Creative Ideas for Backyard Privacy

Plant Trees and Flowers

• You can use nature to create backyard privacy that is both eye-appealing and healthful for the environment. Plant trees inside your property line that are tall enough to create a screen. Evergreen trees might be the most effective, as they remain full year round and will allow you to maintain your privacy. Plant flowers in between the trees for a colorful, blossoming treat during the spring and summer months.

Plant Bamboo

• Bamboo plants are also another natural solution to a common problem.These plants are easy to maintain and grow tall in a short amount of time, creating ample privacy. It is best to plant the bamboo in large containers spaced across the perimeter of the yard. When bamboo is planted in the ground, the roots grow unchecked in every direction, often affecting surrounding root systems. Also, you don't want bamboo that your neighbor didn't plant popping up in their yard.

Install a Trellis

• Trellises are a creative alternative to fences. Although they create the illusion of privacy, they don't separate property lines with the solidity that fences have. Using a trellis also provides an opportunity for natural enhancement; you can plant ivy, vines, and climbing flowers along the trellis that will grow to create the look of standing foliage. This view is something that can be enjoyed from both sides of the property line, thus improving the aesthetic beauty of a neighbor's property as well.

Install a Screen

• If you have a patio or deck on your property, you can screen the side/s to create some privacy. This creates the feeling of having a "room" inside your back yard. It provides a wall to place chairs and tables against and opens the area up for barbecuing and other parties. Another benefit to the screen is that, while it partially shields your property from view and creates the look of privacy, you can still look out and see through the screen.