Boxwoods are Okay, but Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick's Drought-Tolerant Privacy Planting Is Much More Practical, and Chicer
Planting for privacy doesn't have to be boring, vertical beds show how arid Southern California planting can make it
When you think of 'privacy planting,' you may be envisioning impenetrable boxwoods, pruned like a fortress around a home. With record-high temperatures in 2026, however, it's time to get creative. Drought-tolerant plants can be just as effective, and often chicer, than traditional privacy planting alternatives.
Take, for example, the front garden of Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick's Los Angeles house. Perfectly planted for Southern California, their green space features a variety of agave plants, birds of paradise, rosemary, and California Pepper trees. The varied, drought-tolerant plants look gorgeous in their vertical beds and do a fantastic job blocking out the view into their large mid-century modern windows.
Though it doesn't read as explicitly using plants for privacy, their gorgeous greenery offers a subtler way to protect a front yard.
The garden at Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick's Hollywood Hills home
Wherever you live in the world, the primary lesson from Kyra and Kevin's Hollywood Hills place (where extreme weather is a given) is simple: the future of planting for privacy lies in heat-resistant, drought-tolerant plants. To explore the teaching, Homes & Gardens spoke with a garden expert about advice for this kind of low-maintenance planting. We also curated an edit of plants inspired by those in Kevin and Kyra's garden.
This summer, we're following their example.
Recreate Kevin and Kyra's Look at Home
If we are looking for a plant to add dramatic presence to our garden, this Octopus Agave will fit the bill. It grows with grace and beauty before blooming at full maturity.
Take inspiration from Kevin and Kyra's front yard and add a potted Bird of Paradise to your beds (weather permitting, of course!). These plants add an absolutely stunning pop of color to any outdoor space.
This bowl planter is timeless. With a shallow depth (measuring 6.3x19x19 inches) it's an ideal vessel for shallow-rooted succulents. It has drainage holes for excess water to drain away - it's ideal if you want to emulate the height of Kevin and Kyra's garden without installing any new hardscaping.
Getting started on your own succulent garden is easy with this generous pack of 20 plants. It lets you experiment with a variety of succulents, helping you discover which varieties you like best. They're perfect ofr filling in the gaps in your beds.
This fertilizer is a special nutrient-rich blend to support succulent growth. It makes 32 gallons of succulent feed, mixed with water. Apply during spring and summer for lush greenery all season long, no matter how hot it gets.
This premium windmill palm tree is carefully grown and shipped by experienced nursery professionals to ensure top quality. Cold-hardy and adaptable, it thrives in USDA zones 7-11, making it a versatile choice for many climates.
Kyra and Kevin's front yard is indicative of a larger move towards climate-resilient gardening across the outdoor space. Charlotte McGrattan, hardy nursery stock buyer at Hillier Garden Centres, explains: 'As our climate changes with periods of extreme heat and prolonged dry weather becoming more common, the plants we choose for our gardens are increasingly important. By selecting plants that are naturally better equipped to cope with heat and drought, gardeners can create more resilient outdoor spaces without sacrificing colour or interest.'
This directive extends to the greenery we choose for privacy.
She recommends: 'The key is choosing the right plant for the right place and remembering that even drought-tolerant plants need regular watering while they establish. Making considered planting choices now can help create beautiful, vibrant gardens that are better prepared for the hotter, drier summers of the future.'
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