A Raleigh family recently faced this dilemma and called on Home & Garden Landscapes for help. They loved their backyard patio, they adored their neighbors, and they couldn’t imagine living in a different neighborhood. There was just one problem: every time they tried to enjoy their backyard patio or entertain outside, they felt totally exposed. The original trees planted more than fifteen years ago were showing signs of disease, and the other landscaping was so sparse, the family had no privacy.
“Over the years, the landscape changed,” says the homeowner. “We needed screening from the neighbors and we wanted to make the yard pretty. We spend lots of time outside, and we wanted to create a restful and private place to enjoy in the middle of town.”
Home & Garden Landscapes did the installation in a neighbor’s yard down the street, and when the homeowner saw the results, she called us asking for a solution to her issue. Since she was anxious for privacy, we decided to create an instant, mature screening solution for the backyard, implementing the entire process in just two weeks.
We planted a primary layer of eighteen-foot Robin holly bushes to screen the backyard from view. Then we layered in groups of camellia sasanquas and dwarf needle palms in a secondary arrangement. The addition of more camellias and palms, along with Otto Luyken laurel and climbing Carolina jessamine around sitting areas like the patio and the pergola, provide a rich, abundant look. These plants also bring color to the landscape in both the winter and spring. Staggering heights add privacy to not only the ground level sitting areas but also to the back porch, which is about one-and-a-half stories high.
By incorporating mature trees, the family had instant privacy, solitude, and seclusion in just two weeks. “We were anxious for privacy and loved the fact that Home & Garden Landscapes knew how to quickly source trees. We also love the layered look and how the company used some of our existing plants and transplanted them into more appropriate places for better visual impact,” the homeowner says.
“There is a balance between privacy and beauty with a new, lush garden. Since Home & Garden Landscapes sources nationwide, we do not have the ‘typical’ look; instead, we have a custom-designed feel to our backyard.”
DAVID PAYNE is the owner of HOME & GARDEN LANDSCAPES and can be reached at 919-801-0211 or HOMEANDGARDENLANDSCAPES.COM.