Best Privacy Trees for Fence Lines in Georgia

Why Plant Privacy Trees Along Your Fence Line?

A solid fence provides immediate privacy, but nothing matches the beauty, sound buffering, and environmental value of a living screen. Privacy trees soften property boundaries, filter noise from busy streets, block wind, and create habitat for birds. In Georgia's mild climate, evergreen options grow quickly, and a well-planned planting can reach effective screening height within three to five years.

As ISA-certified arborists who plant and care for trees across metro Atlanta, we see both the successes and the mistakes homeowners make when installing privacy screens. This guide covers the best species for Georgia, proper spacing, soil considerations, and common pitfalls to avoid.

Top Privacy Trees for Georgia Fence Lines

1. Thuja Green Giant

• Growth rate: 3 to 5 feet per year
• Mature height: 40 to 60 feet (can be maintained shorter with pruning)
• Spacing: 5 to 6 feet apart for a solid screen
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Why it works: The gold standard for privacy screens in the Southeast. Dense, pyramidal form requires minimal pruning. Resistant to deer, most pests, and bagworms. Tolerates Georgia clay well.
• Watch out for: Can outgrow a space quickly. Not ideal for areas where you need a 10-foot screen, because it will not stop growing at 10 feet without regular trimming.

2. Leyland Cypress

• Growth rate: 3 to 4 feet per year
• Mature height: 60 to 70 feet
• Spacing: 6 to 8 feet apart
• Sun: Full sun
• Why it works: Extremely fast growth and dense foliage make it the most popular privacy tree in Georgia. Widely available and affordable.
• Watch out for: Susceptible to Seiridium canker and Botryosphaeria canker, both of which are common in the humid Atlanta climate. Also vulnerable to bagworms. Shallow root system makes it prone to blowover in storms. We recommend Thuja Green Giant as a more disease-resistant alternative.

3. Eastern Red Cedar

• Growth rate: 1 to 2 feet per year
• Mature height: 30 to 50 feet
• Spacing: 8 to 10 feet apart
• Sun: Full sun
• Why it works: Native to Georgia and incredibly tough. Tolerates drought, poor soil, heat, and cold. Provides excellent wildlife habitat. Beautiful blue berries attract cedar waxwings.
• Watch out for: Slower growth than Thuja or Leyland. Can develop cedar-apple rust if planted near apple or crabapple trees.

4. Nellie Stevens Holly

• Growth rate: 2 to 3 feet per year
• Mature height: 15 to 25 feet
• Spacing: 5 to 6 feet apart
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Why it works: Excellent for mid-height screens where a 60-foot tree is overkill. Dense, glossy foliage and red berries in winter. Very low maintenance. Tolerates pruning into a formal hedge shape.
• Watch out for: Scale insects can be an occasional problem. Benefits from a male pollinator nearby for best berry production.

5. Cryptomeria (Japanese Cedar)

• Growth rate: 2 to 3 feet per year
• Mature height: 30 to 50 feet (dwarf cultivars available at 8 to 15 feet)
• Spacing: 6 to 8 feet apart
• Sun: Full sun to light shade
• Why it works: Beautiful, soft texture with bronze-tinted winter foliage. More disease-resistant than Leyland Cypress. Cultivar 'Yoshino' is one of the best choices for Georgia privacy screens.
• Watch out for: Needs well-drained soil. Does not tolerate wet feet or heavy, compacted clay without amendment.

6. Wax Myrtle

• Growth rate: 3 to 5 feet per year
• Mature height: 12 to 20 feet
• Spacing: 4 to 6 feet apart
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Why it works: Native, fast-growing, and tolerates the full range of Georgia soil conditions including wet areas. Aromatic foliage. Nitrogen-fixing roots improve soil. Attracts birds with waxy berries.
• Watch out for: Can be short-lived (15 to 20 years). Semi-evergreen in colder parts of North Georgia.

