The Most Effective Ways To Screen Your Garden From Overlooking Neighbours
After investing a lot of time and money renovating your garden, you want to spend as much time as you can outdoors. However, for a lot of people, this may seem impossible because they are surrounded at all angles by overlooking neighbours.
Even if your neighbours are not nosy or loud, knowing that you can be seen can prevent you from spending time outdoors. After all, the garden should be a relaxing space where you can unwind and enjoy the benefits of fresh air undisturbed – but this won’t feel possible when you’re surrounded.
As leading landscapers, Taming Mother Nature has helped countless clients create their dream outdoor space, no matter the surroundings. Using our skills in gardening and design, we are sharing the most effective ways to screen your garden from overlooking neighbours to create a private retreat on your backdoor step.
How To Screen Your Garden From Overlooking Neighbours
Protecting your peace does not have to come at the expense of garden design, as there are many clever ways you can screen your garden.
By learning how to screen your garden effectively, you can enjoy more time outdoors, experiencing the benefits of nature and appreciating the beauty around you.
Preventing overlooking neighbours from interfering with your time spent outdoors can be done using natural screening, hardscaping and even portable options based on your budget and requirement:
Fencing
Perhaps the most obvious and popular way to screen your garden is with fencing. Fences are a way to secure your landscape and define the boundaries of your property. They can also be an excellent tool for privacy, as fences of up to 6 feet can be installed across the UK without planning permission.
Fences are a way to visually screen your garden from overlooking neighbours, preventing them from seeing into your landscape when outdoors.
There are several options for fencing to ensure seamless integration with any style of property, including traditional timber and composite. The privacy provided by fences can be enhanced by planting shrubs or climbing flowers against them.
Trellises and lattices can also be installed to add more height, but permission will be required from your local authority if this takes the height over 6 feet.
Evergreen Trees
To create a natural barrier to your garden that can obstruct view and even sound, choose evergreen trees. Species such as conifers, laurels, or privets provide year-round greenery and lush, dense leaves for maximum coverage. These can be planted against existing barriers, such as your garden fence, to heighten privacy or used in place of.
Trees are a stunning way to define your property boundaries and can complement any property style. With the dense leaves, sound can also be muffled, allowing for higher levels of privacy when planting to screen your garden. For more planting ideas, see our post Year-Round Garden Beauty: Seasonal Planting Made Simple.
It is important to note that some trees require regular pruning, and you may want to hire professionals like our tree surgeons to shape these barriers to prevent them from becoming overgrown.
Pergolas
A pergola can be a beautiful and functional addition to any outdoor space, offering shade and privacy where you need it most. Commonly installed over patios or terraces, pergolas can be a great way to create a closed-off environment that is ideal for dining or relaxing.
These are an effective way to screen your garden, as additional panels can be added to the sides for more privacy. The top of pergolas can be shaded, making them comfortable in all weather conditions as well as protecting you from view from above.
Pergolas are a lasting investment and a great way to make your garden more functional, while also helping to screen you from overlooking neighbours.
Outdoor Curtains
Whether attached to an existing structure, like pergolas, or used individually, outdoor curtain screens are an excellent portable solution to privacy.
If you want to screen a particular area of your garden or require more privacy when hosting, portable options like curtains are your best bet. Available in a range of shades and materials, outdoor curtains can complement your garden design.
To learn more about garden design and how to make the most out of your landscape, see our post Garden Design Made Simple: How We Take You from Consultation to Completion.
Water Features
Enhancing privacy in the garden is not just a visual thing, but auditory too. Your peace may be shattered by your overlooking neighbours being loud, chatting and playing music at all hours of the day. Alternatively, they may be too quiet, which makes you feel uncomfortable when talking to guests in your own garden.
Whatever the situation may be, running water features such as waterfalls can be a highly effective way to screen your garden. The constant noise from the running water makes it harder for neighbours to hear your conversations, as well as effectively muffling any other background noise, so you can host, entertain or relax in peace.
It also provides the added benefit of being very tranquil, creating a welcoming ambience that your guests will appreciate. Water features add a sense of elegance and luxury to the garden, making this an excellent decision for both privacy and design.
To make the most out of your garden and create a space you can’t wait to be in, see our post Upgrade Your Summer With These Outdoor Living Ideas.
Conclusion
Spending more time outdoors is easier when you do not have an audience. If you are dealing with overlooking neighbours, implementing these privacy features can be a great way to screen your garden and create a secluded environment.
From fencing to plants and water features, you can get creative and make an outdoor environment that is comfortable and attractive. Being surrounded by other properties should not hinder you from enjoying time outside, and it no longer has to once you implement these clever techniques.
At Taming Mother Nature, we specialise in bringing out the best in your outdoor space, no matter the condition or size. We offer a range of landscaping and gardening services, including garden design, to help bring your dream garden to life. With experience working with countless clients across the region, we can deliver the precise care your landscape needs.
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For more landscaping and garden design tips, check out our blog or reach out to the team today.
FAQs
What are some of the most effective ways to screen your garden?
Using a mix of natural and structural solutions is the best way to enhance garden privacy. For example, using evergreen trees as a living barrier, with composite or timber fencing for solid coverage. Trellises with climbing plants can be used to add height and soften the screen, ensuring complete coverage.
Can I screen my garden without building permanent, expensive structures?
Yes, there are plenty of portable and flexible options for garden screening, such as outdoor curtains. These can be used to screen your garden, whether attached to pergolas or used on their own, providing privacy where you need it most.
Is there a way to block out noise from neighbours as well as their view?
Absolutely! We recommend installing running water features to generate a soothing ambient sound throughout your garden that masks nearby noise. This makes your garden not just more private, but more relaxing.