Best Landscaping Ideas to Create Privacy in Your Yard
Seven ways to make your yard a beautifully secluded and private retreat.
Privacy is what allows your yard to become a secluded and relaxing retreat for you and your family. But while privacy is a wonderful end result, how you go about achieving it can vary greatly.
Let’s explore seven of the best landscaping ideas to create privacy in your yard. These tips will help you plan a private paradise that’s perfect for your outdoor space.
Creating privacy is all about achieving two goals: blocking any unwanted sightlines into your property, and minimizing any unwanted noises. Each of the following seven landscaping ideas will help you with both of those goals.
Read on to learn the details of what makes each of those ideas a worthy option for anyone who wants more privacy in their yard.
There are few methods of making privacy more impressive than a mature evergreen hedge. Such hedges can take years to reach their ideal forms, but when they do, they will be well worth the wait. The appeal of this classic landscape privacy element comes in many shapes and sizes.
A tall evergreen hedge screens out unwanted views throughout the year. Often, the foliage they use to create that visual barrier will add attractive colors and textures to your garden. Those evergreen leaves and needles typically respond well to shearing and shaping, too.
At times, the goal of a privacy element is to block out surrounding views entirely. In other instances, the means by which you create privacy can be a bit more subtle. Using lattice panels is one way to add some privacy without being too heavy-handed.
The criss-cross pattern of wood that makes up a lattice panel is enough to give a definitive shape to your space and obscure outsiders’ views. Meanwhile, the gaps between the wood allow light and air to filter through easily.
What makes this privacy look more intriguing is when you add climbing plants to your lattice structures. Not only will these species add more privacy by filling in the gaps in your lattice, they will also add flowers, leaves, and other ornamental features.
One way of creating privacy that many people ignore involves making use of landforms. To use this tactic, begin by studying the existing terrain of your property.
There is a chance you may have some existing berms or other mounded features that could already serve as a form of privacy. Situating your outdoor living spaces near those features is one way to take advantage of that natural privacy.
If you have the means, you could also have a berm created to add more privacy to your yard. In either case, mounds of earth are also one of the most effective ways to muffle unpleasant sounds like traffic noise.
The privacy-making idea that we are all perhaps most familiar with is fencing. For good reason, too: Fences are usually fast and easy to build.
That expedience means that you can add privacy to your yard very quickly. While it can take several years for a hedge to fully fill in, you can add a new fence to your property in just a few weeks. Fences come in many different sizes, materials, and style options.
A stately garden wall is another fantastic way to add some privacy to your yard while also making an eye-catching statement. When your wall consists of well-crafted masonry, it’ll add charm to your garden like few other privacy elements can.
Building a wall is a serious construction endeavor, especially one that is tall enough to give you privacy. For that reason, you should always seek out a team of professionals to build your wall correctly. Finding a well-qualified mason is the most promising way to ensure your wall is not only aesthetically pleasing but also safe and sufficiently reinforced.
There are some scenarios in which you may need privacy as a way to block views from above. This is most common in urban gardens, where tall surrounding buildings make it easy for outsiders to look down onto your space.
If you find yourself in need of this variety of privacy, you should think about hanging a canopy. Privacy is not the only advantage a canopy affords.
An overhead canopy does a lot to increase the coziness of an outdoor area. They also look great when they move with the wind. They can also offer some protection from the elements, too.
While perhaps not as common as other options on this list, green walls are a privacy option with a lot going for them. A well-built green wall acts as a visual screen while also giving you additional growing space for your plants.
Planting a green wall is a somewhat unconventional approach. But it is a great choice for those who enjoy completing a DIY garden project. By increasing the number of plants you can grow in your garden, green walls also do their part to be as environmentally friendly as possible.
Now that you know more about the seven best landscaping ideas for privacy, there is nothing stopping you from creating an element of privacy in your yard. Mix and match from the list above, and start to make the secluded retreat you’ve always dreamed of having.