Create Your Personal Oasis with These Privacy Landscaping Ideas

With every outdoor improvement, we aim to make our yards seamless extensions of our homes.

Your outdoor living space should provide privacy and protection so you can roam freely, hold family gatherings, and enjoy the best time without having to worry about peering eyes.

Settling for the appropriate privacy screening begins with noting the purpose or needed function.

Are you looking to seclude a patio, block your neighbor's top view of your yard, or create protection for your pets and children?

In this article, we will guide you through some of the most efficient privacy screening ideas for all cases and needs.

Natural Ways to Enclose Your Outdoor Space

Natural privacy gives the needed isolation without narrowing or closing off your space.

Living privacy screens also keep an organic, free look that's ideal for traditional yards rather than an overly structural one.

Here are a few different ways to integrate plants as privacy elements.

Privacy Trees

Trees are the perfect sustainable alternative to fencing.

On top of great privacy, trees provide wind blockage, reduce street noises, and give year-round lushness.

Some of the best Privacy trees are:

1. Sky Pencil Holly:

These holly trees provide incredible vertical privacy since they grow 8-10 feet tall without taking up too much of your space, which makes them ideal for smaller yards.

Sky pencil hollies can be planted in pots or directly into the ground and seem to do well in zones 5 to 9.

2. Leyland cypress:

Cypresses are gorgeous evergreens granted to keep your yard looking alive throughout the year.

They're one of the most popular evergreen trees used for privacy since they grow tall and dense providing great screening and seclusion.

3. Arborvitae:

Arborvitaes are also super popular in privacy landscaping.

They're evergreen, super fast-growing (as they grow about 1 foot per year), and deer resistant. So arborvitaes won't only work as a visual barrier, but also as a protective layer to keep the deer out and away from your landscape.

Hedges

Privacy hedges can offer both a super formal look or a natural free-growing one depending on the way they're used. This makes them suitable for a handful of design styles.

Much like trees, privacy hedges block unsightly views and provide noise reduction and protection against strong wind.

Here are a few shrubs frequently used as privacy hedges.

English Laurel: This evergreen has glossy green foliage that will create visual interest and year around privacy screening.

Boxwood: The dense nature and low maintenance requirements of boxwoods make them one of the most popular shrubs for living screens.

Vines

When draped or trained over garden structures, vines will both provide great backyard privacy and soften the look of harsh elements such as chain-link and metal fences.

If you happen to have a short fence that doesn't offer enough privacy, you can go for a simple trellis in front or on top of your fence and use vines along the structure for an extra layer of privacy.

For a fence with an open nature such as chain-link or wood fences with big gaps, opting for the appropriate growing type of vine should be enough to effortlessly elevate your privacy.

Here are some of the most popular privacy vines.

1. Trumpet Creeper: A pollinator-friendly vine that will bring color, birds, and butterflies to your garden while blocking off unpleasant views and curious eyes.

Trumpet creepers grow well in zones 4 to 10 and harsh conditions such as poor soil and drought.

Note that trumpet creepers are considered invasive plants and will need occasional pruning so it doesn't spread beyond needed.

2. Evergreen Clematis: This evergreen vine provides privacy and white blooms that yield a beautiful color pop and texture variety to any space.

Planting in Layers

Adding different layers of plants does the same function as privacy trees and hedges while providing more visual appeal.

Start with tall plants or ones with large leaves as a backdrop, you can then plant flowering shrubs and ornamental grasses for color and texture interest.

This technique works best with tropical arrangements but goes well with some traditional and Mediterranean setups.

Aerial View Privacy

Having high-built houses nearby can make your yard feel like a fishbowl with no privacy. That's why your most lively yard spaces should have a roof.

Pergolas

The best option to enclose the top view of a yard and create a private space is using trellises and pergolas.

Make sure to prioritize certain areas if you're going for structural privacy elements so your yard doesn't end up feeling narrow.

Pergolas are best placed over a space you frequently use.

Outdoor living areas such as a patio, hot tub, dining, and seating areas are typically the most used spaces in a yard.

You can even take things a step further by training vines along your pergola. Vines will give you an extra sheet of privacy and a natural ornamental substitute for hanging baskets and other decorations.

Umbrellas

If you don't want to go for the long-term commitment of a permanent structure, garden umbrellas are the best alternative for you!

Landscape umbrellas come in all sorts of shapes and sizes to work with all types of places. They work perfectly for dining, patio, or seating areas, and even over a hot tub or pool lounging space to provide shade and privacy.

Opt for a Privacy Fence

Installing a tall fence along the property line is the most obvious and popular way to create privacy among homeowners.

Fences are widely diverse features as they're available in a large range of materials, prices, and styles to work with all needs.

Make sure to opt for materials and designs that complement the style of your home so you won't have to sacrifice visual appeal to achieve function.

Layer Hardscape and Landscape

Planting a row of trees or shrubs behind a retaining wall or wooden fence provides great privacy and the texture difference and color contrast bring in a very visually charming effect.

Privacy For Small Spaces

Potted plants are typically used as a porch focal point or to add interest to a yard corner, but for smaller spaces, they can be the perfect privacy tool.

Using potted dwarf trees and big plants, you can create a visual barrier to seclude your small yard or patio and block the view from neighboring homes.

Get Affordable Professional Help

Not sure how to choose the appropriate privacy for your space? Shrub Hub's got your back!

Book your consultation today and start working directly with landscape professionals to create the best design plan for your outdoor space.

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