I need to plant a row of trees/bushes between me and my neighbor for privacy. I think I should go ornamental, so that I don’t attract wild life to my property (we have black bears and deer, my orchard is fenced but not the whole lot). My criteria is good looking, either flowering or colored foliage (in the fall or year round). I also would like them to be 7-12’ high, and preferably will not attract insect pests or diseases. Doesn’t have to be evergreen, and I don’t like Arborvitae. I live in CT, Zone 6. What would you recommend?
A thick planting of “flowering quince” probably would solve all your problems.
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That’s a possibility, but I am not so excited about thorns… Do you know if it attracts aphids? I was considering lilac, but heard that aphids love them.
Native holly or mountain laurel might work
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Bamboo?
FWIW, I’ve never seen an aphid on my lilacs, though I have them in my nearby vegetable garden at times.
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How about bayberry? It does have berries, but they’re very waxy and I don’t think they’re at the top of most animals’ list. You could have a variety of native edible-leaf shrubs like bayberry, sweet fern, and you could try yaupon although it’s zone pushing in zone six. Cherry laurel is very pretty, good for pollinators, I don’t think it has berries but you’d have to check, and I think it’s evergreen too! I’d suggest a mix of species, or for a more formal look, a regular pattern of two or alternating species. Purple ninebark is a good choice if you want varied color of foliage (you’d have to make sure to get a mildew resistant variety).
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