8 Tips for Privacy in Your Backyard | Refresh your bio

If you’re looking for privacy in your backyard, you can do a few things to create a more private space. Here are eight tip ideas:

It’s the summertime, and the grind is real. Whether you are working, retired, or working from home, it’s nice to go into your backyard and relax in peace. Sometimes you get the peace part, but other people want to see it. We are talking about those who have unofficial access to your personal space. They don’t have a top drawer or a spare key, but they have a window that gives them the best view. Introducing the neighbors.

Sometimes our first reaction is getting defensive, annoyed, or plain frustrated. You figure if you just tell your neighbors off or make it clear one time, all will be well. Unless you plan to move out the next day, this never ends well. So to keep things cute and quite lovely, I’ve got 8 tip ideas in this blog post that help make it a win-win.

Plant Evergreens

Evergreens will provide year-round privacy and can be a beautiful addition to your landscape.

Giant Arborvitae

I love the Giant Arborvitaes because they are reliable, evergreen, and grow really big. The green giant arborvitae grows up to 60 feet and will spread anywhere from 12–20 feet at maturity. It grows 3 feet each year in a cone shape and makes a great privacy screen and windbreaker. If privacy is an immediate concern, I won’t go less than 6 feet. You might have to go significantly taller because you will lose about 2 feet once planted in the dirt. Also, 2 or 3 feet apart will provide a snug fit for privacy. Keep at least 3 feet away from the fence.

Thuja Arborvitae

These are more slender than the giants and grow nicely packed in a group. They also make great additions to flower pots and planters and can instantly add a sophisticated appeal. The Thuja Aborvitaes are also evergreen and keep prying eyes at bay!

Drapery

Drapery makes an excellent choice for adding privacy from your neighbors. You can buy poles online and secure rods cemented in flower pots or fastened to the exterior of your home. Skip these steps if you don’t need to make a frame. Add some drapery to give that cabana feel. It is a great option to set up and let it flow!

Accent Walls

I added this to my backyard porch and love it. It gives you a privacy screen, but you can also add plants! Keep in mind the space and your sunlight. You don’t want to make it too close that you lock yourself in. Keep the gap wide enough that you can get sun exposure and visual space from prying eyes.

You can add good dirt for your natural plants that help with balancing over or underwatering. Also, If you don’t have time or patience for the upkeep, you can blend in some faux plants and call it a day. Or, you can go pick up some ornamental grass and plant away.

Build a planter box with a privacy screen.

You can build or get one made and place it in front of a neighbor’s easy views like a low fence or a window.

Plant Bamboo

Bamboo makes a great privacy screen, but it is pretty invasive. It spreads and can potentially poke out of concrete at some point in your yard or your neighbor’s. You can get the real or artificial ones. Place them in tall flower pots and planter boxes. You can also add a plant stand to give more height.

Areca Palm

These are thicker palms and can last longer than most, in my experience. I live in zone 7 and wanted tropical vibes as much as possible during the pandemic’s peak. These palms lasted until October in some brutal winds and did the job. You can buy several and place them close together, and voila! Now you have your tropical vibes and a beautiful screened design.

Build or buy a Folding Room Divider

If you don’t have a back patio or awning, you can build a 3 or 4-panel divider. Make sure the wood is for outdoors, get some hinges, add a fun coat of paint and some decorative grasses, and you will instantly have lesser views. I used a panel divider indoors and had it on my back porch, covering the hose and holding some garden supplies on hooks that I screwed in for extra storage. I garnished it with a wreath and spruced it up with a spray paint update, and it’s been going strong ever since.

Make nice with your neighbors.

Sometimes people are curious and want to get to know more about you from a distance. For whatever reason, you piqued their interest. And a friendly neighbor relationship can help them tone it down. Adding shrubs, building walls, and bigger plants and pots can give you some space but may not always keep prying eyes away.

There is nothing wrong with having some privacy, but sometimes, there will be times and situations that we can’t control. Try establishing a good neighborhood relationship or work on shaking it off more. In some cases, it might make them want to look even more! Either way, good neighbors are priceless, and it’s easier to have a good relationship and more privacy when they know they have a good neighbor in you!

You can use these tips and tricks to create a more private backyard, no matter how big or small your space is. I hope these tips help you find the best privacy ideas for your backyard! If you have any other great tips, please share them below in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

Lesley D. Nurse is an expert writer in self-care and breakthrough books for adults and children. You can visit her book collections, including audiobooks, here for more information.