pre-cultivate the tubers in a pot in March-April and plant outside after the last frost. Choose a sunny spot with nutritious, well-drained soil.
Care: Water and fertilize regularly. Pinch off spent flowers to encourage continued flowering. Support may be needed for taller varieties.
Tip: Plant the dahlias in one or more groups in front of the sunflowers for a natural depth in the planting.
Sweet peas – fragrant climbers
Sweet peas are charming and fast-growing climbers that are perfect for covering fences, trellises or as an intermediate layer in your flowering shelter. Choose varieties such as Spencer Old Times, Mammoth Mix' or Princess Elizabeth for abundant flowering and a lovely fragrance.
Sowing: Pre-cultivate indoors in March-April or direct sow in May. Soak the seeds a few hours before sowing for better germination.
Care: Give sweet peas a sunny location and well-drained soil. Water regularly and pick the flowers often to stimulate new buds.
Tip: Let the sweet peas climb on trellises between dahlias and sunflowers for a vertical color and fragrance experience.