Now that gardens are evidently the new spare room, privacy is key to making the garden feel like any other room in the home.
Of course, the shed is taking on more responsibilities (and insulation) to accommodate our growing home needs, but how do we make the garden as sheltered, physically and visually, as the rest of the home?
If this is your dilemma, a garden product specialist gives us food for thought in designing a private garden.
Privacy: Proof of Good Home Design
“Gardens are increasingly becoming extensions of the family home,” Jenny Davis, Head of Marketing for Forest Garden, says, “and it is paramount to create a space that isn’t overlooked so you can enjoy it to its fullest potential.”
As we know from the shed extension trend, it is hard to balance budget with local permission and needs. If you’re not keen to go through the legal hoops to extend your space, the garden is the perfect place to add a room on a small budget with a tight deadline. But privacy is what differentiates the domestic space from all else which can be difficult to achieve in the garden.
“There are many ways to make a garden more private, but enhancing privacy begins with identifying the specific reasons why your space feels overlooked. Is it open and overlooked from ground level or are you overlooked from above with neighbouring first-floor windows looking straight onto your garden?” she asks. “Maybe you’re in a rental property, with low-level boundary fencing and you don’t want to invest in 6-foot fence panels.
“There are several effective garden privacy solutions available, it’s a case of finding the perfect one for your garden’s needs,” Jenny adds.
Garden Privacy Solutions
Jenny suggests garden screens. Garden screens offer privacy from neighbours and also help to section off the garden (which can be helpful if you have indoor and outdoor zones).
Garden screens can also be freestanding, which is great for renters looking to make non-structural changes. The freestanding screens often have planters so that you aren’t just looking at a stand-in wooden fence, but can beautify this outdoor divider.
Overhead structures like pergolas and arches allow for overhead privacy from upper floor neighbours. If you want a private corner for reading or brunch, a corner pergola is an option that adds visual interest and charm to your garden.
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