Six ways to use plants for privacy according to gardening expert
Privacy can be rare if your garden is overlooked by other houses. To prevent neighbours peeking into your garden or to just create your own private sanctuary of peace, Paul Parker, CEO of plants and perennials specialists J. Parker’s, shares his top tips for how to achieve privacy using plants.
Block sight lines
“An arbour, pergola or gazebo are all easy ways of increasing privacy if you’re overlooked by upper windows. Cover any of these structures with beautiful climbing perennials or trailing plants to truly create your own natural private space. Varieties such as clematis, climbing hydrangea, and wisteria, are great for adding privacy to your garden, also these climbing perennials are flowering vines that will come back year after year!”
Cover up fences with evergreen climbers
“If you want to disguise fences, balcony railings or rooftop spaces, evergreen climbers are a fantastic solution. Star Jasmine would be my top choice, it’s a hardy, vigorous grower with glossy evergreen foliage, so it’s the perfect all-year-round cover. In summer, it bursts into fragrant, star-shaped flowers that fill your garden with an enticing scent.
If you don’t have a surface to grow against, create a living fence by planting shrubs or small trees close together to make a natural wall of privacy. Varieties like golden privet hedging or, for a shorter screen, Salix (like Flamingo Willow) are trendy options that work well to cordon off designated areas in your garden.”
Fill in gaps with bright annuals
“If you are looking for a quick fix and want help filling the gaps in while your perennials and shrubs take their time to establish, planting colourful annuals will provide you with the privacy you need this summer. You can use taller annual varieties such as sunflowers, foxgloves or sweet peas to create temporary screens or brighten up existing screens. Simply plant them into a row and consider adding a trellis or fence to give them extra support as they grow.”
Add bushy potted plants
“Growing bushy potted plants helps give you the cover you need, and they're mobile so you can move them around whenever you like. It’s an easy way to improve privacy that also adds a good dose of foliage to your outdoor space. Choose plants that have a good width spread to grow a privacy wall of foliage.”
Create bamboo screens
“Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants out there, making it perfect for creating a natural privacy screen. Just be careful because some varieties can spread fast and take over your garden if left unchecked.
To keep things under control, grow bamboo in large, heavy pots to stop it from spreading and also to keep it stable in windy spots. You’ll still get those tall, dense canes that are ideal for blocking out a peaceful corner in your garden.”
Include fast-growing ornamental grasses
“Grasses can be used easily to create internal screens or hedges that flower beautifully, move in the slightest breeze, and need little care during the summer months. I recommend silvergrass or pampas grass to not only conceal your garden, but to introduce interesting textures. Their fast growth rate makes ornamental grasses ideal for privacy hedges because new plants can rapidly fill in any gaps.”
