In your outdoor area, you want to relax to your heart's content - if possible without being observed. But not every garden or balcony has the necessary partition to protect against onlookers or passers-by. In that case you may need a little help! We give you tips for various privacy ideas for your garden, balcony and terrace that are both effective and decorative.
Privacy screen for terrace and garden: Ideas with plants, wood etc.
People who want to feel comfortable in their own garden or on the terrace usually don't want to be disturbed. But this only works if you are shielded a little from prying eyes. So don't forget a privacy screen when designing your garden to make the outdoor area more comfortable! Depending on which privacy screen ideas you choose, you also have the advantage of having a windscreen for your balcony, garden or terrace.
But before you start building fences and planting hedges, be careful! With property boundaries, you always have to find out in advance how high they can be and whether approval is required. Even with hedges, there may be a legal minimum distance from the property boundary.
It’s best to check with the local building authority! Once everything has been clarified, you only have to decide on the variant that is ideal for your needs and tastes.
Garden fence as a privacy screen
A classic way to delimit the garden is to put up a fence. Before you erect the fence, you should carefully measure whether there is an incline somewhere in the ground in order to get the most uniform result possible.
If you're a little handy, you can even build the privacy screen yourself. Popular materials for a garden fence include wood, metal, WPC, plastic, stone or opaque glass. A combination of different variants is of course also possible. It is only important that the fence is made of weatherproof and robust material.
If you choose a garden fence as a privacy screen, you have different design options:
- Privacy protection with a wooden fence: Wood lends cosiness, and a wooden fence combined with weatherproof outdoor lounge furniture can give the impression of an outdoor living room. Since wood is versatile, there are numerous design variations, from the slim, Nordic style to wide country-style fence slats. It’s also nice if the wooden fence is combined with furniture from the same material to create a harmonious overall look.
- Metal fences with climbing plants for privacy: Metal fences are usually a little more expensive, but also offer different design options. A nice variant are lattice fences, which are surrounded by climbing plants such as ivy or roses.
- WPC as privacy protection: WPC stands for Wood-Plastic-Composite and denotes a thermoplastic composite of wood and plastic. The material is weather-resistant and moistureresistant and is therefore particularly popular for outdoors. WPC fences are available in numerous designs and offer long-lasting privacy.
Robust and decorative privacy screen: Gabions
Gabions are cages filled with stones that are becoming increasingly popular as part of modern garden design. Natural stones such as granite or sandstones are mostly used for the filling, but paving stones, gravel, pebbles or bricks can also be used. In principle, however, the cages can be filled with anything - the only important thing is that the filling is weatherproof, frost-resistant and pressure-resistant.
Gabions are a creative and extremely stable solution to shield your garden or terrace from curious outsiders. They harmonise very well with modern garden furnishings such as rattan furniture. Another advantage is that they also serve as noise protection in addition to privacy protection.
A garden wall: the ultimate privacy screen
A stone wall provides a particularly robust partition. Light colours such as warm shades of sand should be used so the wall doesn’t appear cold and is a bit more homely. As an alternative, your garden wall can of course also be painted and designed as you like. White looks particularly noble and, with colourful plants placed in front of it, creates a homely picture.
Mobile privacy screen: Partitions in your garden
People who appreciate flexibility are well served with mobile privacy protection ideas in their garden. Partitions in different designs can be set up for this purpose. Regardless of whether they are made of wood, plastic or other materials - the walls provide privacy when it is needed and can be moved at any time.
Privacy with plants
A hedge creates a natural frame around your garden or terrace and conjures up an idyllic picture. It can be adapted precisely to your needs by deliberately choosing plants with a certain height or by cutting back the hedge. In addition, a hedge is usually more durable than a fence. However, it does require a certain amount of attention because it needs to be trimmed and maintained at regular intervals
The selection of hedge plants is large, so there’s something for every taste.
- Thuja is popular for hedges because it is frost hardy and offers tight protection. However, it has to be trimmed regularly.
- Holly provides a real eye-catcher in the garden and inspires with rich green and small red splashes of colour. However, it isn’t easy to care for because it should only be trimmed with a mechanical hedge trimmer.
- Cherry laurel is a beautiful eye-catcher, especially in Mediterranean terraces or in gardens. In general it isn’t complicated, but the poisonous leaves and seeds should be kept away from children.
- Yew is not very demanding and grows both in the shade and in the sun. However, it requires a lot of patience, since it grows very slowly.
- Boxwood is well suited for smaller hedges and is very compatible with trimming. However, this plant also takes time to grow and only reaches an impressive height after many years.
Parasol as a privacy screen
A large parasol can also offer a little privacy if it is placed correctly. A flexible cantilever parasol is particularly suitable for this. The height and angle are adjustable so it can be placed exactly as you need it. And you can just fold the parasol up to make it disappear. A parasol not only protects against sunlight, but also against prying eyes!
Privacy screen on the balcony: Ideas for balcony partitions and more
In addition to shielding from prying eyes, it’s just as important that a balcony privacy screen takes up as little space as possible. So a complete border with a large hedge is less suitable, especially for small balconies. Depending on the design of the balcony, not only does the screen need to block the neighbour's view, it also needs to block the view from below. You will find a few effective privacy screen ideas for your balcony here.
Balcony privacy screen with bamboo and climbing plants
Plants are ideal as a screen to get more privacy and at the same time bring a little greenery to your balcony. Bamboo is particularly suitable for this because it grows in dense perennials and stays nice and green even in winter. On mild summer nights, it also rustles comfortably in the wind and creates an exotic atmosphere. A screen can also be made from the bamboo tubes themselves.
But even if space is limited, you can even plant smaller hedges on your balcony. Some conifers, such as dwarf juniper or small thread cypresses, are small enough to be placed on the balcony.
If you get a lattice, you can also use climbing plants such as ivy, hydrangeas or grapevines for privacy.
Privacy with flower boxes
You don’t necessarily need to use climbing plants to create privacy.
Tall flower boxes made of stylish wood or stone can also serve as a privacy screen and can be planted with flowers or herbs. The material can be chosen so it fits your balcony furniture well.
Privacy mats
If you don’t have a green thumb, you can simply get a large privacy screen mat that is clamped on the balcony or even completely frames it. There are a lot of possibilities here, from a bamboo mat to coverings made of awning fabric. Such partitions are not just a shield, but can also serve as a pretty design element.
People who want a little more privacy to relax in their own outdoor area are well served with these privacy screen ideas. The best thing to do is always to pay a little attention to your furniture to create a coherent overall concept for your garden, balcony or terrace!
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