As much as we love people and communication, sometimes we need privacy, and we don’t like other people’s curious views at all. And that applies to staying in the house, as well as to drinking morning coffee on the terrace or in the yard. The first thing that comes to mind is to put a solid wall along the border of the site, however, there are better solutions for this problem.
Why fence a brick or profiled sheet fence to hide from neighbours and passers-by if plants, screens and other elegant garden objects can perfectly cope with the task of protecting the site from prying eyes. To create a secret corner, free-standing screens or wooden partitions, partially enclosed pergolas are very effective and look great. Plants are also a great choice. Regardless of the material, landscape designers believe that the key to solving the privacy problem is in the location of these objects.
Fence and green spaces
Building or remodelling a home, or planning a garden, is the best time to take into account all the nuances. Think ahead of the curve.
You need to take into account not only the wind rose and the level of the sun above the horizon in different seasons. There are requirements for the level of height and transparency of the fences. Especially where they run along the boundaries of adjacent areas. Discuss everything about fencing right away with your neighbours. Do not neglect the prescriptions of good neighbourliness: negotiations, compromises and other points of view.
Who said that a protective green belt cannot be planted next to a low and light-permeable fence? Just do not place fruit trees and spreading shrubs here, no matter how compact the site is – this is another reason and temptation to come closer or reach out for someone else’s fence.
Green fence
Curly roses
This fence is very beautiful during the flowering period, which lasts from early summer until the onset of frost. Thanks to the thorns and the intertwining of the branches, it is an insurmountable obstacle.
Clematis
Very beautiful during the whole warm period of the year. For the formation of hedges, choose shrubs that are not older than two years, which are planted in the fall. Clematis grow best in open places.
Ivy and grapes
These plants look beautiful on the support due to their foliage, which grows densely, protecting the area from dust and foreign eyes. Such hedges can be formed from different varieties of plants.
Fast growing trees
Plant fast growing trees around the perimeter, the fastest growing of which is eucalyptus.
They do not impose special requirements on the soil, are sufficiently drought-resistant and tolerate pruning well.
Windows, terraces, porch
First line of defence: outer perimeter, gates and wickets. Second: approaches to the house and openings through which light and air enter.
Moving the porch of the house or the entrance to the terrace is too expensive and costly. But it can be masked with trellises with climbing plants, at the same time getting a shadow where it is needed. They are also appropriate if the windows behind which you spend a lot of time face the street. Another benefit: less dust.
For terraces and balconies, as well as window frames, slatted screens and folding blinds-screens are suitable, which will hide you from prying eyes. Do not forget about awnings and openwork canopies-supports over the windows for the same fast-growing climbing vines.
Lovers of the “green” lifestyle will surely love the idea of ??using solar panels as a visor.
Garden paths
When the path leads directly to the house, prying eyes follow it. But if you round off the paths and hide their turns behind multi level trees, bushes and flower beds, prying eyes can be avoided. If you still want straight lines, think about diagonals.
Pergolas, gazebos, tents
If possible, move the open seating area under a roof. Pots with small trees and fragrant herbs in combination with other vertical gardening techniques will come in handy there and will hide you from prying eyes.
At ground level, you can arrange areas for barbecues, afternoon and evening gatherings. Protection from rain (awnings, tents) will help here, which will also allow you to hide from passers-by.
If you don’t want to make a roof or a canopy, the ?fence within the fence? technique is useful for such corners. The shape of the fences depends only on your imagination.
Evergreen trees planted closely to form a living wall by shearing. Vertical beds or lattice walls topped with flower boxes. Gabions, wattle. And even textile screens: removable, easy to clean and breathable. Optional rectangular: pick a sail shape and pretend you’re in a seaside resort.
Winter Garden
Where it is fresh and damp, free-standing or adjacent to the house construction with the provided ventilation solves several problems at once.
First, it cut out sounds: glass does a great job with this. Secondly, to maintain a comfortable microclimate: you can not only to dine or drink coffee in it, but also sleep under a glass roof, contemplating the stars. Thirdly, you can please yourself with plants that do not survive in the open field, and use them as a natural curtain from prying eyes.
A couple more quick solutions
When the season is about to start, there is no time for radical changes.
-The four-slope garden umbrella can be framed with folding screen trellises. For stability, they are fastened to boxes for plants, but so that the structure can be disassembled in a matter of minutes. Add to them removable curtains or mesh screens, and the summer pavilion is ready.
-A frame with braids or slats can be put on wheels and moved in the wake of the sun.
-Folding wicker or perforated screens can be moved from place to place almost instantly and set as you like.
-Another solution, is to build a space divider that will serve as a woodpile for firewood and brushwood and solve other storage tasks along the way. And decorative and utilitarian.
-Making an open shower fountain with a transparent wall of water behind which you can hide? A good idea where if you don’t save on water.
-Even slats of the right size, threaded into the cells of a banal mesh-netting, can add privacy.
-Keeping intruders at a distance with barbed wire or broken glass is certainly not worth it. But prickly pear, which is enough for very little soil in a container on top of the fence, is both decorative and works as a watchman perfectly.
-Experienced gardeners recommend setting up a kind of shelter for beneficial insects, such as bees, in a stone outer wall or plinth of a lighter fence. Hollow dry stems, buds, and drilled wood planks will do. Bees will not only pollinate the plants in your area, but they will also scare away the curious.
Indoor solutions
Draperies and curtains
Draperies and curtains can help protect you from prying eyes. The only problem is that in that case you will deprive yourself of daylight, so you will always be in the dark. So, it is better to use them only at night. Also, keep in mind that long curtains collect a lot of dust.
Tint
If you don?t mind that your room will get darker, there is another solution. You can tint your windows, but keep in mind that if you tint even a part of the window, you can say goodbye to a well-lit space with natural light.
Decorations
You can place different decorations along the windows that can protect your privacy. Tall plants can be used for this purpose. The only problem you will have is difficult access to the window, but you will definitely have more light than in the case with the curtains.
Blinds
You can also use blinds to give yourself privacy. Nowadays, quality blinds are gaining more and more fans. If earlier blinds were used only for offices, today almost every house has them. By choosing the right blinds, not only will you protect yourself from prying eyes, you will also add decoration to your home. There is a huge selection of types, materials and colours. Our recommendation is to choose good quality double blinds.
What about soundproofing?
Capital external fences and buildings around the perimeter of the site work even better than green spaces. But they will give an ideal result in combination: add a layer of soil and a continuous carpet of plants to the supporting structure with the help of vertical gardening and get a sound-absorbing structure with an additional bonus of thermoregulation.
It is more difficult with openwork, mesh fences. When houses in the neighbourhood are too close to each other, even the sound of a powerful air conditioner can trigger migraines. For such cases, you can come up with special noise-absorbing coatings made of multilayer materials with various fillers. They look like a quilt.
Conclusion
We hope that these tips will help you achieve the privacy you want. Everyone should feel calm and peaceful in their home without feeling that someone is watching them. With the help of these tips, you will have your own space and freedom to yourself. Good luck.
As the editor of the blog, She curate insightful content that sparks curiosity and fosters learning. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, she strive to bring diverse perspectives and engaging narratives to readers, ensuring every piece informs, inspires, and enriches.
