Landscaping Ideas in Front of Block Fences

Evergreen Blooms

• Plant large, blooming evergreen bushes in front of block fences to hide the concrete structure. A combination of azaleas, gardenias, hydrangeas, rhododendrons and camellias will have bloom selections year round in many locations. With cultivars that are hardy in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 11, you can find blooming evergreen shrubs suitable for any location on your property with direct sunlight exposure or shade. Select varieties with wide spreads, such as rhododendrons, which can spread up to 15 feet wide and grow to 15 feet high, and you’ll need fewer plants to fill the space.

Covered Trellis

• Place a trellis in front of a block fence to turn an eyesore into an attractive focal point. Place climbing roses, ivy, clematis, passion flowers and other vines to cover the trellis with blooms and foliage. Certain types of berries, such as blackberries and blueberries, grow well on a trellis. Select plants designed to grow in your hardiness zone and in the type of sunlight available along the block fence line. If the block fence spans a long distance, add design interest by separating sections of plant-covered trellis with garden benches, potted plants and fountains.

Evergreen Trees

• Create a dense, living fence line in front of the block fence with evergreen trees such as Carolina cherry laurel, California cedar, Leyland cypress, Italian cypress and Serbian spruce. Plant these evergreen beauties side-by-side to form a thick, green space over time. Like all other plants, evergreen trees are zone specific for optimum growth. For example, Leyland cypress trees are hardy in USDA zones 6 through 10, but Carolina cherry laurels grow best in zones 7 through 9. Many evergreens need at least partial sun, but Leyland and Italian cypress trees grow best in full sun.

Rocky Garden

• Paint the block fence in shades of a desert sunset or in bright blue shades of a Mediterranean sky as a background for a distinctive rock garden. Prepare a flower bed to extend 2 to 4 feet away from the front of the block fence by excavating the ground and blocking in the space with a rock border. Install landscape fabric to prevent weeds. Plant cacti, herbs, dwarf fruit trees, flowers or miniature blooming shrubs that suit your planting zone. Fill in around the plants with white pebbles or river rocks to accentuate the space.