12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (2024)

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To help every part of your garden feel like it has a distinct purpose, you may want to consider garden screening and there's a huge range of trellis, screening panels and rolls that you can use to achieve just that.

Multiple panels, trellis for climbing plants and statement-making garden screening can all help you carve out secluded pockets of the garden but screening is also a great way to increase privacy from neighbours and passers by.

Some screening is designed to attach to existing structures, such as fencing and pergolas, while others can stand independently and various sizes are available, as well as extendable versions which can be adjusted and moved as required. Screening also comes in a range of materials including natural bamboo and wood.

You can also create privacy in the garden by planting a tree, or a group of trees. Read about our recommended screening trees.

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Below, we explain how to get privacy in an overlooked garden followed by a selection of garden screening ideas, including all of the above options to help inform your choice.

For other decorative garden inspiration, we've also put together a round up of unusual garden ornaments as well as some useful garden mirror ideas. Plus, if it's seated or social spaces you want to create, see our garden seating ideas and guide to modern garden benches.

How to get privacy in an overlooked garden

The following solutions will help create privacy and a sense of seclusion in an overlooked garden.

Screening rolls

If your garden screening needs height or length, long sheets of lightweight fencing are ideal. Often made from bamboo or other woven materials, they're designed to attach to existing fencing or structures like a pergola or balcony. Garden screening rolls are also ideal for adding an extra layer of depth to prevent passers by or neighbours seeing in.

Trellis for screening

Trellis is a useful frame for climbing plants and a staple in the garden. However, trellis also makes excellent garden screening. Placing trellis above an existing wall or fence makes a natural garden screen, obscuring the view from neighbours. Larger sheets can also be used as dividers within the garden, to create quieter, defined areas for seating or socialising.

Screening panels

To create a more solid privacy screen a wide variety of specific screening panels are available. They can be used in combination to surround and hide a smaller area of the garden from view or as stand-alone statement panels to help define a patio or terrace space. Some panels are extendable or portable, so you can adjust the areas you want to seclude at different times of year.

12 of the best garden screening ideas

Browse our selection of trellises, rolls and panels below.

1

Willow Natural Fencing Screening Rolls

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (1)

Ideal for creating privacy in an overlooked garden this natural willow fencing comes in four-metre rolls. It can be attached to existing boundaries to extend the fencing's height as well as provide additional coverage. You could also surround a pergola to create a secluded area, separate from the rest of the garden.

Dimensions: 4m x 1.5m

Price: from £39.99

Buy Willow Natural Fencing Screening Rolls from Thompson & Morgan

2

Wilko Expanding Willow Fence

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (2)

Gardeners on a budget will appreciate this expanding willow trellis from Wilko. For just £5 and the cost of a climbing plant you can create some effective screening that won’t break the bank.

Dimensions: 180cm x 90cm

Price: £8

Buy the Expanding Willow Fence from Wilko

3

Trellis Panel

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (3)

These rectangular panels from B&Q feature a square trellis design for a more uniform, contemporary design and can be combined to create a private area, made more secluded by growing plants over the fencing. It can be mounted both horizontally and vertically, and comes with a 10 year guarantee.

Dimensions: 63cm x 1.83m

Price: £31.20

Buy a Trellis Panel at B&Q

4

Lattice Trellis 4 Pack

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (4)

If you have a lot of climbing plants to support, check out this 4 pack of trellis from B&Q. Made of sustainable FSC timber, it’s strong and durable thanks to pressure treatment and it comes with a 15-year anti-rot guarantee.

Dimensions: 1.8m x 0.6m

Price: £160

Buy the Rosemore Lattice Trellis 4 Pack from B&Q

5

Patio Side Awning

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (5)

If you have a balcony garden, this side awning is great for privacy. It’s collapsible too, so you can create a secluded spot when you need it, or alternatively, fold it up should you want a more open space.

Dimensions: 1.4m x 1.4m

Price: £34.69

Buy a Patio Side Awning on Amazon

6

Verdure Large Garden Screen

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (6)

These stylish panels can be used alone or in combination and there's a choice of two thicknesses and three colours available: black, grey and cream. The garden screening is UV treated to help protect it from fading in the sunlight and it can also be installed horizontally or vertically, depending on what works best for your outdoor space.

