Growing the best plants for noise reduction can reduce sounds traveling into your yard. If you choose one that doubles as a privacy screen, you’re sorted!
Noise-reduction shrubs, trees, and plants can create a quieter environment if you plant them correctly. There are many to choose from too!
In this article, I explain more about them and list the 5 best ones to plant.
Can Plants Block Road Noise?
Plants can’t completely block the noise coming from busy roads. However, you can use them to try to reduce it. There’s a reason why most houses located next to the freeway have natural fences. Trees, hedges, and shrubs can all be practical sound barriers.
Even ground cover can help with some of the noise that is bothering you. Since many types of sound travel with vibrations through the ground, the noise coming from traffic may be reduced.
Plants that have many open spaces won’t be effective in blocking out the sound. It’s essential that branches and leaves are tightly knit together and reach the ground to cover any spots where sound can come through.
You shouldn’t rely on plants alone to create a noise-free environment around your home. Remember that there’s still a lot of open air for noise to travel, no matter how solid your plants seem.
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Can Hedges Reduce Noise? Best Plants For Noise Reduction
Hedges could be precisely what you’ve been looking for to block out noisy neighbors or traffic.
Evergreen hedges work best since they mostly have thick leaves that create a strong barrier. The big, broad leaves and thick branches can minimize loud noises.
Choose hedges with dense vegetation that doesn’t allow much light through. The amount of light that shines through the leaves closely resembles how much sound will cross the barrier. Taller hedges will block more noise since sound has less space to travel higher up.
Is Bamboo a Good Noise Barrier?
Bamboo plants aren’t just a pretty privacy screen, it’s also the perfect noise barrier since it absorbs sound. Bamboo may not have thick branches like trees or shrubs, but they grow incredibly close to each other. This creates a dense screen that blocks out sounds and views.
Another reason why bamboo works to block out sound is because it grows so tall. You can plant them directly in the ground to have a secure barrier from bottom to top. There’ll be minimal light coming through and just as little noise!
What Tree is Best For a Sound Barrier?
The arborvitae tree is the best sound barrier. These trees are evergreen and prefer being planted close to each other. This creates a dense screen.
Although their needles are thin, arborvitae still blocks out many sounds. These trees don’t require much maintenance, but you should prune them to keep them looking good.
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The 5 Best Plants For Noise Reduction
#1 The Holly
There are about 600 subspecies of the holly plant or tree. This includes the American holly, the Japanese holly, and the English holly.
The American holly is an evergreen tree with thick, broad, and waxy leaves. It can grow up to 50 feet tall and 40 feet wide. You can easily surround your whole yard with this tree. They make the perfect sound barrier since their branches reach the ground. The American holly grows into a dense tree that you can prune and shape to your liking.
An added bonus is how aesthetically pleasing the American holly is. Thanks to its red berries, you’ll have a year-long Christmas feeling and keep your neighbors caroling with joy!
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#2 The Laurel Shrub – Best Plants For Noise Reduction
The English laurel or Cherry laurel is an evergreen shrub that grows very fast. You can trim these plants to your liking, but they can get pretty tall for a shrub, reaching 30 feet!
They’re usually covered in white flowers that quickly turn into little berries. You can’t eat these berries, but they look charming and attract many wildlife species. The laurel shrub has no preferences regarding full sun or shaded spots.
Planting the laurel will help create a solid sound barrier with its dense leaves and branches. The only downside is that it could be poisonous to your pets.
#3 Bamboo
Bamboo is the most popular choice for privacy screens, but that’s not all they’re good for. You won’t attract stray pandas in New York, but you could block some city sounds out.
These canes aren’t thick and don’t have as many leaves as other options. Yet, bamboo can make a dense screen if you plant a lot of them close together. Dried Bamboo canes may not be as effective because they won’t absorb much sound, although they’re great if you want a simpler solution.
#4 Viburnum
Your options are endless with viburnum. You can choose between evergreen and deciduous, but evergreen would be best. Deciduous wouldn’t be suited because the leaves will dry out in the fall.
This shrub only gets about 20 feet tall at full height, but they grow fast. They bloom in spring, leaving you with pretty flowers. The type of flower you’ll see depends on the variety you planted.
Viburnum blocks out a lot of sounds. You should choose the variety with thick, dense leaves.
#5 Fir Trees
You should choose these trees if you’d like to turn your garden into a silent winter wonderland. Fir trees can grow up to 260 feet tall and have thick trunks making them fantastic sound blockers.
Their branches reach the floor to cover every inch of space where sound can peep through. The only disadvantage of this tree is that it narrows at the top in a cone shape.
Final Words – Best Plants For Noise Reduction
Noise reduction plants can block the busy city life out and transport you to a tranquil space. You can plant one or many types to find a setup that works best for you.
I hope the greens mentioned in this article inspire you to choose the best for your yard. If you have more questions about noise reduction plants, ask them in the comments.
