In the dense urban fabric of Chicago, privacy can feel like a luxury. Whether you’re hosting dinner on a rooftop terrace or seeking solitude in a compact backyard, well-designed screening turns exposure into intimacy.

Great Chicago landscape design doesn’t just prioritize aesthetics—it balances beauty with function to form spaces that create comfort, calm, and a sense of place. In this post, we explore design strategies that use plantings and built elements to create green enclosures, offering privacy and the invitation to spend more time outdoors, even in the heart of the city.

Columnar Trees: Vertical Greenery for Tight Spaces

For organic, year-round screening with minimal footprint, narrow fastigiate trees (those with flowers or branches that form a tapering or cone-like outline) provide vertical enclosure while preserving usable space. These trees are a key element in many of our landscape installation projects. Some of our preferred selections for the Chicago region include:

• ‘Slender Silhouette’ Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Slender Silhouette’) – A deciduous tree with dense, upright growth, offering seasonal interest through vibrant fall color.
• Fastigiate European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’) – Known for its structural integrity and adaptability, this tree forms a tight columnar canopy that maintains winter presence.
• Emerald Green Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’) – A reliable, cold-hardy evergreen with tight form and consistent color, ideal for year-round screening.

These species establish vertical green partitions while maintaining proportional balance in confined urban spaces. When integrated with lighting, their branching structures create dynamic visual interest, even in the dormant season.

Trellises & Vines: A Living Privacy Wall

• Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris) – A self-clinging deciduous vine with exfoliating bark and large, lacecap flower clusters that thrives in partial shade.
• Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora) – A vigorous, late-season bloomer with fragrant white flowers and rapid vegetative growth, suitable for seasonal screening.
• American Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) – A native, non-invasive alternative to Asian varieties, producing cascading racemes of lavender flowers with controlled growth.

For structural materials, powder-coated steel trellises provide modern, corrosion-resistant durability, while finely crafted cedar frameworks offer a traditional aesthetic with natural weathering characteristics.