Dimensions: 1.8m x 90cm

Price: £100

Buy Verdure Large Garden Screen at Screen with Envy

7

Honey Rattan Weave

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (7)

For neat and uniform garden screening, this honey coloured rattan weave is a great choice. Its natural tone is understated so it won't draw the eye, making it ideal for screening unsightly bins and it's resistant to UV and frost. Made from non-toxic plastics, it's also safe for pets and wildlife.

Dimensions: 1m x 1m

Price: £26.99

Buy Honey Rattan Weave at Amazon

8

Forest Garden Fence Top Trellis Diamond Lattice

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (8)

Giving you extra height and privacy along the top of your fence, this trellis is great for introducing climbing plants like clematis, wisteria, and honeysuckle, which are not only beautiful but turn your fence into a living green wall.

Dimensions: 1.83m x 30cm

Price: £22

Buy the Forest Garden Fence Top Trellis Diamond Lattice from Wickes

9

Extendable Instant Fence

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (9)

This handy wooden trellis fence is a useful, practical option as it can be extended and retracted according to your needs. It's free standing, so there's no need to attach it to existing fencing and the diamond pattern would work well supporting plants such as ivy or climbing roses.

Dimensions: 80cm x 1.6m (extended) / 80cm x 27cm (closed)

Price: £98.99

Buy Extendable Instant Fence at Amazon

10

Arched Trellis Panel

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (10)

These arched panels are made from pine and feature the trademark criss-cross of traditional trellis. The wood has been pressure treated for long lasting protection and they are ideal for creating a sense of seclusion in a corner of your garden.

Dimensions: 9cm x 1.8m

Price: £68

Buy Arched Trellis Panel at B&Q

11

Rowlinson Garden Creations Corner Set

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (11)

This coordinating corner set is made from pressure treated timber, guaranteed against rot for 10 years. Ideal for a patio or terrace space, the set includes two screens, planters with liners and timber posts, so you'll have everything you need to set up an attractive garden divider instantly.

Dimensions: H1.83 x W1.04 x D1.04m

Price: £389.99

Buy Rowlinson Garden Creations Corner Set at Robert Dyas

12

Vedant Bark Privacy Fence

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (12)

This screen offers a natural, woodland feel, and because it’s made from bark, it’s easy to cut it to exactly the size you need.

Dimensions: 1.7m x 40cm

Price: £105.94

Buy the Vedant Bark Privacy Fence from ManoMano

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This product guide was last updated in August 2022. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.

12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy (2024)

FAQs

How to make a garden privacy screen? ›

We'll throw in a few garden furniture ideas to enhance the privacy of your space as well.
  1. Choose a Pergola With Side Shades. ...
  2. Cultivate a Living Wall. ...
  3. Consider a Cantilever Parasol. ...
  4. Screen the Poolside. ...
  5. Nurture Flowering Shrubs. ...
  6. Go Contemporary With Glass. ...
  7. Layer your garden with stone retaining walls. ...
  8. Cover Up Unsightly Areas.

How to make your yard private without a fence? ›

Simple ornamental grass, such as red fountain grass or ruby grass, in a gallon-size container may start around $25.
  1. Install Outdoor Privacy Curtains. ...
  2. Landscaping Ideas to Block Your Neighbors. ...
  3. Plant Backyard Privacy Trees. ...
  4. Ideas for Building a Privacy Fence or Pergola. ...
  5. Install a Simple Lattice Fence.
Apr 16, 2024

How do I screen my neighbours? ›

  1. Investing in a beautiful garden should mean that you can enjoy the landscape without views into your neighbour's home, overlooking windows or unappealing scenery. ...
  2. Pleached Trees. ...
  3. "Courtyard Oasis" ...
  4. Fencing. ...
  5. Black-stained fencing screens the neighbours. ...
  6. Layers of Planting. ...
  7. 'A Garden For Birds & Bees'. ...
  8. Well Positioned Trees.
Mar 27, 2023

How do I block neighbors' views into my yard? ›

Although fences and brick walls can do the trick, adding an extra divider, screen or plant barrier can block your neighbor's two-story view for good. To create your secret retreat, freestanding privacy screens, wood slat partitions and partially enclosed pergolas are effective (and nice to look at).

