Create A Private Retreat With These Best Landscaping Options To Transform Your Backyard 

The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto

Backyard privacy ideas can be as simple as adding one wall of wood or greenery to building a full enclosure to block out unpleasant views, traffic, or a neighbor’s prying eyes. Even if you live in a densely populated urban area, solutions to add privacy to your outdoor space can include unusual items like curtains or balcony balustrades covered with trellis and greenery. When planning for outdoor seclusion, consider thick plants like yews, bamboo, and even lilac bushes for living privacy fences, hedges, and walls. If you are looking to build a hardscape privacy fence from wood, stone, or metal, check your local ordinances for height and other proximity restrictions. For inspiration, follow these backyard privacy ideas from design experts to gain privacy and block unsightly views.

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  Install Privacy Panels

  

  Paradise Restored

  Wood fencing encloses this long, wide backyard near Portland, Oregon, and additional wood lattice panels add architectural interest and create privacy. “We always like to add a private retreat in the landscape as an escape for people to have some downtime,” explains Kim Thibodeau of Paradise Restored in Portland. “The pathway in front of the privacy screens leads to the retreat.”

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  Make a Feline-Friendly Slatted Rooftop

  

  Lynn Gaffney Architect

  This rooftop environment in New York’s Chelsea district belongs to a creative couple—a theatrical lighting designer and a costume designer/artist—who collaborated with Brooklyn-based architect Lynn Gaffney and her team. A large wood water tank on the rooftop serves as design inspiration for the adjacent trellis-like enclosure that has deliberately uneven spacing to adjust for privacy, sound, light filtration, and even keeping the couple’s cats from escaping.

  “Since this is an urban rooftop, the concern was that the two cats would run and fall off,” Gaffney says. “So we had to measure their heads and make sure they couldn’t fit through the screen. It’s one of those things we never thought we’d do, but it worked.” The cats love their outdoor freedom above their owners’ loft, where they can safely admire a garden with trees, shrubs, vines, and container plants.

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  Cover Fences With Greenery

  

  Stefano Marinaz Landscaping

  The owners of this stylish formal garden in West London wanted an elegant outdoor space to entertain. Stefano Marinaz of Stefano Marinaz Landscape Architecture framed the perimeter with hedges, while fencing mounted on top of the existing boundary wall added privacy.

  Fences are an easy and effective way to achieve privacy in a yard, though don’t forget to check your local ordinances for height and placement. For fencing materials, Marinaz prefers hardwoods over softwoods. “Hardwood lasts longer; it’s like iron,” Marinaz says. “It’s more expensive than a softwood, but it’s more durable and nicer.” If you can’t put up fencing, consider planting trees, hedges, or vines. Marinaz favors evergreens from the Taxus genus.

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  Hang Potted Plants on the Privacy Fence

  

  Gregory Dean / 13 Design Lane Interiors

  Sometimes a design feature can be multipurpose, which is especially useful in small spaces. Because their neighbors’ deck is very close, the owners of this coastal home in Manzanita, Oregon, wanted designer Laura Sabo of 13 Design Lane Interiors to create “lots of privacy.” Sabo says a cedar wall “did the trick. The homeowner requested slats to hang wall pockets, along with a shelf for potted plants.”

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  Build Around a Tree

  

  J. Michael Tucker / Ohashi Design Studio

  Architect Alan Ohashi of ODS Architecture in Emeryville, California, found clever ways to work with a huge old tree at a house situated on a busy street. The tree was pruned to reveal its sculptural branches, and it gently rests on an elegant fence that faces the street. Moreover, a new sandblasted-glass gate and carport walls provide additional privacy while allowing light to shine through.

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  Create an Enclosure With Dark Wood

  

  Linda Oyama Bryan / Rolling Landscapes

  One way to attain privacy in a yard is by creating a “room” with three or four walls. Unlike an interior, the walls of outdoor rooms can be real, implied, or both. Designed by Rolling Landscapes, the rich, dark wood enclosure of this backyard in Burr Ridge, Illinois, adds architectural interest in the garden while providing a cozy seating area with a custom gas fire pit. Plants provide additional privacy.

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  Make a Focal Point Wall

  

  Rooftopia

  The challenge in designing an urban garden is to create privacy screens without making them blatantly obvious. Jenn Lassa and Marcin Matlakowski of Rooftopia in Chicago succeeded with a vertical wood wall that is appealing both day and night. Architectural elements, such as the fountain, wall planters, and vertical succulent piece, are artistically lighted for a relaxing focal point.

