10 Wonderful Ways To Create Some Backyard Privacy & Enhance the Space

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10 Wonderful Ways To Create Some Backyard Privacy
Enhance the Space
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Living in modern Mississauga subdivision can feel
a bit like living in a fishbowl. This is doubly
true if youre in a new home with neighbours
sharing a yard on every side. And while its nice
to wave to John while youre outside at the BBQ,
sometimes itd also be nice for John not to know
the details of your dinner every night!Urban
sprawl continues unabated, and many of us live
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• in  very close quarters with our neighbours.
  Whats that old quote? Good fences make good
  neighbours? So said Robert Frost in his poem
  Mending Wall. Well, its true.
• Creating spaces in your backyard to maintain
  a level of privacy is a great way to enhance the
  space and make it feel more friendly and
  inviting.  Here are 10 ways to create some
  backyard privacy

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• 1. The Obvious Choice A Fence
• A standard wood fence is a good option,
  particularly if the point of the fence isnt just
  privacy. If you need to keep your pets and kids
  safe from traffic, a solid wood fence is just the
  ticket.
• A fence need not be aesthetically unpleasing
  either! If your neighbours will agree you can

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• you can trim it with lattice across the top,
  or at end points, where you can add some creeping
  vine or other greenery that will travel along and
  fill in the gaps a little.
• If youre not using fencing to keep people in
  the yard, you dont have to cover the full length
  and breadth of your yard.

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• Instead, use panels of fencing judiciously and
  in places where it will provide the maximum
  privacy. Surround it by bushes and grasses to
  break it up and make it look more natural.
• This is a great option if youve sitting on a
  larger track of land (lucky you!)

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• 2. A Natural Fence Made Of Hedges
• Privet and other evergreens like cedar are a
  great option to have year round coverage in your
  backyard. Running them along property lines makes
  a clear divider without being harsh on the eye,
  from a landscaping point of view.

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• The advantage to well planted privet is that
  it provides excellent coverage with a minimum of
  fuss and bother. You have to watch that you dont
  end up with too much weed and other plants
  popping up under or through the hedges, but on
  the whole, they are hardy and useful. The
  downside is that unless you plant it full grown,
  it will take a few years before your new hedge is
  doing its job.

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• 3. Trellises And Pergolas
• Placing a pergola over your patio area, or a
  trellis in the right spot, doesnt destroy the
  sightlines of your garden but can shield you from
  the prying eyes of the two-story house right next
  door. You can enjoy the breeze and sunlight while
  still maintaining privacy.

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• Adding climbing flowers or vines give a more
  natural feel, blending the addition into the
  garden more subtly.
• You can also do like the Europeans and grow
  grape vines over the pergola. When the grapes
  begin to grow they hang down and the look is
  enchanting. Ditto for wisteria, although grapes
  last longer. Just be aware that, if you plant
  purple grapes, they will stain the deck below.

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• 4. Put Up A Gazebo
• A gazebo has a lot of advantages. It provides
  shade and some privacy and if you get one that
  actually has window netting and a door, it will
  be a perfect reprieve from mosquitoes in the
  summer!
• Eating outside isnt always pleasant, thanks
  to bees, mosquitoes and other flying creatures,

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• but a gazebo can create a space that will
  allow you to enjoy your picnics in peace.
• Why not trim one side of the gazebo with
  lattice to provide more privacy? Or line the
  entire gazebo with bug mesh, so that when Rolf
  comes to visit your eldest daughter in a
  rainstorm, they can dance and sing around the
  gazebo without bug bites.

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• 5. Vertical Gardening
• This is a popular idea, particularly in
  smaller gardens where raised vegetable beds and
  other planting areas are more difficult to add,
  and its a useful solution for those who love to
  garden, but find themselves with an urban
  backyard the size

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• of a postage stamp.Build hanging planters on
  a wall of rods, which you then fill with
  vegetables
• herbs and flowers. Youve got an instant
  privacy wall and more space in the garden for a
  patio. Win-win!

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• 6. Multi Level Gardens
• By using raised beds at different levels, you
  can plant taller bushes, grasses and trees at the
  highest levels and use retaining walls to make a
  natural divider. By placing these strategically
  behind a terrace or seating area, your privacy is
  ensured.

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• Just make sure that you consult an experience
  hard-scaper before doing this yourself, so that
  you dont upset the elevation and disrupt run-off
  patterns.

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• 7. Outdoor Curtains
• Who doesnt love this trend? Each year we see
  more and more front-yard patios curtained off on
  the sides, and its beautiful.
• We suggest that you take the trend into the
  backyard too.
• Whether you have a pergola or a back deck,
  outdoor curtains are a great way to keep the
  breezes flowing and prying eyes out.

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• Even better if theyre hung on moveable
  frames, so you can place them where you want them
  and perhaps out of the path of a strong wind.
  White curtains always look best and provided they
  are machine washable,
• should look great throughout the warm season.

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• 8. Potted Gardens Around The Patio
• Particularly for a large yard, its sometimes
  easier to create a space within the space and
  protect one small part of the garden. Place
  potted plants, bushes and trees around a small
  raised patio or terrace in one corner of the
  yard, so as to maximize privacy

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• when you want to sit and read or chat with
  friends, without having to figure out a way to
  create privacy over a vast expanse.
• Another great option is to add trellis panels
  to planters and position them strategically to
  ensure maximum coverage

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• 9. Privacy Screens For Smaller Spaces
• If your garden is more like a tiny space
  out the back of your house or even a balcony, you
  can still add planters with lattice and climbing
  vines to create division.
• Another great option is a privacy screen. You
  can buy these or make one from reclaimed

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• shutters, and it has the advantage of being
  moveable. When the sun turns or your neighbours
  come out on to their open patio, you can set it
  up in such a way as to give a little privacy
  without putting in a permanent structure.

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• 10. Shade Trees For Larger Spaces
• In larger gardens, creating privacy and shade
  can be accomplished by strategically planting
  deciduous trees. You get a natural screen
  protection with the leaves and branches from
  other multi-level homes near you. And in the
  winter when the leaves have all fallen, you can
  have streaming sunshine

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• for your home. Planting deciduous trees is a
  longer term project, but well worth it in the
  end.
• However you enjoy your garden and green
  spaces, a little bit of privacy can go a long way
  to making these places another part of our home.
  Places where you can entertain or just relax
  after a long day.

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• Plan your garden privacy this winter so that
  come the spring, youre ready to go!
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