7. Southern Magnolia 'Little Gem'

• Growth rate: 1 to 2 feet per year
• Mature height: 20 to 30 feet
• Spacing: 4 to 6 feet apart
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Why it works: The quintessential Southern tree in a more manageable size. Thick, glossy leaves provide year-round screening. Beautiful large white flowers from May through July. Ideal for fence line plantings where space is limited.
• Watch out for: Heavy leaf and seed drop. Lower branches are needed for screening, so do not limb up the trunk.

8. Emerald Green Arborvitae

• Growth rate: 6 to 12 inches per year
• Mature height: 12 to 15 feet
• Spacing: 3 to 4 feet apart
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Why it works: Perfect for narrow spaces and low fence line screens. Stays compact without pruning. Excellent for townhouse or small lot privacy.
• Watch out for: Slow growth means it takes longer to achieve full screening. Can suffer in extreme heat if planted in full afternoon sun without adequate moisture.

Spacing Guide: How Far Apart to Plant Privacy Trees

Proper spacing is the most common mistake we see. Here are the general rules:

• For a solid screen quickly: Plant at the minimum recommended spacing for the species. Trees will grow together within 2 to 4 years.
• For healthier long-term growth: Use wider spacing. Crowded trees compete for light and water, leading to thinning on the interior and increased disease pressure.
• Offset from the property line: Plant at least 3 to 5 feet inside your property line to allow for mature canopy spread and to avoid encroaching on your neighbor's property.
• Offset from the fence: Leave 3 to 4 feet between the tree trunk and the fence to allow air circulation and access for fence maintenance.
• Staggered double rows: For maximum density, plant two rows with trees offset in a zigzag pattern. This works well for Nellie Stevens Holly and Wax Myrtle but requires more width (8 to 10 feet total).

Soil and Site Preparation for Georgia Clay

Metro Atlanta's heavy red clay soil requires some preparation for most privacy tree species:

• Do not dig a hole and fill it with potting soil. This creates a bathtub effect where water pools around the roots. Instead, amend the native soil with 25 to 30 percent composted pine bark.
• Dig wide, not deep. The planting hole should be two to three times the width of the root ball but no deeper than the root ball's height. Setting the tree too deep is the number-one cause of planting failure.
• Check drainage. Fill the hole with water and time how long it takes to drain. If it takes more than 24 hours, the site has drainage issues. Consider raised planting beds or species that tolerate wet feet (Wax Myrtle).
• Mulch properly. Apply 3 to 4 inches of hardwood mulch in a ring around each tree, keeping the mulch 3 to 4 inches away from the trunk. Do not create mulch volcanoes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Planting too close to the fence: Branches will grow through or over the fence, making both the trees and the fence difficult to maintain.
• Choosing the wrong species for the space: A Leyland Cypress that will reach 70 feet is not the right choice for a 10-foot gap between houses.
• Not watering enough the first two years: Newly planted trees in Georgia need 1 to 2 inches of water per week during the growing season until their roots are established.
• Ignoring disease signs: Browning, dieback, and cankers should be addressed immediately. A single diseased tree in a privacy row can spread to the entire screen if left untreated.
• Topping trees for height control: Topping destroys the tree's form and creates weak regrowth. If height management is needed, choose a species with a smaller mature size or commit to regular professional pruning.

Caring for Your Privacy Screen

Once established, most privacy trees require minimal care. Our Plant Health Care program can help ensure your screen stays lush and healthy. Basic maintenance includes watering during drought, annual inspection for pests and disease, light pruning to maintain shape and density, and replenishing mulch annually.

For more Georgia-specific privacy tree recommendations, see our post on Top 5 Privacy Trees for North Georgia.

Ready to Plant Your Privacy Screen?

Whether you need help selecting the right species, planning the layout, or installing and maintaining a new privacy planting, EastLake Tree Services is here to help. Call us at 404-850-1174 or request a free quote for a consultation with one of our ISA-certified arborists.

"EastLake helped us design and install a Thuja Green Giant screen along our back fence. Three years later, it is a solid wall of green and we have total privacy from the street behind us. Best investment we have made in the house."
-- Gresham Park Homeowner