16 of the Best Secluded Garden Ideas on Houzz
Lose yourself in these lovely outdoor retreats, designed to help you forget the rest of the world
In these turbulent times, what could be more soothing than to carve out a secluded spot in your garden in which to relax alone, with a loved-one, or to entertain friends? These clever screening ideas ensure that it won’t feel like the neighbours are joining you…
Raise a roof
Alternatively, a pergola with a solid roof, rather than plants, will give you a year-round extra room. Simply add fairy lights and some outdoor heating or a fire bowl, and grow climbers up support poles.
Alternatively, a pergola with a solid roof, rather than plants, will give you a year-round extra room. Simply add fairy lights and some outdoor heating or a fire bowl, and grow climbers up support poles.
Plant slim, bushy-topped tall trees
While an arbour or pergola can provide shelter from the neighbours on either side, to avoid being overlooked by houses at the far end of a garden, how about this neat idea? Without impinging upon precious ground space, these lovely, lean white birch trees don’t bush out until above fence level, creating a cosy nook for the table at the end.
Single stem or specimen trees are pruned to grow in this shape.
Read more about different tree types to suit your garden
While an arbour or pergola can provide shelter from the neighbours on either side, to avoid being overlooked by houses at the far end of a garden, how about this neat idea? Without impinging upon precious ground space, these lovely, lean white birch trees don’t bush out until above fence level, creating a cosy nook for the table at the end.
Single stem or specimen trees are pruned to grow in this shape.
Read more about different tree types to suit your garden
Create secret walkways
Leafy canopies aren’t just for sheltering dining spaces, as this lovely arbour illustrates.
Depending on the size of your garden and how bushy your trained plants are, this idea has the potential to provide a sense of seclusion some way beyond the area directly below the arbour itself, due to its height. It provides an interesting centre-of-the-garden alternative to growing above fences around the edges.
Though this garden is generously proportioned, even in a smaller patch the idea of creating separate zones and secret gateways is a counterintuitive trick many designers use to boost a sense of space.
Leafy canopies aren’t just for sheltering dining spaces, as this lovely arbour illustrates.
Depending on the size of your garden and how bushy your trained plants are, this idea has the potential to provide a sense of seclusion some way beyond the area directly below the arbour itself, due to its height. It provides an interesting centre-of-the-garden alternative to growing above fences around the edges.
Though this garden is generously proportioned, even in a smaller patch the idea of creating separate zones and secret gateways is a counterintuitive trick many designers use to boost a sense of space.
Dine in a corner
This banquette seating area is excellently positioned – in the walled corner of this London garden – for privacy.
Planting tall trees, just seen in the left foreground, further screens this secret little lunch spot. Also, take note of the planting (though still new and small in these photos), which goes right up to the eating area: a more obvious choice could have been to extend the paved or decked area to delineate the dining zone, but being surrounded by greenery really helps to increase a sense of immersion in nature.
Kickstart your garden revamp plans
This banquette seating area is excellently positioned – in the walled corner of this London garden – for privacy.
Planting tall trees, just seen in the left foreground, further screens this secret little lunch spot. Also, take note of the planting (though still new and small in these photos), which goes right up to the eating area: a more obvious choice could have been to extend the paved or decked area to delineate the dining zone, but being surrounded by greenery really helps to increase a sense of immersion in nature.
Kickstart your garden revamp plans
Narrow your options
Maximising a sense of openness in your garden might seem sensible – but what will you actually use the space for? To make sense of this idea, check out the before photo of this lush, secluded spot…
Maximising a sense of openness in your garden might seem sensible – but what will you actually use the space for? To make sense of this idea, check out the before photo of this lush, secluded spot…
…what a transformation, eh? Sure, you could lay down a picnic blanket in the middle of that lawn and read a book, or have a decent-size table for alfresco lunches. But you’d pretty much be inviting your neighbours to everything.
The new design of this garden has, instead, ditched the lawn entirely and built in a narrow path, with dense, tropical planting packed all around it. For added height (and more privacy) raised beds have been built out of large rocks and stones.
The new design of this garden has, instead, ditched the lawn entirely and built in a narrow path, with dense, tropical planting packed all around it. For added height (and more privacy) raised beds have been built out of large rocks and stones.
A screen has been erected in front of the shed (visible in the first shot), where there is space for this almost-hidden little table for two.
Build it high
Roof gardens typically have very low boundaries and tend to overlook as much as they are overlooked. However, treat an upstairs outdoor space just as you might a ground floor one – ie, by surrounding it with a wall – and you can carve out some seclusion. Spend time in the space before building to get a feel for where the sun falls, so you don’t end up with an entirely shaded area.
