Hey everyone! I live in a mid-terraced house where my fences aren't very tall, and I can see my neighbors eye to eye. While they are really nice, it makes me feel awkward about going outside. I'm excited to start my first garden, but this is really holding me back. I'm looking for recommendations on privacy trees or potted plants that would work well in my small, sunny garden, which has both soil and patio areas. I'm not interested in bamboo, but I'm stuck on what to search for. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
For smaller gardens like yours, I’d recommend going for hedges instead. They provide great coverage and don’t have to be evergreen since you probably won’t be outside much in winter anyway. There are some fast-growing options, though they can be expensive for mature plants. You can use shrubs like photinia, privet, or mahonia, and mix them up for a varied look! Just keep in mind you'll need to do a bit of pruning to keep them at your preferred height.
I tackled a similar issue by putting up a trellis and growing a white-flowering solanum on it. It’s compact, easy to maintain, and blooms for quite a long time, making it a great choice for added privacy without being overwhelming. Just make sure to regularly check on it!
I had the same privacy dilemma and initially put up a trellis, but honestly, it didn’t provide enough coverage. A year later, I swapped it for feather edge panels, and that made a HUGE difference. I found most of the wood for free through Facebook Marketplace, but next time I’d buy new wood from a timber yard since the dry ones last way better. Now I've got a lovely garden setup with ivy on one side and the panels on the other, and I can enjoy total privacy. I also tried adding clematis to the trellis initially, but they didn't grow thick enough to shield me as much as I wanted. Having a taller gate helped too! Seriously, don't underestimate the value of good privacy in your space.
Have you considered evergreen pleached trees? They can be a bit pricey, but they’re fantastic for creating privacy and look really nice in the garden!
Bamboo in pots can be a great solution for privacy! They grow quickly and you can relocate them as needed without the risk of spreading everywhere. A couple of other cool options to consider are Pawlonia and biomass willow in containers. They've got the height without the spreading issue. If you're willing to wait a bit, native hedges like blackthorn and hawthorn could work well too, although they won't provide instant results. Just keep in mind that many privacy plants lose leaves in winter, so year-round coverage can be tricky without evergreens like Leylandii. Using trellis with some evergreen climbers can also help.