Sometimes it can be hard to live in a neighborhood. With windows that face each other and constantly wanting to spend time in your backyard, it may feel like they are always able to watch you.
Many homeowners find themselves in this situation, but don’t want to ruin the aesthetic of their home by trying to find ways of blocking their neighbors’ views. Or even others don’t want to offend their neighbors by cutting them off with landscaping.
Well, now you don’t have to compromise! There are plenty of landscaping options and aesthetically pleasing fencing options that can block a neighbor’s view without cutting them off as friends.
Landscaping Ideas to Block Neighbors Looking into Your Yar
Northland Fence has the best ideas for keeping your need for privacy aesthetically pleasing and affordable. There are so many creative ways to block your neighbors’ view through landscaping whether it’s a simple fence or some hedges.
When thinking about which option is best for you, there is something we recommend to keep in mind. Landscaping, while mostly easy, can be difficult for families with busy schedules. Certain aspects of your landscaping may require more hands-on work and maintenance. However other options are easy to simply set and forget for the most part! It all depends on your needs, wants, and availability.
Privacy Fences and Walls
Fences and walls are the most well-known and convenient form of blocking a neighbor’s view of your yard. They create not only the physical privacy that many homeowners desire, but the visual privacy as well.
Another option that many people find comfort in are outdoor screens. Since most of the time in the yard is spent on the deck or patio, outdoor screens can keep that part private. They tend to be lightweight and easy to fold over meaning you can move and store them wherever you need. Their mesh material also helps provide ventilation and keep them affordable while protecting your visual privacy
However, sometimes homeowners shy away from fencing because they think of an industrial style chain link fence or maybe the cedar fences you’d find on a farm. They can be hard to add to yards given their industrial looks and lack of nature to add to the landscape.
This need not be the case. Urban fencing has come a long way and most fence products are designed to be aesthetically pleasing and meet the many HOA requirements found in communities these days. Northland Fence fencing products are professional grade and the best in the business. We have a wide range of fencing options so you are sure to find something that fits your aesthetic expectations, privacy needs, and budgetary concerns. For those looking for material that gives a quality look to a home, vinyl and the many colors it comes in, is often a good option. For those looking for a really high-end look, ornamental steel or wrought iron are the best choice.
Installing a Fence for Privacy
The most obvious, popular, and easiest option for privacy is to install a fence between your yard and that of your neighbors. There are many traditional privacy fencing options to consider. Fences are great for those who want complete privacy. Additionally, traditional privacy fences can match almost any aesthetic currently in place.
When installing a fence for privacy, it’s important to know that many fences do not offer complete privacy. Unless you choose vinyl fencing, traditional fences will have pickets instead of a wall composition. While this will give your yard privacy and keep it separate from your neighbors, it will not necessarily block their view. If you’re specifically looking to block neighbors from peering into your yard, vinyl is the way to go.
Depending on your needs, a fence could be a great way to create the privacy you need without blocking out the rest of the world entirely. Privacy fences are bigger, affect the view of your house, and can create a bigger dent in the budget.
Vinyl Fence for Privacy
The most common type of fence for privacy fences is a full vinyl wall. A vinyl privacy fence maximizes the private space of your yard. It completely blocks any view from between slats or pickets by essentially creating a wall between you and your neighbors.
Vinyl privacy fences do require a bit more regular cleaning than other fencing options to keep up the aesthetics of your yard. Maintenance needs are non-existent, and just the occasional wipe down is needed to keep them looking beautiful, nothing even a busy family can’t handle.
This is the best option for those that want complete privacy and peace of mind when out in their yards. While a vinyl privacy fence can be on the higher end of the budget, many homeowners decide they are worth it because of their durability, great appearance, and the value they can add to a home. Adding a vinyl privacy fence to a property will be the last fence you need because they stand up incredibly well to Minnesota’s tough weather conditions.
Adding Greenery Aesthetic to Fences and Walls
Many people are hesitant to install a fence or wall because of the lack of greenery or aesthetic appeal. However, this should not turn you away from gaining the privacy that you deserve. So we’ve come up with some ideas to add the greenery to your yard that you are looking for without sacrificing privacy.
Growing Trees and Shrubs
If fences, walls, and screens are simply not what you are looking for to compliment your yard aesthetic, there are still plenty of natural privacy options full of flora and fauna. When thinking of natural options the two things to consider are vertical height and maintenance.
The two things that contribute to the most physical privacy are height and density. Obviously, trees and shrubs can be placed almost anywhere in your yard, but without the right height and leaf density, they will not afford you the privacy you are looking for.
Trees are fairly easy maintenance for privacy concerns, they only require some trimming about once a year. However, it can take a while for them to grow to the height that affords you visual privacy. In the meantime, you can install a fence or screen behind the trees that you remove after they are tall enough.
Shrubs are a bit harder to maintain. They consistently need trimming to be aesthetically pleasing. Without this maintenance, they can get sporadic and not match the nice look of your yard. Shrubs do have nice density in their foliage though. This creates visual privacy almost immediately after planting with no waiting period for more growth.
Growing a Plant Wall
A plant wall can also afford you privacy within your yard and is a very popular option among gardeners. These are a great way to reuse an ugly fence, or add some greenery to the privacy fence you’ve had installed.
However, a plant wall is not for the faint of heart. They are a lot of work to DIY set up. Drilling all the pots onto the wall and getting the right dirt and the right plants that can handle the wall setting. Then after it’s all set up, you must enact your green thumb to keep these plants alive and well!
A plant wall is meant to add to the aesthetics of a yard while maintaining privacy. For these, it is best to install a fence or a wall first to give it a stable backing. The great thing about plant walls is, if you find it to be too much for your lifestyle, you can simply take them down and still have the private wall that you need.
Adding Vines
Fences and walls are also a great backdrop for growing vines and gaining the aesthetic they have to offer. The first thing to consider when wanting to grow fence vines is to make sure that you are getting the right type of vine. Not all vines will grow well on fences. After you’ve selected the right vine type, visit a plant nursery and make sure that you are capable of giving your vines the space and resources they need.
If a fence is not necessarily available to you, you can also look into adding arbors or trellises to your yard. These structures will be filled with vines and continue to give you the privacy you want with vines.
Finding the Right Fit
There are many options to choose from when looking to add some privacy to your yard. For all of your fencing needs, Northland Fence has been serving the Twin Cities and surrounding communities since 2004. We are the largest family-owned fence installer in the state and proud of the work our teams do each and every day (even installing fences throughout the winter!). Northland Fence is ready to help scope out your yard and find the best fencing options for all your privacy needs. Call us today at 763-316-4881 for a free quote to start finding the perfect fence for anything you need!
FAQs About Landscaping Ideas To Block Neighbors
Why would I want to block a neighbor’s view?
Privacy is a necessity in today’s society where houses are so close together. Blocking a neighbor’s view will give you peace of mind that there are no prying eyes looking at your business.