Roof gardens typically have very low boundaries and tend to overlook as much as they are overlooked. However, treat an upstairs outdoor space just as you might a ground floor one – ie, by surrounding it with a wall – and you can carve out some seclusion. Spend time in the space before building to get a feel for where the sun falls, so you don’t end up with an entirely shaded area.
Create your own secret garden
Secluded spaces aren’t always simply spaces where tall trees, plants and structures block out views into the garden. Here, this little patch is bursting with low-growing shrubs, lending it a cosy feel. Adding to the secret-garden atmosphere is a little wooden arch and that almost-buried bench at the end. The lesson here: for a sense of seclusion in a wild, cottage-style garden, pack ’em in and avoid overly structured plants.
Secluded spaces aren’t always simply spaces where tall trees, plants and structures block out views into the garden. Here, this little patch is bursting with low-growing shrubs, lending it a cosy feel. Adding to the secret-garden atmosphere is a little wooden arch and that almost-buried bench at the end. The lesson here: for a sense of seclusion in a wild, cottage-style garden, pack ’em in and avoid overly structured plants.
Make fencing a feature
Rather than going down the conventional route and putting a width of trellis above your fence or wall to grow climbers on, create even more seclusion by going higher. Rather than hiding that extra bit of wall or fence with plants, make it much more. Here, the painted slatted fencing will support climbers should you so desire, but it will also look fantastic on show, and possibly with pleached trees trained to burst into leaf above its top edge, as seen here.
Rather than going down the conventional route and putting a width of trellis above your fence or wall to grow climbers on, create even more seclusion by going higher. Rather than hiding that extra bit of wall or fence with plants, make it much more. Here, the painted slatted fencing will support climbers should you so desire, but it will also look fantastic on show, and possibly with pleached trees trained to burst into leaf above its top edge, as seen here.
…The idea works with unpainted wood, too, even when patchworked in amid more traditional trellises. Here, a taller but decorative piece of fencing screens the garden bench, so you can enjoy privacy while having an evening glass of wine, or a meditative afternoon cuppa.
Pleach trees
This garden demonstrates another technique for shaping trees, limes in this case: pleaching is a smart way to turn a bushy clump into something far more structural, and trained just as you want it to be.
Although these limes, seen growing up the right-hand wall and above, aren’t yet at their potential secluding power, the framework – quite literally – is in place.
This garden demonstrates another technique for shaping trees, limes in this case: pleaching is a smart way to turn a bushy clump into something far more structural, and trained just as you want it to be.
Although these limes, seen growing up the right-hand wall and above, aren’t yet at their potential secluding power, the framework – quite literally – is in place.
Prune in shape
Alternatively, unpleached trees can provide plenty of structure, too, if you are disciplined enough to prune them into symmetrical shapes, of course…
Alternatively, unpleached trees can provide plenty of structure, too, if you are disciplined enough to prune them into symmetrical shapes, of course…
Let bamboo grow tall
If you like bamboo, it can be a marvellous way to create green walls for your garden. It grows like wildfire, so even though larger plants can be pricey, they’ll soon multiply and give you good coverage, growing tall as well as densely.
As with mint, be careful where you position it as it has a tendency to drown out other plants – standalone planters can be a good idea.
If you like bamboo, it can be a marvellous way to create green walls for your garden. It grows like wildfire, so even though larger plants can be pricey, they’ll soon multiply and give you good coverage, growing tall as well as densely.
As with mint, be careful where you position it as it has a tendency to drown out other plants – standalone planters can be a good idea.
Screen off sections
Again, the idea of sectioning off a small garden might seem crazy, but as you can see here, if anything, it will boost rather than shrink the available space.
It also provides opportunities for secret spots in your garden.
Again, the idea of sectioning off a small garden might seem crazy, but as you can see here, if anything, it will boost rather than shrink the available space.
It also provides opportunities for secret spots in your garden.
Dig down
If you’re grappling with the aftermath of a basement conversion in your garden, or simply have a steep plot, make the most of having a low area close to the house. This is the perfect spot – near one of those very tall walls for maximum privacy – to put your favourite garden loungers or entertaining area. Fill the steps up to the higher level in your garden with foliage that will cocoon you.
Discover more ideas for adding or working with different levels in your garden
If you’re grappling with the aftermath of a basement conversion in your garden, or simply have a steep plot, make the most of having a low area close to the house. This is the perfect spot – near one of those very tall walls for maximum privacy – to put your favourite garden loungers or entertaining area. Fill the steps up to the higher level in your garden with foliage that will cocoon you.
Discover more ideas for adding or working with different levels in your garden
The spot where we entertain outside is often where we want to feel most secluded. Here, an arched arbour curves over the top of the garden’s dining area; once climbers start to grow along the structure, dinner guests will not only feel out of sight, but – if your plants grow vigorously – they’ll be sheltered from showers, too.