Keeping the Neighbors Out: Stop Your Neighbors Prying Eyes


Build a Fence, Make a Garden Private Corner, Construct a Raised Deck or a Water Feature

Copyright © 2012 Contentmagix; All rights reserved; content may not be copied, rewritten, or republished without written permission.

 

Cedar picket privacy fence; image © Kelly Smith

Home should be the one place where we can be ourselves, a private space where we can do what we like away from the prying eyes of the outside world.

Nosy neighbors take away our privacy, and in doing so our peace of mind. The sense of being watched can have a very negative impact on our ability to relax and feel safe at home and as a result our quality of life suffers.

You can try as much as possible to have private conversations indoors, to close your curtains at night, and to lock your doors.

But what are the measures that you can take can you do to ensure that you’re as protected as possible from prying eyes in the most exposed area in your home: your garden?

  • Build a Privacy Fence.

    If your fence is low, make it higher. Enhance the privacy that your fence provides by planting tall trees or a hedge along the property line.

    Just be sure to plant them inside the fence. It they are on the outside, they just serve as a convenient climbing aid. Why assist the crooks?

  • Make a Private Corner in Your Garden.

    It might be difficult to screen your entire garden from prying eyes, but if your garden is large enough you can create a secluded area and surround it with large shrubs and perennials.

    This way, you should be protected even if your neighbor is peering from an upstairs window. There’s no need for the private corner to be an eyesore or to betray its purpose to the casual observer.

    With the right statuary and ornamentation it can be an interesting feature, an enchanted glade within your garden.

  • Screen Specific Views Using a Trellis or Lattice Paneling.

    A few strategically placed trellis or lattice panels can neatly section off certain areas while also being decorative.

    You can also grow some climbing vines on a trellis, which is attractive and serves to increase the panel height. Good choices are climbing roses, morning glories, or jasmine.

  • Construct a Raised Deck or Patio Area.

    This sort of construction can make a garden a more private and more enjoyable space.

    You can enclose an area with a raised garden bed, creating a shielded area with plants, shrubs and screens. Potted plants are a useful addition to this type of construction.

    They have the advantage of being easily movable, so that if the way that you want to use the space changes, the potted plants can be reorganized to suit the new arrangement.

  • Install a Water Feature.

    Once you’ve done all of the above and your garden is shielded from prying eyes, it’s easy to forget that while you may no longer be visible, you may be audible.

    A water feature such as a fountain or waterfall is both an attractive addition to any garden and an excellent means of ensuring that conversation in your garden cannot be overheard.

Ultimately the best solution is to try and get on with your nosy neighbor; this may mean having a quiet conversation with them about respecting other people’s privacy.

If you feel that this might cause more trouble or might not change their behavior, you could your best to ignore them.

Something to keep in mind: nosy neighbors are often first to notice and contact the police when something untoward is afoot and they have valuable information about what’s happening in the area, which can prove useful.

So sometimes nosy neighbors can be a real asset to a neighborhood!

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