If you have a vast and sprawling landscape, you might take privacy for granted. But for most of us living here in Monmouth County, New Jersey, the neighbors are just a hand wave away. Whether you enjoy their company or not, there are times when we’d all rather shelter from the world and enjoy some private time.
Creating privacy in your back yard can be as easy as it is beautiful. And no, you never need to look at prison-like rows of fencing or long stretches of dull arborvitae.
These ideas will help you to create privacy as a natural, functional, and ultimately gorgeous part of your overall landscape. All it takes is a little imagination and good planning!
Bamboo Screening
There are many ways to create natural screening with plants and shrubs, but we’re partial to this versatile and evergreen plant. It gets a bad rap for taking over entire neighborhoods, but planted correctly, it will behave just as nicely as any other greenery in your garden.
One of the benefits of bamboo is that you can find a variety that will thrive in myriad challenging conditions – from windy yards to salty areas, shady spots or sun. Bamboo requires little maintenance and even less water. A typical summer rainfall is usually enough to keep this plant healthy, and it won’t need fertilizing under most conditions.
As an added bonus, it offers shelter for many species of birds, which will bring the pleasure of wildlife to your garden. It’s deer-proof, which means you can enjoy its privacy benefits all year long. It’s good for preventing soil erosion, will grow in the smallest of spaces, and adds a lovely auditory element in the breeze.
If you do have a fence, bamboo can be planted along the fence line to enhance the beauty and coziness of your space.
Natural Architecture
Say goodbye to traditional boring fencing and consider other elements made of natural and beautiful materials. Pergolas, trellises, and gazebos are all far more visually interesting and can provide privacy as well as beauty.
A pergola is wonderful for creating a sense of space within a space. It can abut an exterior wall and create the ceiling for your outdoor living room, or be freestanding against a natural wood wall. Grow flowering vines or other greenery to add another sensory element. Even during winter, bare vines interwoven with the architecture of a pergola can create a lovely, peaceful effect.
Gazebos offer a full enclosure where you can include comfortable seating, a dining area, or a few rustic wooden benches for resting. Flowers, greenery and even lighting can be added to enhance privacy and charm.
There are many ways to create privacy with architecture that goes beyond fence slats. Whether it’s tiered planting boxes, a natural wood or living wall that becomes a focal point as well as a screen, louvered panels interspersed with tall greenery, or some other element, you can create privacy with outdoor walls and even roofs that combine the best of what Mother Nature has to offer.
Tall Grasses
When it comes to tall grasses, we mean _tall_. Five, ten, even twelve feet tall! An ornamental grass like Miscanthus Giganteus is the perfect addition to any landscape for all-season privacy and sensory interest.
This particular beauty is a fast grower, too, which means that you could see as much as eight feet of growth in its first year. If you’re in a hurry to avoid the prying eyes of your neighbors, this grass is a good choice.
Maiden Grass is another ornamental option that can add height, texture, sound and motion in addition to privacy.
These towering treats can be planted along fencing as a more visually interesting border, or placed behind other, lower-profile plants to add depth and dimensionality to your space. They will thin in winter but still retain their screening power and add a much-needed visual element to a cold-weather landscape.
Retaining Walls
It’s not a particularly pretty name for such an amazing natural element, but when you see one built of natural stone, whether single or tiered, straight, rounded or winding, interspersed with stone pillars, capped with flat columns, topped with lanterns – you’re bound to fall in love.
A retaining wall can be a work of art and afford you a real natural wonder in your yard right along with incredible privacy. Walls can be built to enclose an area like a patio, or to shield a space for a fire pit. They can be created to support entire gardens of flowers or even edibles.
They can be staggered along your property or designed as a focal point. There are so many ways to use stone as a visual and privacy element that we couldn’t list them all. A good landscape plan will help you take advantage of what stone can offer and work with the natural features of your space to create something timeless, long-lasting and simply gorgeous.
Waterfalls
No, we don’t want you to hide behind one! In fact, you may wonder what water has to do with privacy at all. The fact is, privacy is more than just visual. Sometimes privacy is a matter of having a conversation with a friend or family member that won’t become neighborhood gossip when Mabel next door gets an earful.
Adding a waterfall – as part of your pond, or as a freestanding pondless waterfall – is an excellent way to mask sound. Even a fountain or garden bubbler can do the trick.
Sound can mask your conversations to enhance your privacy, and it can mask outside noises from intruding on your peaceful space. If you live near a roadway or want to block out other annoying sounds, running water can go a long way to creating a more soothing atmosphere.
These are just a few ways that you can create privacy with natural and beautiful landscaping. There are myriad ideas that can include plantings, structures, sound barriers and more. If you’re interested in learning more about creating privacy, contact us for a consultation. We’ll visit your home and make recommendations for turning your yard into an outdoor space you’ll love and enjoy all year long.
