Garden Notes

View from patio with grape arbor, trees and shrubs blocking street view

When we first purchased our home, I was very excited to have a yard with a large concrete patio space in the back and I could visualize having friends over for summer parties. However, when we hosted our first outdoor event, I realized that we were entertaining in a “fishbowl”. Our house was built on a corner lot so the yard was clearly visible from 2 different directions by cars just passing by. Now, I grew up in the country and I was used to a lot more privacy so I was unhappy with our new outdoor entertaining space.

After much thought, our solution was to build an arbor to enclose the patio. We also planted a lot of shrubs and perennials to gain a bit of privacy from the street without actually building a fence. The grassy space under the crab apple trees became part of the perennial garden with forsythia, hostas, bleeding heart, lungwort and Virginia bluebells planted facing the patio. On the street side there are more shrubs interspersed with iris and daylilies for seasonal color. It is very attractive and every year our back yard becomes more private.

As time went on, I realized that I was fine with the front yard being more open and that I actually enjoyed people walking past and stopping to chat while I am gardening. However, every time I walk into the backyard and see the shade garden screening the patio from the street, I am convinced that the shrubs and perennials were the right answer to our “fishbowl” entertainment space.

View of side yard and patio from street showing shrubs & perennials