Landscaping For Privacy

Many of us dream of own private oasis outdoors. Even with the best of neighbors, a secluded spot out of others’ sight is a welcome respite. Large or forested lots tend to offer privacy right from the start, but many home sites need to plan for privacy, or screening, if they hope to have it. If your home is a new build, that presents a challenge right for the start, as your whole lot is most likely bare dirt. Also, many of the popular communities in the area, like Flying Horse, Sanctuary Pointe, Cordera, Wolf Ranch, NorthFork, and The Farm, tend to have smaller lots, as well as regulations that might limit what you can do to create some privacy. Looking to add a little privacy?

Fencing:

Often the first choice, the aptly named privacy fence presents a good option. However, elevation changes between lots can negate the privacy factor. If you, or your neighbors, are planning on spending time on an elevated deck, any type of fencing isn’t going to offer you any screening. Also, many HOAs that restrict fencing heights and types. Many HOA are requiring split rail fencing, which does nothing for screening.

Trees and Shrubs:

Trees are one of the best options for screening to create some privacy. Evergreens are going to give year round privacy. If you know you’re not going to be utilizing an area during the cold months of the year, deciduous trees, specifically a clump or multi-stem specimen, also work well. Depending on your lot, we can often use a spade truck to bring in an already mature specimen, and the jump in price between a nursey grown specimen and a spade tree might surprise you; while it is going to cost more, there is excellent value per foot in upgrading, and it provides an immediate effect. If your space feels too tight for a tree, there are columnar varieties of many species, like Juniper, Arborvitae, Serviceberry’s, and Buckthorns that grow tall and tight, so there are screening options for any space.

Shrubs make a great option for screening too. There are varities of Lilacs, Viburnums, Burning Bush, Ninebark, Forsythia, an Peashrub that grow big enough to provide nice screening. Most of them come from the nursery small, but that makes them available at a very affordable price, and some are occasionally available in larger sizes too.

Plants provide an attractive, natural screen. Using plants for screening provides some options too. You can have a wall of evergreens and full privacy, however, people often find they don’t need to have that level of screening. Sometimes just some well-spaced trees and/or large shrubs to break up the openness will leave you feeling a lot less exposed.

Man-made screening:

Just because you aren’t allowed privacy fencing doesn’t me you can’t build something to give you a little privacy. Rules vary by HOA, but over the years we’ve come up with a number of options to give our customers a secluded spot. A courtyard wall will give you an intimate place of solitude to sit and relax. We’ve also built ornamental screens over the years to provide full and immediate privacy, this technique is great if you want hot tub in a small back yard. An open trellis structure with climbing vines is also a beautiful way to screen your outdoor space.

Looking to carve out a quiet, peaceful spot in your landscape? We can help!