Plants can help accent lake view homes

February 3, 2009

By Gary Pike Lake Oconee Breeze Tue Feb 03, 2009, 10:17 PM EST

Lake homes have wonderful views, but sometimes neighboring docks can detract from the view.

The use of planting materials will help screen that view without insulting neighbors and without obstructing the view of the water. If your house sits up higher than water level, you may need a plant that will grow a little taller. If this is the case you should choose from taller growing shrubs and evergreen trees. Some examples of these plants are: Nellie Stevens Holly; Emily Bruner Holly; Little Gem Magnolia; Green Giant Arborvitae; Wax Myrtle; or Cherry Laurel.

Once they hit the desirable height, just keep them pruned to that height. If you have a situation where it does not matter how tall the plant will get then Leyland Cypress, Cryptomeria, Deodora Cedar or D.D. Blanchard Magnolia would be great choices. In cases where there is very little slope to the lake and you have a straight on view of the dock, you will want to use plants that will grow just tall enough to block the intrusive object, perhaps five to seven feet tall.

If this is the case try using Cleyera, Needle Point Holly, Tea Olive, Anise, Dwarf Burfordi Holly, taller varieties of Lorapetalum, Schip Laurel, variegated English Holly, Ligustrum, Camellia, Sasanqua, Indica Azalea, Gardenia or variegated Privet. By using the proper plants you can block other docks and create beauty in your landscape at the same time.

Lake irrigation pump houses can also be an eyesore, whether it is yours or a neighbor’s. Since they are generally small, it is easy to hide them. Some good plant choices for this application are ornamental grasses, low growing hollies, Knockout Roses, Dwarf Gardenias, Nandina, Karume or Encore Azaleas, Otto Luyken Laurel or Rose Creek Abelia. Using plants to screen out unwanted views is a very earth-friendly solution for your lake property.

Happy gardening.

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