5 Landscaping Ideas for Creating Privacy in Your Yard

Lounging in your backyard, having a fire with friends, tanning in the sun… your yard should be an oasis for you to relax and enjoy! However, that can be difficult when there isn’t a barrier between you and your neighbors, especially if they’re the nosey kind. While you’re out there trying to enjoy a little slice of nature, you’re constantly weary of who might be watching. Living in a fishbowl isn’t fun, so we’ve compiled some privacy landscaping ideas for your backyard.

What Can I Use to Create Privacy in My Backyard?

Backyards come in all shapes and sizes, and there are a variety of features you can install for your enjoyment. But to enjoy them without the watchful eye of your neighbors or their house guests, you’ll want to install a barrier around your yard — or around the part that you want most private. Here are some landscaping ideas that will provide you with that privacy you’ve been waiting for:

Fences

The most obvious option is a fence. Fences can be aesthetically pleasing as they come in all different styles, heights, and colors. Just be sure to check building codes regarding fence heights and make sure you know where your property line lies. Since fences take up less space than other landscaping options, they can be a fantastic option for someone with a small yard or limited space.

Hedges

Hedges are another common option and one of the best choices for privacy! The greenery is gorgeous and stays full year round while simultaneously blocking your peeping neighbors from the view of your yard. These provide the same amount of coverage as a fence and can be just as tall if not taller, but they also look more natural and less manmade. A downside of hedges, however, is that you need to be sure to prune them regularly in order to maintain their shape.

Layered Greenery and Flora

Something people don’t usually consider as a privacy option is planting a multilayered divider made up of different trees, perennials, shrubs, and bushes. When it is used, this method of layering can look fantastic. It is one of the most beautiful privacy options you can choose, and you can customize the plants you pick so that no two yards look the same! Don’t be like all your neighbors, stand out with a layered privacy barrier. The downside with this one is that these take up more space as it does require a few feet in order to create enough layers to block out the neighbors.

Stone or Masonry Walls

Walls are another option for adding some privacy to your backyard. With all of the different styles, you can customize a wall that fits perfectly with your desired aesthetic. You can even match your fire pit! Walls tend to look more charming than fences do, but they can provide the same level of coverage. Given the strength of their materials, they also provide more security than a fence or plants do. Plus, they’re low maintenance.

Pergolas

If you’re looking to add some privacy, but don’t want to add a barrier around your entire yard, a pergola or singular deck wall may be great choices for you. Pergolas are small defined areas that are often used for relaxing. The enclosures can create the intimate feeling of indoors while still allowing you to experience the beautiful weather and Mother Nature outside. They are marvelous for adding vines, lights, or hanging baskets, creating a welcoming and delightful area to enjoy with your loved ones. These typically provide less cover than some of the other options above, but depending on your situation, they could be the perfect solution to your privacy problem!

How Do I Install My Privacy Area?

If you’re looking to create more privacy in your backyard, contact us at Nealon Landscape Services for a free quote! We’re well versed in both landscape design and installation, and we can add any elements you need to enhance your yard! With over 40 years of experience, we can also advise you on what options may be best for your specific situation — depending on your drainage options, climate, and maintenance desires. We’ll work with you to bring your vision to life and give you the privacy you’ve been missing.

Landscape Designs Trends For 2022

Many of this year’s trends seem to embrace the world we live in. By incorporating sustainability, a changing climate, and eco-friendly practices, it’s about embracing the beauty of our natural environments. Let’s dive right in with some of our favorite landscape design trends for 2022.

Edible Gardening

Growing one’s own food has become a brilliant landscaping option, thanks in part to the popularity of the covid garden. With the inflation in grocery prices, this trend doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.

If you are interested in growing your food this year, there are some excellent ideas to incorporate anything from a small herb garden to a kitchen garden—one of the more popular options being raised beds.

Raised beds have become preferable because:

• They allow you to easily covert lawn or patio space into gardening space.
• They require less soil to fill than digging out and filling a garden plot
• Less water is needed to hydrate your plants than if they were in the ground.
• You can modify them to incorporate a greenhouse lid and extend your growing season.

You can increase self-sustainability within your garden by incorporating a rain barrel and compost bin into your design plans.

Wildlife Gardening

Another trend that has become popular amongst nature enthusiasts is expertly using local flora to attract, and sometimes even repel, the local fauna! In other words, a wildlife garden. For instance, planting lavender in your herb garden will attract bees, and citronella in a pot on your patio will work to repel mosquitos.

Wildlife gardening works symbiotically with your natural surrounding to thrive. The bees come for the lavender, but they stay for the tomato blooms, fertilizing your garden in the process.  You can attract further wildlife species by incorporating feeders and water fixtures into your design. Go Wild!

Let’s Get Tropical!

Tropical plants are another prominent trend this year in landscape design, one that, despite its reputation, can actually grow in colder temperatures. Plants like hibiscus, hostas, ferns, and bamboo evoke a tropical feeling but are hardy enough to thrive in the cold weather too. In San Diego, we are lucky enough to call several tropical plant species our own. Add some bougainvillea, canna lily, lanta, palms, and hibiscus for a touch of native flora.

Indoors Meets Outdoors

When much of the world was locked down in their homes, outdoor living spaces gained popularity.

Some features that you can add to create your own outdoor living space are:

1. Fire fixture
2. Hot tub/ sauna
3. Bbq pit/ outdoor kitchen
4. Pergola
5. Deck
6. Ambient lighting
7. Tall shrubbery/ plants for privacy
8. Water Fixture

Building your own oasis just steps away from the comforts of home is what this trend is all about. When it comes to landscape design, trends are always excellent inspiration but feel free to go wherever your desires take you. For help getting there, contact Nealon Landscape Services.

As your one-stop-shop for all of your landscaping design, installation, and maintenance needs, Nealon Landscape Services can make your dream outdoor space a reality. Get a free quote on your dream yard today!