The best plants and privacy screens create a solid visual barrier, make it harder for people to look into your home, and can even help muffle sound.
These ideas are useful for:
- Homeowners who want more privacy and comfort
- Sellers wanting to boost street appeal and buyer interest
- Landlords improving rental appeal
- Real estate agents preparing properties for market
Done well, privacy solutions can lift perceived value and make your property far more attractive to buyers and tenants.
1. Upgrade Your Fence
If your existing boundary fence is too low or too open, upgrading it is often the quickest way to gain privacy.
Before you start, check with your local council to confirm:
- Maximum fence height without approval (commonly up to 1.8 m)
- Any rules on approved styles and materials
Generally, neighbours share the cost of a standard, compliant fence. If you want a higher-spec or more expensive option, you’ll usually need to pay the difference.
If you don’t want to replace the whole fence, consider:
- Fence extenders or toppers – panels fixed to the top to increase height
- Decorative lattice or slat panels – designed to blend in with the existing fence
These options give you extra screening for a fraction of the cost of a full replacement.
2. Install Privacy Screens
Sometimes the easiest answer is a simple screen. Privacy screens are ideal when you need targeted protection rather than a full boundary solution.
They can be used to:
- Stop people seeing directly through windows or glass doors
- Divide your yard into more private zones
- Hide utilities such as air conditioners, hot water systems or bins
- Add shade to outdoor sitting or dining areas
If you like natural light, choose:
- Slatted or perforated screens that let in light while blocking direct views
Screens are available in materials such as:
- Timber
- Metal or aluminium
- Composite and PVC
- Outdoor fabrics
Freestanding or lightweight designs can be:
- Moved as the sun shifts
- Packed away when not needed
- Used for special occasions like parties or outdoor dining
They offer flexibility, instant privacy and an extra design feature in your garden.
3. Grow a Living Screen
For a softer, more natural look, plants are one of the best and most affordable ways to block neighbours’ views.
A well-planned green screen will:
- Obscure sight lines into your yard or windows
- Provide a lush backdrop instead of bare fence lines
- Offer dappled shade and cooler outdoor temperatures in summer
Large shade trees can do this, but they:
- Take many years to mature
- May damage paving, pipes and fences with their roots
For most suburban properties, hedges and tall shrubs are the most practical solution. They:
- Fill out relatively quickly
- Are easier to shape and control
- Can be kept at a height that suits your needs and local rules
4. Keep Your Garden Neat
Privacy planting improves value only if the garden looks cared for. Overgrown or messy hedges can have the opposite effect.
To keep your property appealing to buyers and tenants:
- Regularly mow lawns and edge pathways
- Prune hedges into clean lines
- Remove dead growth and weeds
- Choose hardy, lower-maintenance plants where possible
First impressions matter. A tidy, well-maintained garden with thoughtfully placed screens looks deliberate and high-quality, not like a quick cover-up.
5. Use Bamboo (The Right Way)
Bamboo is a favourite screening plant because it:
- Grows very quickly
- Forms a tall, dense barrier
- Can be chosen to reach a specific height
Many varieties provide good screening in under a year and reach full height in around two years.
However, bamboo’s “invasive” reputation comes from planting the wrong type. For privacy:
- Choose clumping bamboo – it stays in a tight clump and spreads slowly
- Avoid running bamboo – it spreads via underground runners and can invade neighbouring properties
Poorly chosen bamboo can cause damage, disputes, and expensive removal, all of which can hurt your eventual sale price.
6. Top Plants To Block Out Neighbours
Some of the best screening plants and trees include:
- Slender weavers bamboo (Bambusa textilis ‘Gracilis’)
- Lilly pilly (Syzygium species and hybrids)
- Photinia ‘Red Robin’ (Photinia x fraseri)
- *Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Silver Song’
- *Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’
These species are commonly used to:
- Line fences and boundaries
- Create structured hedges
- Provide dense, evergreen coverage
Lilly pilly is especially popular in Australia because:
- It forms a tight, attractive hedge
- Some varieties can grow up to two metres per year once established
- “Neighbours-Be-Gone” is a well-known cultivar specifically used for privacy
Fast-growing conifers like Leyland cypress can create very tall, solid screens, but they require regular pruning to prevent overshadowing and potential neighbour issues.
7. Planting for Noise Reduction
A dense, layered garden can also help soften noise from roads or loud neighbours. While plants won’t create complete silence, they can absorb and deflect some sound, and the rustle of foliage itself is more soothing than traffic or voices.
Good options for evergreen, noise-softening plants include:
- Caucasian fir
- Bottlebrush
- Juniper
- Ficus hillii
- Evergreen ash
- Lilly pilly
- Bamboo (clumping varieties)
Because these plants keep their foliage all year, they continue to provide both visual and acoustic benefits across all seasons—another plus when it comes time to sell.
8. Add a Water Feature for Sound Masking
If noise is a major issue, pairing plants with a water feature can make a big difference. While water won’t block noise, it masks it with a more pleasant, relaxing sound.
You might consider:
- A small bubbling fountain
- A decorative bowl or pot feature
- A cascading wall feature or narrow “water wall”
- A more substantial waterfall, if space allows
These can be DIY projects or purchased ready-made. Some designs can also act as partial visual screens. Sound-masking features are often viewed as an upgrade and can add to your property’s appeal.
9. Use Container Gardens in Tight Spaces
If you live in a townhouse, unit or have a small courtyard or balcony, you can still create privacy with portable container gardens.
Benefits of containers:
- Easy to move as your needs change
- Ideal for renters or those who can’t alter structures
- Available in a huge range of shapes and sizes
You can use:
- Traditional pots and troughs
- Timber planter boxes, including ones on wheels
- Creative containers made from upcycled items
Arranged in rows or clusters, container plants can form an effective screen without needing garden beds or major landscaping work.
10. Go Vertical
Vertical gardens (green walls) are perfect when floor space is limited but you still want greenery and privacy.
Key features:
- Mounted on walls or freestanding frames
- Take up minimal ground area
- Can be small (picture-frame size) or large (full-wall coverage)
A vertical garden can:
- Block direct lines of sight from neighbours
- Add colour and life to plain walls or fences
- Work on balconies, courtyards or narrow side passages
They’re especially useful where traditional planting is difficult or impossible.
11. Grow a Productive Privacy Screen
Your privacy planting can be both beautiful and practical. A well-designed edible garden can double as a living barrier.
Consider:
- A vertical vegetable garden with trellis or mesh for climbing beans, peas, cucumbers or tomatoes
- Shelves or stacked planters for herbs and leafy greens
- Espaliered fruit trees trained flat against a wall or fence
These options:
- Provide fresh produce
- Add colour and texture
- Help block views from neighbouring properties
An attractive, productive garden wall is a strong lifestyle selling point and appeals to buyers who value sustainability and homegrown food.
By combining taller fencing, smart screens and well-chosen plants, you can create a private, quiet and attractive outdoor area that feels like your own oasis—and adds appeal and value when it’s time to sell or lease.