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  Try a Custom Fence

  

  AFLA

  The owners of a two-story home on a narrow lot in the San Francisco area wanted a yard that wasn’t overpowered by their house. Andreas Flache of AFLA Landscape Design included a fun entertainment space with a hot tub, gas fire feature, and long bench. To gain privacy, a custom linear fence with hickory stain was built around the property, providing seclusion while remaining inviting. Horizontal fence panels are interspersed with shrubs, woody ornamentals, and perennials to soften the appearance. Entry to the home is through a fenced, open-air courtyard.

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  Use a Living Wall

  

  Urrutia Design

  Urrutia Design created a richly textured, dark green living wall for this outdoor seating area in Mill Valley, California. To prevent it from becoming an overgrown, uninviting forest, the shrubs must be pruned often and precisely. Furthermore, don’t think that a living wall means you shouldn’t design with other plants. Choose plants you like, keep them healthy, and enjoy the scenery.

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  Make a Curtain Screen

  

  Alicia / Thrifty and Chic

  DIYer and blogger Alicia of Thrifty and Chic finally found a way to get some privacy in her yard after several years of dealing with neighbors whose big house on a hill gave them a great view of her backyard. “So after years of feeling a lack of privacy when hanging out on our porch, I finally came up with an idea! A cute little privacy screen that resembles the look of a pergola,” Alicia says.

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  Build a Private Raised Terrace

  

  Genus Loci Ecological Landscapes Inc.

  Fences help with boundaries, but they don’t always offer privacy. By building a raised dining terrace with high walls—sort of like a permanent wooden screen—the designers at Genus Loci Ecological Landscapes were able to give their Toronto-area clients the privacy they requested in an otherwise exposed backyard. Just make sure such a structure is permitted in your area.

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  Use Extra-Tall Privacy Hedges

  

  Chauncey Freeman / Fifth Season Landscape

  A wall of privacy hedges, along with a fence, create intimacy for the wood deck and built-in seating area at a home in the Eugene, Oregon, area. Chauncey Freeman of Fifth Season took advantage of the hedges’ height and added a little evening ambiance: strings of lights that swing from the shrubs to other high parts of the yard. And even if you didn’t want to put up a fence, these condensed hedges can create privacy all on their own.

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  Try a Vine-Covered Trellis

  

  Arrow Land + Structures / Houzz

  An outdoor structure, such as a trellis or an arbor, can easily block neighbors’ views and add privacy to your yard. Plant a fast-growing vine to quickly get the full effect. A freestanding cedar trellis is part of a design created for a homeowner in Wilmette, Illinois, by landscape architect Marco Romani of Arrow Land + Structures.

FAQ

• How can I make my backyard private cheaply?

  Adding drapes, a single wall, off-the-shelf decorative panels, or a store-bought gazebo can add elegance, style, and privacy for little cost.

• How can I add privacy to my yard without a fence?

  For a fenceless, but private yard, add a gazebo in a strategic area of your yard. Pull the curtains when you desire extra privacy.

• What can I plant to block neighbors’ view?

  Plant barriers are beautiful and effective. For best results, try fast-growing poplar trees (if you have room) or arborvitae. But if you have no time to waste, consider bamboo, but check your town’s ordinances to make sure there’s no restriction against planting this grass that is oftentimes considered invasive.

• How can I make an inexpensive privacy screen?

  Make a DIY privacy screen out of trellis or fence boards, for example. Check out more DIY projects that use simple materials for a big impact.

Enjoy endless hours in your backyard without worrying about too much exposure to the sun—or curious passersby. These solutions can help make your property a place of refuge.

Create a Peaceful Space

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While front yards can be great for gathering with neighbors and catching up on the latest community news, backyards are often a place of refuge, where privacy is treasured. If your backyard is a bit too open for your taste, consider adding features that offer more seclusion and intimacy. Whether you turn to nature for a living border or get out the carpentry tools to create a structure from wood and nails, you have plenty of options for achieving the backyard privacy you and your family desire.

Photo: istockphoto.com

1. Construct a Classic

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Common in neighborhoods across the country, wood fences are practically an outdoor staple. With a variety of woods to choose from, ranging from light to dark, and just as many style choices, wood fencing does more than boost backyard privacy—it also boosts design. Compared with other fencing materials, wood is also relatively inexpensive and, with proper construction and routine maintenance, long lasting. So long as you have basic woodworking knowledge, a DIY wood privacy fence is well within reach.

