Spring is the perfect time of year to enjoy the outdoors in your Gainesville landscape: not too hot, not too cold, and the mosquitoes aren't out yet. Below are some tips to add privacy to your outdoor living space so that you can enjoy your yard even more.
*Property-line plantings can provide year-round screening and are typically not restricted by municipal ordinances limiting their height. Where space is tight, as in a side yard, fast-growing columnar evergreens like Italian cypress and Podocarpous or a sheared Ligustrum hedge can provide a simple solution for separating adjoining yards or blocking sight lines out a kitchen window.
*In larger yards, planting a mix of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and perennials creates a more naturalistic look, especially if you layer plants, grouping them in odd numbers. Stagger evergreens in the background, and in the foreground step down the height with deciduous material to provide texture, depth, and color.
*Newly installed pools, patios, and playgrounds may require a visual buffer in a hurry. A 6-foot solid board fence is the quickest way to add year-round screening, but be sure to check local HOA rules regarding fence heights (and any other restrictions). It may also be the best solution in a side yard, where space is tight, since fences have a smaller footprint than plantings.
*Screens made from lattice, shutterlike louvered wood panels, or sections of ornamental iron with anchoring posts can be set into the ground to enclose a cozy corner or make a U-shaped structure that preserves desirable views. Confederate Jasmine vines also work great on these structures for more screening as well as adding a scent to your outdoor space that will bring a smile to your face.
*Even if you're not literally seeing eye to eye with the neighbors, you might still be close enough to hear their conversation. Or you may be bothered by intrusive traffic noise or buzzing AC compressors. In such cases, adding a water feature to your privacy plan can mask unwanted sounds with pleasant white noise. These range from off-the-shelf, plug-in units that sit on a table or hang on the wall to custom designs that become a major focal point.
Feel free to contact us today if we can assist with implementing any of these ideas, or creating your very own backyard living area.