- Planting plants as a noise buffer is a fairly common practice in landscape architecture. A long row of thick shrubs often lines freeways, shielding the houses on the other side from the drone of passing cars. The most effective plants for noise barriers are large, dense evergreens with shiny leaves, such as camellias or laurel. Plants used this way provide a psychological benefit as well, shielding the home from the freeway view.
- Plants can be used in place of a fence, softening the appearance of a yard. Often, a tall plant barrier will be effective at dividing a lot or shielding the home from the view of neighbors. Plants can also be placed strategically to block the view into windows of the home. However, for a homeowner's protection, plants should never be big enough or be close enough to a window so that it enables a burglar or other bad-intentioned person to lie in wait.
- Thorny plants make ideal traffic buffers.John Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Plants can be used as a screen to encourage or discourage traffic flow through a certain area. Plants can guide people to your door, but at the same time discourage people from walking across the lawn or flower bed. The most effective barrier screens should be made of thorny plants that will be unpleasant to walk though, such as barberries or Oregon grape. Plants that guide people provide a convenient opening that leads to your door, or leads family members and friends to the backyard. - Across the plains, many large expanses of fields are separated by long rows of trees. When winds blow across these fields, the trees break up those winds, causing them to be less destructive. A smaller version of this model can be used in a landscape, with plants such as palms or hedge plants that surround a property. The most effective windbreak or wind buffer will have several smaller rows of plants planted within one overall row, or will be constructed of thick dense plants, such as spruce or camellia.
Noise Buffer
Privacy Screen
Traffic Buffer
Windbreaks
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