Ray Smith & Associates - Landscape Design

Landscape Design

Services

Privacy Screening

USES:

To define an area: A screen is one way to separate or define areas with different uses.

To modify or hide a view: Planting trees is an excellent way to provide a screen that will modify or hide the view of a wall, fence, driveway, parking area, or utility boxes/fixtures. Unsightly areas or items, such as dumpsters, can be concealed with the proper plantings. Trees can also be used to break up an uninterrupted view of buildings, homes, or land.

To block wind, dust, salt, and snow: A row or mass planting of trees, especially evergreens, helps to lock wind, salt spray off of water or roads, and dust from open areas. When trees are planted in the long, narrow corridors between buildings, they can break up or reduce wind tunneling. A home with screening trees planted on the prevailing wind side can benefit from energy savings. Rows of evergreens planted along roadways can help keep roads clear of windblown snow, thereby reducing the expense of salting, sanding, or snowplowing.

To control noise: Plants are a great way to control or block noise. Leaf and branch surfaces muffle the noise from businesses, cars, air conditioners, and other sources. Trees can be planted in the narrow areas between buildings and nearby streets, in beds against buildings, in parking area islands, and in highway medians for noise reduction.

To filter light: Control of light, whether sunlight, overhead lights, or lights from neighboring buildings, is another problem that can be remedied through the use of trees. Windows, yards, and parks can be shaded with trees either year-round or seasonally. Trees can also provide shade for people, and for flowers and shrubs that cannot be grown in direct sunlight.

To direct traffic flow: Tree screens can also act as barriers to prevent shortcuts and paths through flowerbeds and across turf in areas where small shrubs are not effective.