10 Best Vines for Privacy (Plus Care Tips)

Vines for Privacy

You’ve probably found that privacy is hard to come by in today’s world, especially in neighborhoods where houses are close together, and maintaining attractive fencing is a challenge at best.

Consider planting vines along your fences. Many vines proliferate and provide both beauty and privacy where a fence alone fails.

In this article we cover 10 best vines for privacy! Consider their care requirements and hardiness, so you choose a vine that works best for your needs.

Clematis (Zones 4 to 9)

Clematis

Clematis is a heavy, woody vine that’s either deciduous or evergreen, depending on the variety you choose. It’s popular among homeowners due to its quick growth, large flowers, and ability to serve as a privacy screen alone or alongside other vines.

Its woody nature makes it a heavy vine, so it requires strong support structures. Also, it works best as a privacy screen in warmer climates but makes gorgeous additions to other privacy vines in cooler climates.

Climbing Roses (Zones 4 to 11)

Climbing-Roses

For those who like fresh flowers inside and want a beautiful, scented screen outside, climbing roses provide the best of both worlds. Like roses on bushes, these roses have thorns but use them to attach themselves to fences, pergolas, etc., so they can climb upward.

You should ensure your fence will provide adequate support for your roses and install any other supports you want before planting. Once established and growing, you should train the main cane to grow horizontally to cover your fence better.

Jasmine (Zones 6 to 10 Depending on Variety)

Jasmine

Another vine with pretty flowers and an attractive scent, jasmine likes to wrap itself around its supports as much as possible, so you should ensure you have support structures just in front of your fence on which it can twine.

Since jasmine is primarily a tropical plant, you should plant it in the spring after any frost threats have passed. If you live in a cooler climate, winter jasmine is a good alternative to other varieties.

Trumpet Vine (Zones 4 to 9)

Trumpet-Vine

If you want a vine with uniquely shaped flowers that are bound to attract hummingbirds and give you privacy, try planting some trumpet vine. They get their name from the red and orange trumpet-shaped flowers on the vine as it grows.

The trumpet vine is among the hardiest of vines because it can thrive in poor soil, most climates and doesn’t need much watering, making it very easy to grow and care for.

Honeysuckle (Zones 4 to 9)

Honeysuckle

One of the most popular fragrant vines, honeysuckle, is an aromatic plant that grows up trellises and fences like chain-link. While some honeysuckle is invasive, you can find many species that won’t take over your entire yard and your neighbor’s without lots of pruning.

Keep in mind that not all honeysuckle varieties have fragrances. If a scent is one of the things you’re looking for, make sure you’re getting a scented variety, so you aren’t disappointed.

Climbing Hydrangea (Zones 4 to 7)

Climbing-Hydrangea

Hydrangeas’ large, beautiful blooms are a staple in many gardens around the U.S. Did you know there’s a climbing variety you can use as a privacy screen along your fence line? It comes with pretty, lacy blooms with soft fragrances.

It’s a heavy, woody vine, so it needs strong support structures. It also grows slowly, so if your goal is to have a privacy screen quickly, you might want to consider growing climbing hydrangeas alongside other privacy vines.

Virginia Creeper (Zones 3 to 9)

Virginia-Creeper

Virginia creeper doesn’t flower, but it does produce gorgeous, dark green leaves that are great for privacy. Known as “Red Wall” and “Yellow Wall” due to their dense cover and fall colors, this deciduous, fast-growing vine provides one of the best privacy screens available.

This vine attaches itself directly to most vertical surfaces, but it prefers to creep along the ground. Put freestanding structures just in front of your fence to help it grow vertically.

Hops (Zones 3 to 9)

Hops

Most of us associate hops with beer, but you can grow and train hops vines to grow wire. They don’t smell like beer, so don’t worry about that. Instead, they have a scent reminiscent of pine that attracts butterflies.

These grow at a moderate rate and do best along wire or string, so you might want to install wire fencing or rows of strings just in front of your fence line before planting.

Passionflower Vine (Zones 6 to 10)

Passionflower

If you want a vine you can leave to its own devices but still produces the beauty you desire, consider a passionflower vine. These have flowers that come in many different colors and grow along fences, pergolas, and more.

One of the best things about passionflower vines is that they also produce fruit. However, not all varieties are safe to eat, so if you want the fruit in addition to the flower, make sure you plant one that will produce edible fruit.

Boston Ivy (Zones 4 to 10)

Boston-Ivy

Boston Ivy closely resembles Virginia Creeper, but it climbs vertically far more quickly than Virginia Creeper does. This is the vine that gave the Ivy League its name; most schools in the Ivy League have this vine growing on their buildings.

Boston Ivy is astonishingly easy to grow and care for. Like the trumpet vine, it thrives in sun or shade, good or poor soil conditions, and sandy or clay-type soils. However, you should prune it back regularly to keep it from becoming overgrown.

Final Thoughts

When you’re looking for an attractive way to increase privacy in your yard, choosing the right vine to grow along your fence will give that to you in spades. You can get heavy, woody vines with pretty, fragrant flowers or dense, green, deciduous vines that provide cover and are easy to care for.

Be sure you know how to care for the vines you choose before buying and planting them, though. While each of these vines is excellent for privacy, you want to be sure you’re getting the right one for your needs and purposes.