What plants make the best privacy screens? ›

Evergreen shrubs for privacy
Common nameBotanical nameSun/shade
Japanese PierisPieris japonicaFull Sun to Part Shade
Skip LaurelPrunus laurocerasus 'Schipkaensis'Full Sun to Shade
Hick's YewTaxus x media 'Hicksii'Full to Part Shade
Arborvitae (Emerald)Thuja occidentalis 'Emerald' or 'Smaragd'Full Sun
13 more rows
Feb 13, 2024

What is the best tree for blocking view? ›

Fast-Growing Privacy Trees to the Rescue
  • Leyland Cypress. ...
  • Spartan Juniper. ...
  • Sky Pencil Holly. ...
  • Green Giant Thuja (Arborvitae) ...
  • Emerald Green Thuja (Arborvitae) ...
  • Flowering Dogwood. ...
  • Weeping Podocarpus. ...
  • Goldspire Ginkgo. For privacy trees that are as beautiful as they are functional, try lining your yard with Goldspire Ginkgo.
Mar 15, 2024

How to create a natural privacy fence? ›

Softscape fences can include options like bamboo hedges, tall shrubs, or even planting a line of evergreen trees that maintain their look year-round. You'll have more options if the area is sunny, as many shrubs and flowering bushes require at least six hours of sun per day.

How to make a privacy fence cheap? ›

If you can find a good source of free pallets, a DIY wood pallet fence can be one of the cheapest options for a privacy fence. Pallets come in a few sizes, but the most common standard dimension is 48 inches by 40 inches, which means it can be on the short side for a fence.

What can I use as a privacy fence? ›

Metal privacy fences, made with panels or sheets of metal, can offer a simple, modern look. Corrugated metal tends to be lighter and more budget friendly than wood. A metal privacy fence also doesn't need as much care as a wood fence.

Can I use a privacy screen without a fence? ›

Want a quick way to make your above-ground pool private without having to build a fence? Simply take a privacy fence screen and wrap it around posts attached to your pool. You'll want a screen that's durable and waterproof so it won't be damaged when you splash around in the pool.

What is an alternative to bamboo fencing? ›

Reed fencing is an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to traditional plastic or wood varieties. It looks similar to bamboo, except it's much thinner. Even the jumbo variety is less than half the diameter of bamboo.

What to do if your neighbor is watching you? ›

Here's what to do if your neighbors are spying on you:
  1. Collect evidence.
  2. Try speaking with them directly.
  3. Seek legal advice.
  4. Contact local authorities.
Aug 23, 2023

What is the best evergreen tree for privacy? ›

Evergreens like Arborvitae and Leyland Cypress are excellent for privacy, creating dense barriers that shelter birds. Holly varieties, with their dense foliage and berries, offer both privacy and a vital food source for birds during scarce winter months.

Can you put up a privacy screen without a fence? ›

If you happen to have a set of old shutters around your home, know someone who no longer needs them, or you're willing to rummage through a few antique stores, you can put old fixtures to good use by creating a privacy screen. Fasten at least two or three shutters together and use them as an upcycled privacy fence.

How much does it cost to build privacy screen? ›

A typical price for a Outdoor Privacy Screen is $179 but can range from approximately $9 to $613. What are common materials for Outdoor Privacy Screens? Vinyl/Polyresin, Wood and Composite are among the most common materials for Outdoor Privacy Screens.

How do you anchor a privacy screen to the ground? ›

Freestanding DIY Privacy Screens

Post anchors can simply be driven vertically into the soil. If working on concrete, post bases screwed into the concrete using wedge anchors will do the same. This type of hardware also makes it easier to plumb your post, ensuring that it's perfectly vertical.

References

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