2 days Ago By Millie Bull
With summer just a few months away, many Britons will be getting their gardens ready for outdoor dining, social events , and relaxation. Pruning , tidying, removing weeds, and cleaning patios and fences are just some of the ways homeowners will prepare their gardens for the warmer months. Another task homeowners may need to do at this time of year is adding privacy and screening to their gardens.
If your garden is overlooked or has an unsightly feature that needs covering up, planting certain shrubs and hedges could be the answer. Plants can add privacy and screening to gardens and can cover up broken fence panels, tired-looking sheds and stained walls. However, gardeners will need to make sure they choose the right plants to create privacy.
Luke Dejahang, gardening expert and director at Crown Pavilions has shared exclusively with Express.co.uk how to add privacy to gardens using plants.
The gardening expert said the "key" to adding privacy to gardens using plants is to create "layers" and to use spaces you already have. For example, if you already have a pergola in your garden, you can use it to start growing climbing plants. He continued: "Clematis or wisteria will grow and wind up the sides of the pergola, although reaching full height may take a year or two due to the plant growing around three metres per year.
"But with time, the plant growth will reach the roof of the pergola. This will fill in the gaps, adding privacy so that your neighbours can't see directly down into the pergola where you may be sitting." Peter Mortin, gardening expert at Crane Garden Buildings suggested planting shrubs, evergreen plants and climbing plants as a "natural and subtle way of adding privacy to your garden space".
Mr Mortin suggested planting hydrangeas and hibiscus plants to add privacy to your garden. He said: "The hibiscus not only grows to great heights, but it is also a flowering plant so will provide visual interest to the garden alongside that feeling of security. "These shrubs can be planted around the edges of your garden, but it is best to leave a gap between the plant and any fences, especially if you are incorporating hydrangeas into the display.
"This is because they are exceptionally leafy and can grow quite large width-ways." Evergreen plants such as Cherry laurel and Bay laurel are "great choices for privacy", according to Mr Mortin. He said: "When planting them, it is best to leave a gap of around one metre between the spot and any fences.
"If you are creating a full hedge for ultimate security, you should leave around three feet between each plant to give them enough space to grow properly.".
