Sometimes, you'd like to show off your luscious summer garden – and sometimes, you don't. However, you don't have to enclose yourself with imposing cement walls, nor do you have to dampen your feeling of outdoor freedom in order to get some privacy in your garden. As you'll see below, a high fence can be made to look intimate rather than imposing, and a ceiling can be made to feel weightless. By using the foliage of your garden as an additional shelter from the outside world, you can create a sense of intimacy, no matter its size.
An otherwise boring white wall is given a breath a fresh air with the vertical bamboo posts and neat angular planters. The height of this garden fence provides a high amount of privacy while still creating a peaceful, relaxed feel.
The warm wooden garden fence is gorgeous as is, but the added height from the shrubs growing on top of it gives an additional screen from sunlight and neighbors. The exotic, jungle-like sense of intimacy is brightened with the pops of lively magenta, creating a lovely environment for late-night outdoor gatherings. The added greenery makes for a lush and robust environment that offers plenty of privacy for stories under the moonlight.
If you have what it takes to maintain a hedge wall (it involves a lot of trimming!), then consider taking it one step further, as these designers have done. Not only does the tall green wall provide privacy, it also provides a sense of glamour and whimsy with picture frames, mirrors, and even a television. The added spunk from the chandelier is enough to make you question whether you're inside or out! If you're ready to think outside the box, it could be that an interior designer can work with you to design an indoor-like outdoor space, creating a hybrid like this one.
You can only imagine how different this garden would feel without the added privacy from the ceiling trellis! This large backyard garden gained privacy – and shade – from the addition of this trellis. The placement of the two glowing lanterns are enough to offset the shade from the ceiling when dusk arrives. This example does to show that you may not have to build higher walls to achieve a sense of intimacy – the answer may be just over your head.
These designers were working with a very narrow garden space, so what did they do? They drew attention to the height of the garden with a random assortment of hanging planters. Another benefit of these hanging planters is the privacy that they provide – in an urban garden space like this one, the greenery above gives a sense of seclusion and space without completely closing off the outside world.
For more tips and tricks for working with small gardens, have a look at this clever ideabook.
If you're lucky enough to be facing a large outdoor area, you can add walls within your outdoor area to create more intimate, private sections. Here, a wooden frame supports a green wall, enclosing a private space for an afternoon drink or reading a good book. The benefit of this type of design is that you don't have to renovate your entire backyard – you simply create a cozy nook within it.
Here's the ultimate way to create privacy in your garden – simply bring a room outside. This clean, balanced design takes advantage of the wide-open space by placing an exclusive island right in the middle of it. With a light, translucent ceiling and the option of closing the curtains, this outdoor living room is truly an ingenious way to add privacy to a large space.