Take Backyard Privacy To New Heights With This Smart Design Idea

Adding privacy to your outdoor space is a great way to make it feel more secluded and homier. It's much easier to unwind on your patio or curl up in a hammock if you don't have the prying eyes of neighbors or passersby looking into your yard. However, tall fences can be expensive, and privacy hedges can take forever to grow. But there is one great trick for creating privacy a little faster, and that's to plant a fast-growing tree in a large cement planter. By putting it in a cement planter rather than the ground, you automatically add a foot or two of height, helping you create more privacy with less wait. 

You can go about this hack in two different ways. The first is to plant a regular tree in a DIY oversized planter, since it will need plenty of room to spread out its roots and grow. However, if you don't have the space for that, you can also plant a smaller tree in a standalone planter you can buy from the store. This will give you instant results and won't take up much real estate, which is perfect for a smaller yard. Here is a closer look at the hack. 

If you have enough room to grow a medium-sized tree in your backyard, you will need to create a large concrete planter to house it. There are plenty of different ways to go about doing this, but the easiest way involves creating the structure out of cinder blocks, as blogger Delia Creates did. Remove the grass where you plan to plant and add a foundation of loose gravel on top. Then, arrange your cinder blocks in your desired shape and size, ensuring it stands at least 1 to 2 feet in height. Make sure to research how much room your specific tree needs at its most mature height, and create a space to accommodate that. When applying your blocks, make sure they are level on the gravel foundation. If one isn't, either add or remove gravel from the spot to make it straight. Once you have your structure finished, add cap blocks on top, and then seal the structure using QuikWall surface bonding cement. If you want the planter to be a specific color, like black or cream, add cement dye into the mix. Add dirt, plant your tree, and watch it grow!

If you don't have the space to add a large tree to your yard, plant small ornamental trees in tall planters instead. This is a great workaround for people who aren't inclined to do DIYs and would rather just buy a product. For instance, this rectangular 30-inch planter from Walmart will give small trees instant height. Simply get three or four of them, line them up in an exposed area, and enjoy your newfound privacy.