2. Grow a Living Fence

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Hedges have been a privacy landscaping hallmark for centuries, particularly along property lines. One advantage is that, depending on your choice of plant material, a well-planned hedge can reach virtually any desired height. The downside? It takes either lots of money or lots of time to establish a long, high hedgerow. Plus, hedges need a fair amount of maintenance. But with the right placement, even a hedge of modest proportions can be very effective.

RELATED: 11 Living Fences That Look Better Than Chain Link

Photo: istockphoto.com

3. Fill in with Bamboo

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A built-in bonus of turning your backyard into an exotic tropical retreat? Natural privacy. That’s because bamboo, an essential for any tropical space, grows tall enough to shield your cozy hideaway. Plant it on its own or use it to fill in gaps around pergolas and fences. Take care, though: Bamboo is invasive and should be planted only in beds or in containers with strong barriers.

4. Fold Out a Private Enclave

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Wide-open yards are great for a lot of reasons—but they’re not ideal for private outdoor spaces. Build an intimate corner into an expansive backyard by bordering a patio with small trees and shrubs. Then, anchor your patio furniture with a simple structure like the one shown here. Unlike a traditional privacy screen, the open frame permits light and wind to pass through, resulting in a space that’s both breezy and cozy.

5. Put Up a Pergola

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For a little privacy without the worry of blocking a stunning backyard view, consider building a pergola. Even though it stands without walls, its wood columns and beams still offer some obstruction for neighbors who might be looking in. A pergola is an exceptional choice for placement atop an elevated deck, as seen in this lofty example.

6. Plant Your Pergola

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If you want a pergola with a little something extra—specifically, coziness and shade—fill in the structure’s sides and open top with twining plants. The crossbeams and posts make the perfect base for climbing greenery, especially in a sunny site. The overall effect is serene and romantic as well as intensely private. It may take a while for the vines to make it to the top—but it’s worth the wait!

7. Hang Out with Your Greenery

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Here’s another take on a living fence: a custom-made vertical garden. Fill it with vegetables and herbs or flowering plants ready to overflow. No matter your choice of greenery, the decision to garden in hanging planters will both screen your yard from outside view and free up space for lounging, grilling, and other outdoor activities.

8. Elevate Your Style

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If you’re rethinking your backyard altogether, you may be able to build privacy from the ground up. Cascading landscapes achieve this in a discreet yet picturesque way. Here, a backyard’s multilevel design showcases bushes and trees planted at varying heights, creating a secluded retreat that still feels open and airy in the middle. These terraced setups can also increase backyard decor options by spacing out elements such as hanging baskets and birdbaths on different levels so that all are highlighted without crowding one another.

9. Go Modern

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Corrugated metal is one of the more modern-looking fencing options on the market. Its industrial quality seriously shields your backyard from curious onlookers while contributing yet one more texture to the common palette of stone, gravel, and concrete. Found at home improvement stores and purchased in budget-friendly sheets, these metal fences are also extremely durable, ensuring a long-lasting privacy solution for your space.

10. Try a Trellis

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Whether simple or elaborate, store-bought or custom-built, a backyard trellis provides a direct yet self-effacing solution to the privacy problem. Even as the structure interrupts sight lines, it admits softened breezes and dappled sunlight. Plus, as the ideal support for any number of climbing plants or flowering vines, a trellis can become an attention-grabbing focal point in the design of your outdoor living area.

11. Conceal with Curtains

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Just as valuable in your backyard as they are in the bedroom, a few opaque panel curtains will both block your view of neighbors and further establish the sense of an outdoor room. If you’re able to mount them, curtain rods are the easiest way to keep your panels in place. Consider hanging curtains along the sides of a porch, pergola, or custom corner unit like this one.

12. Hog Wire Fencing

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Consider framing welded wire fencing, sometimes known as hog wire or field fence, to create beautiful one-off panels or contiguous fencing. Various panel sizes with various apertures are available so you can build custom privacy that’s perfect for your backyard. You can even buy some field fencing material in rolls. After the panel or fencing is in place, plant quick-growing evergreen vines to scramble up the wire and provide even more privacy.

13. Rock-Solid Gabion Walls

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Wire cages filled with rocks or stones, gabion walls are an attractive blend of modern and ancient— Egyptians used them 7,000 years ago as flood-control devices. DIYers can fashion their own cages using field fencing or can purchase ready-to-use cages. Source rocks from your own property if you’ve plenty, or purchase stones from a local rock yard to complete your project. Either way, you’ll have a substantial, statement-making privacy wall.