Now that the leaves are off the trees and the landscape is looking stark, you might find yourself surprised at some of what you can see. When did your neighbor install that ugly shed? How have you never noticed that gap in the hedge that so clearly frames another neighbor's satellite dish? And the bare roses are sad enough without that asphalt street in the background.
Don't run screaming -- think screening. Judicious use of screening can increase your privacy, block ugly views, enhance your garden and encourage or discourage wildlife, depending on your preference.
Planting yellowtwig dogwoods and winterberry hollies will create a natural screen if left uncut.
(Sandra Leavitt Lerner For The Washington Post)
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Screening doesn't have to be complicated. The first element many people think of is a fence. Good fences make good screening, but don't race to the home-improvement center and grab the first piece of stockade you see. Fences don't have to be monolithic or boring. They can be an active part of garden design. Think about what you're trying to accomplish and how you might do it more imaginatively.
If you want to screen a single spot, do you really need to fence the entire perimeter? For example, to simultaneously screen and get rid of the view of that shed, simply install two lengths of fencing placed at an angle to each other. For greater interest, choose a material other than wood planks. You can achieve some great effects using reed, wicker or bamboo, or a couple of walls of brick or stone to add a private sitting garden or a niche for a bit of statuary.
Wood fencing comes in a variety of styles. Choose one in the style of your home to reinforce the appearance of your garden.
A common style is stockade fencing, with narrow boards nailed close together. The boards are finished on top with a peaked, square, or rounded end. It's simple and is associated with New England architecture. The shape of the top of each board can give a formal or less formal look. The boards can also be shaped into arches or scallops. One disadvantage is that the back side of the fence, where the cross rails are, is not as attractive as the front. A solid-board fence with boards on both sides of the rails is more attractive from both sides, and offers an aesthetically pleasing three-dimensional background to a planting bed. The alternating boards can be attached vertically or horizontally.
A solid board fence can also be topped with lattice, which allows more light and a little less privacy. Wooden lattice panels will also create a windbreak and sense of enclosure. One side of our deck is backed by three lattice panels with a shelf for potted plants. Vines can be trained on the lattice to turn it into a "green screen." A formal green fence idea is English ivy trained on a non-rusting frame. It's beautiful and simple, but requires several years of patience to establish and regular maintenance to keep it looking good.
When solid boards are placed on alternate sides of the rails, this style of fence is sometimes called a shadowbox, alternating board or, as I refer to it, board-on-board. It's more attractive from both sides and allows more air circulation than solid board against board. Another style that looks good from both sides is a basket weave, with horizontal boards passing back and forth over the support posts.
When the boards are spaced out on the rails or cross-members, the fence is called picket, and is usually lower than a solid-board fence. It offers implied screening, as any fence does. Even though you can see through it, the eye sees it as a barrier. If you are screening more for enclosure and want passers-by to see your lovely garden, it is a good, old-fashioned choice.
Fencing offers instant gratification, but maybe planting something would ultimately be a better solution. Hedges do take several years to grow, but they can be a beautiful part of the garden and serve as a practical screen.
