Best fall shrubs for privacy – 10 vibrant and dense choices for a natural garden screen

There are so many ways to create privacy in your backyard, from fences to ornate garden screens. But using shrubs has to be one of the prettiest solutions, especially if they provide something of interest across multiple seasons.

Some of the best shrubs for privacy make a perfect addition to your fall garden landscape, offering foliage in blazing hues and sometimes vibrant berries. And while some are deciduous, dropping their leaves once winter arrives, they would still look great in the foreground of a large evergreen hedge.

If you aren't sure where to get started but are keen to get some colorful shrubs that are effective at creating a garden screen in time for fall, look no further. We've spoken to garden experts and compiled a list of the best fall shrubs for privacy for your to explore.

10 shrubs that will bring color and privacy to your yard this fall

Garden screening is essential if you want to prevent visibility into your outdoor space. While choosing things like fences is a classic option, opting for a more natural solution can enhance the seasonal interest in your yard. Here are the best fall shrubs for privacy for you to consider planting in your backyard.

1. Burning bush

• Height: 4-8ft
• Spread: 4-8ft
• Hardiness: USDA 4-8
• Best for: Low maintenance

Burning bush (Euonymus alatus) is known for its brilliant red foliage in the fall, making it a stunning focal point. It forms a dense hedge that provides good privacy.

Lindsey Chastain, a homesteader and the Founder of The Waddle and Cluck blog, says burning bush grows quickly and does well in full sun to part shade.

It's ideal if you're looking for a low-maintenance shrub. 'It requires little care beyond watering occasionally in very dry periods,' says Lindsey. 'Prune burning bush in late winter to shape and thin as needed.'

Some areas consider this shrub invasive, though it is fairly easy to keep under control with regular pruning. You can buy burning bush from Fast Growing Trees.

Lindsey Chastain

Lindsey started gardening in 2005, when her first son was born, as a way to save money. It started with a small window herb garden, then expanded to potted vegetables, and now, she and her husband can regularly be spotted in the garden on their homestead.

2. Fragrant sumac

• Height: 2-8ft
• Spread: 5-6ft
• Hardiness: USDA 3-9
• Best for: Wildlife gardens

Fragrant sumac, otherwise known as Rhus aromatica features attractive red, orange, or purple fall foliage.

'Fragrant sumac has coarsely toothed leaves that form a loose, yet dense privacy hedge,' says horticulture expert and founder of Yardwork, Michael Clarke. What's more, it's very easy to maintain and requires little pruning.

It's adaptable to many soil types, produces spring flowers, and is good for attracting pollinators and other wildlife. And, as well as providing fabulous color, the leaves offer a pleasing aroma.

Shop for a fragrant sumac at Nature Hills.

Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke is the founder of Yardwork and Pulled, the online platforms for everything home and garden. He has a degree in landscape architecture and horticulture from the University of California Davis.

3. Oakleaf hydrangea

• Height: 4-6ft
• Spread: 4-6ft
• Hardiness: USDA 4-9
• Best for: Areas with dappled shade

'Another superb option is the oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), my personal favorite,' says Lindsey. 'This native shrub has large, bold leaves that turn brilliant shades of red and purple in fall.' And, once the leaves drop, the peeling cinnamon-colored bark also adds winter interest, she highlights.

'Oakleaf hydrangeas grow 4-6 feet tall and wide, thriving in part shade with occasional watering and mulching,' Lindsey continues. 'Prune hydrangeas after blooming in early summer if needed.'

Try the 'Alice' oakleaf hydrangea from Nature Hills for giant, cone-shaped flowerheads and burgundy-crimson fall foliage.

4. Viburnum

• Height: 3-20ft
• Spread: 3-12ft
• Hardiness: USDA 2-9
• Best for: Fall berries

Although well-loved as a spring-flowering shrub, viburnum earn their keep through other seasons, too.

Many varieties of viburnum offer colorful fall foliage, and some produce attractive berries. Examples include arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) and American cranberry bush viburnum (Viburnum trilobum). You can shop the American cranberry bush from Fast Growing Trees.

Many are easy to look after and inexpensive to buy, he adds. 'Some spring pruning will help produce more vigor for the season's growth.'

5. Red twig dogwood

• Height: 6-8ft
• Spread: 6-8ft
• Hardiness: USDA 2-8
• Best for: Colorful stems

Dogwood, or Cornus sericea, is known for its colorful stems, which provide winter interest.

