Best Privacy Hedge for GA?

[ciscolark]

Can anyone recommend a good plant/hedge/tree to plant that would block out vision from the ground up that is not poisonous to horses?

We are looking for something that would block the view. The neighbors dogs go nuts when they see our animals, and we would like to reduce their visibility to look in.

We are in Hardiness Zone 7B (Georgia).

More information:

1. Conditions are mostly full sun with some light shade.
2. We have a very long fence line to do and cost is a factor.
3. Ideally they should not get too wide (no more than 8 feet in diameter, but less would be better) as it would impact my riding path.
4. Height could be anywhere from 5 feet on up (when fully grown).
5. Would like to avoid super invasive plants such as bamboo.

Thank you!

[SusanO]

Green Giant Thuja’s. Just watch for bagworms. And horses will sometimes try to gnaw on them but maybe your horses are not as destructive as mine. It did not hurt the horse and she has stopped doing it.

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

I used Leyland cypress. I understand people no longer plant them because they are vulnerable to disease, but if you read the directions and plant them far enough apart you probably won’t gave a problem.

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

I used Leyland cypress. I understand people no longer plant them because they are vulnerable to disease, but if you read the directions and plant them far enough apart you probably won’t have a problem.

ETA: naturally my favorite horse turned out to have an allergy to the Cedar family, which I believe includeshe Leyland cypress

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

I used Leyland cypress. I understand people no longer plant them because they are vulnerable to disease, but if you read the directions and plant them far enough apart you probably won’t have a problem.

ETA: naturally my favorite horse turned out to have an allergy to the Cedar family, which I believe includes Leyland cypress

[wsmoak]

Call Poplar Place Farm in Hamilton GA and ask what hedge they have along the road. Whatever it is, it’s tall, thick, and evergreen, and perfect for screening the paddocks from sight from the road.

(For extra credit, I see that a car went through the outer fence and mangled a section of the hedge, but it didn’t make it to the second fence!)

-Wendy

[neversaynever]

Wax myrtles make excellent hedges. They are also natives and very hardy.

[ciscolark]

Thank you so much for the replies. I think the Thuja’s and the Leylands may be too wide for our application, but is still helpful to know what others are using around horses.

[OveroHunter]

Never let anyone talk to you into bambo. We had it on our farm and it was a nightmare. I was ready to burn the place down and collect insurance money… Had that not been illegal insurance fraud.

[fourfillies]

Leylands will definitely get too wide. Look at hardy hibiscus. Not evergreen but dense and your winters are mild enough nearly evergreen. Cheap and tough as nails. Will grow fast and tolerate sand better than clay. Not sure where in GA (clay or sand).

[fourfillies]

Also known as “Rose of Sharon”