Front yards are a showpiece – a place to meet neighbors, to catch up on community news and for indulging in a passion for gardening. Backyards can be a place to entertain and chill out, or they can be a place of refuge to get away from the bustle of everyday life and unwind in peace and quiet. To be able to truly enjoy your backyard, you need privacy. No matter how friendly you are with the neighbors and how well you interact with them, there are times when you do not want other eyes observing you (or your family). People often hesitate to block views into their backyards for fear of being thought of as unfriendly. Putting up a fence or doing something else to keep your backyard private cannot be rude if it is a part of a planned landscape. Here are some classic backyard landscape ideas that will give you the privacy you want in your backyard without making you appear “unfriendly.”

• Using wooden fences is an old and trusted way of demarcating your personal space. They give you the privacy you want and you can choose the height you prefer – medium height so you can chat with your neighbors over it (remember Wilson from “Home Improvement”?). Or you can make it higher to give yourself complete seclusion. As long as you observe zoning and other laws, no one can object – it is a part of your landscape.
• A hedge is a great way to have a green curtain around your backyard. It can add to the beauty and freshness of the area while blocking the line of vision into your yard.
• Bamboo is a great way to build a natural wall around your yard while also giving it a touch of the exotic.
• If you have a large backyard and want a part of it to be more private, create a secluded section by having a patio bordered with shrubs and/or small trees.

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Also Read: Ideas to Create a Simple backyard landscapes

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• For a balance between privacy and openness, think about a pergola. While it will not have walls, the wooden columns and beams will obstruct the view from outside while still giving those in it a view of the yard.
• To increase the privacy of the pergola, fill in the sides and top with creepers and other climbing plants.
• Create a vertical garden – a frame filled with flowering plants, herbs and vegetables that will add to the lush greenery of the yard while also adding to your privacy.
• Create a sunken area in the yard surrounded by short plants and shrubs. This will give you privacy while also keeping the space feeling open.
• A trellis is a tried and tested way to easily block prying eyes from looking in.

These are a few of the many ways by which you can ensure that your backyard remains a private space away from prying eyes. What must be kept in mind is that the method of screening must blend in with the overall look and feel of the yard and the way you use it. The best way to ensure this and have access to more privacy options is to consult a professional landscaping company that has the artistic and horticultural expertise to work with you to create the extravagant or simple backyard landscape with the privacy you want.