If you’re like many homeowners, you extend your living space outdoors with a deck, a porch and landscaping effects. But to feel truly relaxed, what you really need is privacy. While fences and walls can do the trick for privacy, landscaping can be more appealing to the eye—and less expensive!
Creating privacy with landscaping has never been easier with the help of professional landscape designers, but it’s also something you can do yourself. With some knowledge and creativity, you can create “living” walls and fences for privacy—trees and plants that are used as a more affordable alternative.
Landscape Design for Privacy
It’s important to remember that your unique space—and your budget—will dictate types of plants and trees you should use. You’ll want to be sure to choose options that are suitable to your sun, shade, and moisture conditions on your property. Additionally, you should choose plantings that the deer or other animals will be less apt to eat. To achieve the perfect level of privacy, landscaping options include:
Trees
For optimal privacy, trees are a natural option, especially when you mix and match different sizes. From yellow, blue and green evergreen trees, to species of flowering trees such as Dogwoods, Stewardias, Maples and Oaks, your options are endless. With proper planning and care, a landscape design for privacy should only become more and more beautiful through the years. To add aesthetic interest, you can add a second tier of lower lying flowering shrubs that offer varying color throughout the seasons. A privacy landscaping can provide functionality, curb appeal and a boost to the resale value of your home.
Trellises
Another beautiful way of creating privacy with landscaping is to build an intimate garden space with a freestanding trellis draped in plants and flowers or even edible options such as vegetables and fruit. A trellis is essentially a structure made from wood, iron, copper, plastic or aluminum designed to support plants. When it comes to landscape design for privacy, certain plantings grown on trellises can create a screen while still allowing air and light to pass through. Best of all, they don’t take up much space. Wysteria, Clematis and Honeysuckle are beautiful options for your trellis provided you have the proper site conditions.
Hedges
Formal and informal hedges tend to be less expensive than a fence and offer a natural look for your privacy landscaping. As short or tall as you like, hedges can even block out wind or traffic noise, and provide a home for wildlife. You’ll want to choose hedges that won’t grow taller or wider than you require or else pruning will become a constant chore. Also, do your homework. Deciduous plants will cause your living screen to disappear in the winter when they lose their leaves. For year-round privacy, evergreens are a better option.
Berms
A berm is an easy way to add interest and height to the landscape design for privacy—especially for flat lawn space. These mounded hills of dirt create subtle, natural-looking beds and when combined with plantings or trees, offer a boost in height to give you a faster privacy screen. Privacy is best achieved by using evergreens or by using a shrub with a very dense branch structure.
Your home should be your sanctuary from the outside world. Creating privacy with landscaping is the secret to escaping a noisy neighbor while you’re trying to relax on your patio. There’s never been a better time to make privacy landscaping a top priority.
