Screening. It’s one of the biggest considerations in garden design—and without doubt one of the most common conversations I have with clients.

We live closely, in communities, and while we are social by nature, our homes are our sanctuary. A garden, at its best, becomes a green refuge from busy lives—a place to gather with those closest to us, gently insulated from the outside world.

The question is: how do we create privacy without making the space feel defensive or closed off?

The first step is always observation. Think about where you actually sit in your garden. Spend time there and notice the sight lines—what you see, and just as importantly, what others might see. Often, a carefully placed tree or two within the garden, rather than right on the boundary, offers more effective screening. Perspective plays a powerful role here; something closer to you can provide greater coverage than something taller but further away.

There are, of course, more structured solutions. Pleached trees—often described as hedges on stilts—are a beautiful option if you want screening along a boundary without losing light at ground level. They create height, rhythm and form, though they do require investment and patience while they establish.

If you’re considering raising fence height, it’s worth noting that in the UK, standard fences are generally limited to around 6ft, though this can often be increased to 8ft with the addition of trellis or slatted extensions.

But my preference, as a designer, is always to shift the focus. Rather than concentrating on what you want to block out, think about what you want to see. Draw your eye into the garden—towards something beautiful, layered, and intentional—rather than reinforcing the boundary itself.

Here are a few approaches I often recommend:

---

Pleached Trees: Living Green Screens

Best for:
Trees trained flat along a framework on a clear stem above head height
• Above-fence privacy
• Formal structure
• Screening without blocking ground light

Recommended:
• Hornbeam – robust and easy to shape
• Beech – holds its leaves through winter
• Tilia cordata – ideal for formal avenues
• Red Tip Photinia – evergreen with colour

Install tips:
• Plant 1.2–1.8m apart
• Use strong wooden or metal frames
• Water well for the first two years

Considerations:
• Require annual pruning
• Higher upfront cost

Layered Planting: Natural Screening

Best for:
Combining plants of different heights and textures to create a softer, more natural sense of privacy
• Breaking sight lines
• Creating “garden rooms”
• Softening fences and boundaries

Recommended:
• Tall grasses such as Miscanthus and Calamagrostis
• Shrubs like Pittosporum, Viburnum tinus and Elaeagnus ebbingei
• Clumping bamboo (Fargesia) for height without invasiveness

Install tips:
• Stagger heights—taller at the back, lower at the front
• Mix evergreen and deciduous planting
• Always design from your key viewpoints

Advantages:
• Natural, wildlife-friendly and full of movement

Considerations:
• Takes time and space to establish
• Requires ongoing maintenance

---

Slatted Fence Extensions

Best for:
Adding subtle height and light screening above existing fences
• Discreet privacy
• Ideal for supporting climbers
• A simple, often DIY-friendly solution

Install tips:
• Check local planning guidelines
• Match timber tones for a cohesive look

Advantages:
• Affordable, elegant, and allows light through

Considerations:
• Less solid screening than full fencing

---

Ultimately, the most successful gardens don’t feel closed off—they feel considered. By focusing on what you’re drawing the eye towards, rather than what you’re trying to hide, you create a space that feels calm, intentional, and quietly private.

And that, for me, is always the goal.