GARDENS
How to make your garden more private
Award-winning garden designer — and Times expert — Joe Swift has some stylish ways to create a secluded space
The Times
Privacy is a key factor in a town or city garden and of course it’s impossible to fully relax and unwind when you feel as if you’re being watched (even if you’re not).
A common approach — and an error in my opinion — is to turn the garden into a fortress by building up the trellising on top of the fence as high as possible or growing tall hedges to block everything out. This can lead to a very shady garden and be costly too, as either expensive structures or plants are bought for instant results or fast-growing varieties such as the dreaded Leyland cypress trees or “mile-a-minute” Russian vine are planted, which can lead to many issues later (shade; unmanageable and dry underneath;
