Released On 18th Mar 2025
Planting for Privacy
We would all love our gardens to be a little slice of heaven. A sanctuary that feels just as private as the four walls of our home. But sadly, with modern housing developments getting closer and closer together, complete privacy is quite rare. More often than not, you’ll be able to get a full view of your neighbour's garden - and they’ll see yours in return. The good news is, you don’t have to move out of the house you love to get that private garden. You just need to get a bit creative!
Use Natural Barriers
One of the most natural and popular ways to enhance the privacy in your garden is to plant dense shrubs and hedges along your boundaries. There are some great choices for this, including laurel, holly and photinia, as these grow dense foliage all year-round. If you want something a bit showier, privet and bamboo can quickly provide you with seclusion.
You can also opt for ornamental grasses. Varieties like bamboo or Miscanthus (also known as ‘morning light’) are often more elegant but still create that all-important visual barrier. They also sway beautifully in the wind, adding some movement and sound to your garden without blocking out too much light.
Just remember, you need to do regular maintenance on these natural barriers to keep them looking good and being effective.
Add Structural Elements
If you want something more robust than plants to form your border, or want to add extra areas of privacy in the garden, you can also add in some structural elements. Trellis with climbing plants like clematis, wisteria, honeysuckle or jasmine create a charming and effective screen - ideal for that rustic cottage look! Trellises are a personal favourite of ours, since they can be attached to the top of existing fences to increase height and privacy at the same time. Plus, it adds a vertical element to your garden, bringing more greenery into the space.
Another option is installing a pergola or an awning. These structures are designed to provide shaded areas in your garden, but they double as little private spots for dining or lounging. You can even choose the colours and materials to match the rest of your garden scheme so that it all comes together in a cohesive design.
Get Creative With Screening Solutions
If you don’t want a full structure in your garden, you can still get a similar effect with screening solutions. For example, decorative panels made from metal or acrylic can add a modern touch to your garden while still giving you privacy. You can have them freestanding or attached to existing structures, and in a huge range of designs from bold solid colours to delicate filigree. They’re a great option for people with an artistic flair!
Freestanding screens are another option that provides a lot more flexibility. They can be moved around your garden as needed, allowing you to ‘zone off’ different areas of your garden. So if you want a play area to be separate from the dining space, you can do it!
Change it Up
Of course, privacy isn’t always about just vision. We speak to a lot of people who want to make sure their neighbours don’t hear every conversation they have while they’re out enjoying the sunshine. Water features like fountains or ponds can create the perfect ambient background noise to mask unwanted sounds from neighbours, and to them. A tall water wall can even become a focal point of your garden, creating a peaceful environment, a dynamic visual element and a sound barrier.
If you’re looking for a quick and more versatile solution, you can use outdoor fabrics like sails or curtains. You can attach these to pergolas, fences or standalone poles to create these moveable screens that can be taken up or down as you need.
Embrace Wildlife
Finally, embrace wildlife! Creating a wildlife wall can add privacy to your garden all while supporting your local wildlife. Build in features like bird feeders, insect hotels and climbing plants to attract and support local biodiversity. It’s an approach that’s becoming more and more popular, since it provides you with not just a living screen, but a richer ecosystem for your garden.
Another way you can do this is by strategically planting tall trees. These can offer significant privacy and still become that living wall. You should choose species that grow tall and have dense foliage to give you the most privacy, like hornbeam or ornamental pear. Just make sure they’re planted a decent distance from any buildings so that the roots can’t interfere with the foundations or plumbing.
Remember, getting privacy in your garden isn’t just about creating a secluded space. It’s also about improving the beauty and functionality too. Whether you choose one, all or none of the above, the key is to find what works best for your garden and lifestyle. At CMA Garden Design, we can help you design the perfect privacy solution and bring it to life in your garden. To find out more, just get in touch with the team today.
