Your garden should be your very own haven; a place to relax, unwind and feel at peace. It should be a place where you feel safe, secure and free to do whatever it is you want. What it shouldn’t be, is a goldfish bowl.
People create privacy for a number of reasons, such as blocking the view of surrounding buildings, indulging in a spot of topless sunbathing (no judging), or if we’re being honest, to avoid those awkward conversations with the neighbours.
Luckily we’re on hand with plenty of easy ideas, and if you’re needing any extra advice or input from tree surgeons in Stockport (and the rest of the Greater Manchester area) just get in touch.
1. A raised bed
Foliage is the key to creating privacy, but even the fastest growing plants can take years to reach their desired height. But their is a trick to getting the desired height sooner. If you have a back-garden which is directly overlooked by other houses you might want to consider a raised bed.
The best thing about raised beds is they can be as high as you want (within reason, don’t want to get planning involved) so you can instantly raise your plants at least a few extra feet. Most raised beds will require brick work and plenty of soil, but once they’re full of trees and shrubs they can completely block out overlooking houses.
Wanting the easier option? Avoid any brick work and create your raised area by stacking plants of wood on their side, kind of like you would see in an allotment.
Due to the amount of soil required to fill a raised bed you also increase the amount of root space you have for your plants, leading to bigger, bushier plants.
2. Lowered Areas
A raised bed might not be for you for a variety of reasons; you may want to save space within your garden, height restrictions may prevent you from achieving the desired height and so on, so a sunken area could be an option.
Lowering the ground a few feet can give you a hidden retreat, almost like a den, so you can be sure the little ones will love it too. They also add a really special touch to the garden, especially when surrounded by the right trees and foliage.
We realise that creating a sunken area might not necessarily be the easiest one on the list, but it is one of the best ways to create privacy and with the right research and planning, you can do it yourself.
You’ll need to make sure the ground is completely flat, there is correct drainage in place etc. but done well, the results are more than worthwhile.
3. A trellis
Much less work and much more affordable, trellis’ are a great option if you’re wanting just a little bit of extra privacy, like raising the height of a partition fence (rather than spending more money on a bigger fence panel). They are easy to assemble and can be placed above walls, fences or gates. They can be covered in all sorts of greenery, which adds an additional bit of nature to your outside space.
In the summer months, if you’re really wanting to bush out your trellis in a short amount of time, opt for nestersions, which are fast growing climbers that produce a range of brightly coloured flowers. For year round coverage, ivy is probably your bet bet.
4. Green Screens
If you’re wanting to create private sections within your own garden, then green screens are your new best friend. Not to be confused with what you find in the movies, green screens are essentially screens made out of plants. Whilst ivy can be invasive, it is extremely fast growing, which makes it a popular choice for privacy screens, but you can choose any plant, just make sure it’s evergreen or you won’t get the same effect in the winter. Alternatively you can use artificial flowers and plants to achieve privacy fast and colour all year around.
You can buy pre-built screens, or if you’re wanting a cheaper alternative just do it yourself. Since it will be covered in greenery you won’t see the underlying structure so simply tying some bamboo sticks together to make a grid will give you what you need.
5. Leylandii
We’ve mentioned Leylandii in a previous post; 6 Plants for a Low Maintenance Garden, but for those wanting to achieve privacy fast, this really is your best bet. It’s the fastest growing conifer in the UK, so you can buyer smaller plants, keeping the cost down, and still have an extra few feet of height and width within a year.