Choosing between yews and cypresses: A quick guide to garden privacy

Yews have long been cherished for their beauty and ability to provide privacy for curious eyes while offering soothing shade. Yet, there's a coniferous contender that boasts even easier care and a remarkable growth rate: the cypress.

While yews maintain their lush green hue across all seasons, reaching a privacy-providing height requires years of dedication. For those eager for quicker coverage, the cypress emerges as a user-friendly and swift-growing alternative.

Yews thrive in sunny locations with slightly acidic, fertile, and well-drained soil. During warmer months, they demand at least weekly fertilization and consistent watering throughout the summer.

However, yews are prone to pest attacks, which can severely damage them. They also grow leisurely, achieving around 6.5 feet in height, taking about four to five years.

Moreover, yews contain thujone, a toxic compound harmful to humans and animals. It poses the risk of severe health issues, including permanent muscle damage and heart problems.

In contrast, the cypress retains its coloration in winter, just like yews. Though they appear similar at first glance, a closer look reveals that cypresses have finer shoots, making them easier to shape. They also endure low temperatures (down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit), and wrapping them in jute or cotton fabric suffices for protection against even harsher frosts.

Cypresses experience rapid growth, both vertically and horizontally. So, when integrating them into your garden, ensure at least 1.5 feet of space between each sapling.