'This shrub doesn't just shine in fall - it's a four-season superstar. Its leaves turn a deep burgundy in autumn, and when they drop, they reveal stunning red stems that pop against winter snow,' says Ben McInerney, an arborist and landscape gardener. 'I've used these to create privacy screens that look particularly striking from late fall through early spring,' he adds.

Plant this hardy, drought-tolerant shrub in full sun for the best foliage color. You can shop red twig dogwoods from Fast Growing Trees.

Ben McInerney

Ben McInerney is a qualified arborist with over 20 years of industry experience running a commercial lawn mowing and tree services business. He is the founder of GoTreeQuotes, a website that specialises in helping property owners find the best deals on tree removal and trimming.

6. Ninebark

• Height: 3-10ft
• Spread: 4-6ft
• Hardiness: USDA 2-8
• Best for: Compact cultivars

Physocarpus opulifolius, or ninebark, comes in various cultivars, some of which offer colorful fall foliage in shades of red and purple. It can be used to create a multi-seasonal privacy screen.

Lindsey Chastain says it's unfussy, tolerating sun or shade and many soil types. 'Prune in spring to shape and promote new growth,' she says.

Try Physocarpus opulifolius 'Seward' from Nature Hills, which has wine-hued fall leaves and pretty springtime blooms.

7. Northern bayberry

• Height: 5-7ft
• Spread: 5-7ft
• Hardiness: USDA 3-7
• Best for: Deer resistance

Myrica pensylvanica features gray-green aromatic leaves and waxy berries that persist into winter.

'Its compact leaf structure grows tightly around its branches, making it a great privacy screen that doesn't thin out at the bottom or become leggy and loose,' notes Michael Clarke.

It's a tough shrub, putting up with coastal and urban environments. In warmer climes, its fragrant leaves are semi-evergreen. It's also good for wildlife.

Northern bayberry can be bought from Nature Hills.

8. Japanese barberry

• Height: 2-5ft
• Spread: 2-5ft
• Hardiness: USDA 4-8
• Best for: Spiky branches

Some cultivars of Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) display vibrant red, orange, or purple foliage in the fall. It can be used to create an effective privacy hedge – not least because of the large barbs on its branches.

Compact varieties suit smaller spaces, while others, such as 'Rose Glow' from Fast Growing Trees, can grow up to 5ft tall. They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil.

These plants are easy to maintain once planted. However, do be aware that in some regions they are considered to be invasive plants.

9. Spirea

• Height: 2-10ft
• Spread: 2-10ft
• Hardiness: USDA 4-8
• Best for: Fast growth

Many varieties of spirea offer fall color, as well as their spring blooms.

'Spirea is a resilient plant, that can be grown as a border hedge or privacy screen, with some varieties reaching over 8 feet tall,' says Michael. 'Prune spirea to any shape and you won't damage it. It has a naturally, dense, compact growth habit,' he adds.

The bridal wreath spirea is a good choice, with cascading branches of clusters of white blooms. Or, the similar snowmound spirea from Nature Hills.

Make sure to plant your spirea in well-draining soil in a location with plenty of sun.

10. Japanese holly

• Height: 4-10ft
• Spread: 4-10ft
• Hardiness: USDA 5-9
• Best for: Low-maintenance evergreen

An easy-care alternative to box, this evergreen shrub with dark berries in the fall can be used for topiary or for a year-round privacy screen. 'Its small, compact and narrow leaves make it a good privacy screen that can be pruned with little effort,' says Michael.

If you are looking for a narrow, upright shrub, go for the 'Sky Pencil' variety, available at Nature Hills. It requires well-drained soil, partial to full sun exposure and regular pruning to maintain its shape.

FAQs

What are the best fall shrubs for shade?

There are many shrubs that look great in a fall landscape, offering bright hues and berries. For shadier spots in your yard, try planting oakleaf hydrangea, viburnum, evergreen camellias, or beautyberry, which has unusual clusters of bright purple berries.

What are some fast-growing fall shrubs?

If you want to fill a space quickly for fall, consider adding burning bush, spirea and ninebark to your yard. They are known for being fast growers and will add plenty of fall interest to your backyard landscape.

As well as shrubs, don't forget there are plenty of trees for privacy and other plants for privacy that can be used to screen your fall patio. Combine a variety of different heights for a sumptuous botanical tapestry – perhaps alongside a vibrant fall planter or two.