Landscaping Design Ideas to Add Privacy to Your Yard
Your home is your castle, and you protect it with fencing, door locks, and a home alarm system. When you’re spending time outdoors, however, you don’t necessarily want to install a 10-foot wall around the perimeter to ensure the privacy needed to enjoy your yard in peace.
Landscape design can play a crucial role in obscuring sight lines from neighboring yards and even cutting down on noise pollution that could invade your outdoor sanctuary. You might not have the first idea about how to utilize landscaping elements effectively in this regard, however, which is why some professional help is probably in order. Still, here are a few tips that could help you to ask the right questions when you seek landscape design services.
Trees and Bushes
Your Rock Valley, Iowa property may not have a lot of square footage to work with, which means thinking up instead of out. Trees and tall bushes are ideal for filling your space with greenery, minimizing the impact on usable yard space, and providing the privacy screen you need to eliminate prying eyes. Even better is the fact that you can find trees and shrubbery that maintain their foliage year-round so you can have privacy in your yard throughout spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Creeping Vines
Installing full-grown trees and bushes in your yard can be expensive, especially if you’re covering a fairly significant perimeter. The alternative is to install saplings or younger trees that could take years to mature. Shrubbery could grow faster, but still take at least 2-3 years to fill in.
In the meantime, consider adding latticework and creeping vines. This is especially useful if you’re dealing with chain link fencing or slats that have gaps where neighbors can easily see through into your yard. Fast-growing vines can provide you with at least a measure of the privacy you want while more robust trees and bushes grow.
Layering
Variety is the spice of life, and you certainly want a feast for the eyes when it comes to your landscaping. However, biodiversity is also smart from a practical standpoint. Suppose you spend years growing a row of beautiful elms along your property line only to have it completely annihilated by disease.
Layering your landscaping with a variety of trees, shrubs, flowering plants, and more not only adds color, depth, and dimension to your privacy screen; it also helps to protect you from loss.
Potted Plants
Privacy isn’t just for the backyard. If you want to enjoy your front porch or other areas of your yard that are generally open to view, consider installing a small container garden with a variety of levels to add targeted zones of privacy.
Native Plants
Any time you install new landscaping you want to consider maintenance. While privacy and visual appeal are probably your first concerns, make sure to speak with your landscaping expert about native plants that are more likely to flourish in the environment. The last thing you want is for pests, disease, and the elements to destroy your plants and your outdoor privacy in one fell swoop.