Design projects — whether indoors or outdoors — often have the ultimate goal of creating a peaceful respite for your client. However, achieving this goal can be difficult when the footprint of the space is tight.

Privacy solutions have traditionally been limited to harsh fencing options or, for indoor solutions, making a space smaller by creating barrier walls. But luckily, planters are providing an effective alternative solution that creates privacy and that feel of peace and relaxation.

Whether the client is hoping to mask a chain-link fence or simply make a larger space more cozy and private, the right planters can make it possible.

From basic and easy to the more complicated solutions — there are many ways to add privacy to your next design project. In this blog post, we’ll examine a few ways you can achieve privacy with planters.

How to Increase Privacy with Planters

Contemporary landscape design is evolving. Design must be attractive enough to make residential or commercial spaces feel more inviting but also address the need for functionality and privacy.

More and more, you’ll begin to see homes and businesses of all sizes — whether they’re in the heart of a bustling environment or in a more spacious setting — add a peaceful, private, and tranquil oasis using planters.

Whether you’re aiming to create general indoor or outdoor privacy or a specific privacy wall, planters can get the job done. Here a few general tips before we get into the details for each option:

Carefully select planter size and shape. By choosing planters that are large enough to house privacy-producing plants and shaped in a way that adds interest, you’ll also be creating a serene and interesting atmosphere.
Consider mixing and matching screens and planters. Even if the space already has a few privacy-inducing elements, there is always room for improvement. Privacy screens mix beautifully with planters.
Bring the indoor-feeling outside (and vice-versa!). Contemporary vibes often involve the unexpected. Clients love spending time outdoors and will love the comfort and privacy that planters provide. And when inside, the incorporation of indoor planters can encourage connections with nature as well as offer privacy solutions.
Learn about all the available options. For example, indoor planters can be manufactured without drainage holes to ensure that water does not damage your floors. It’s also important to know that outdoor planters can be retrofitted to accommodate irrigation tubing and drainage holes, and even be designed bottomless to utilize any existing available soil.

Privacy Wall with Planters

Whether it’s an unsightly shed or a busy street next to a restaurant, sometimes your client might not be focused only on privacy, but on covering up something unpleasant. Either way, creating a privacy wall with planters can be the perfect solution.

Building your own privacy wall is not only possible but extremely doable with a few tools, an old door or some two-by-fours, less than an hour on YouTube, and just a few other items.

Another solution is a trellis enhanced with climbing plants like clematis or honeysuckle. Remember that the privacy wall doesn't have to be completely solid. The goal is to simply narrow the focus and create a cozy feeling.

An even easier privacy wall solution is continuous plant dividers that create natural walls of plants. This option can be tailor-made to create a long green wall for your unique design using PureModern’s Connect Modular Planter System.

Privacy Wall with Planters — *Custom Trellis Planter at The Balsam in Boulder, CO*

Outdoor Privacy with Planters

You want to create privacy and minimize noise. But it’s also important to maintain enough light and think ahead to preserve the aesthetic elements of your landscape design.

That’s why you’ll want to avoid planting a long line of trees — like conifers — that might become overbearing. Although this is lovely and effective at first, these trees grow so large that they will eventually cast too much shade on the space over time. Using planters ensures that you will avoid this type of situation.

There are an infinite number of ways to create sustainable outdoor privacy solutions using planters. Below are just a few:

Layering. A popular trend that’s hot right now is using multiple levels of plants inside commercial fiberglass planters to create interest and depth in both residential and commercial landscaping. Using this layering technique, you can add trees, ornamental grasses, shrubs, or perennials to achieve privacy, intimacy, and noise protection.
Clustering. Create privacy on a residential or commercial patio by designing clusters of intimate seating. Use strategically situated planters, rock wall dividers, and even live trees to make your restaurant instantly more intimate.
Privacy using artificial plants. Yes, you read that correctly. When anchored by durable and beautiful powder-coated aluminum planters, realistic-looking faux plants like boxwood hedges, horsetail reeds, and birch limbs create gorgeous and interesting separation that also adds privacy.

Outdoor Privacy with Planters — *Modern Elite Planters at The Garden City Bar in Shaker Heights, OH*

Indoor Privacy with Planters

To separate and create privacy within different areas of a home or office, indoor plants and planters are always a solid choice. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing and calming, but many plant varieties will improve the quality of your indoor environment.

This natural solution can divide a room, boost functionality, and create privacy. Check out these examples:

Planters as office workspace dividers. PureModern Modern Elite wide divider aluminum planters were used here to divide workspaces for this public affairs and marketing agency in Chicago.
Outdoor planters create indoor privacy. Square and rectangular planters in various sizes, including trellis planters positioned on terraces, create indoor privacy for luxurious apartments but don’t entirely block the spectacular views in Boulder, CO.
Partition dining areas. To create privacy for conversations in a large space, planters are a beautiful and effective solution. At SUNY Cortland, PureModern made that solution even more functional by putting the planters on casters so seating arrangements could be reconfigured at a moment’s notice.

Indoor Privacy with Planters — *Modern Elite Divider Planters at Kivvit in Chicago, IL*

Best Plants to Improve Outdoor Privacy with Planters

When design plans call for privacy, look around and you’ll easily notice that more and more landscape architects are thinking beyond the fence. That’s because there is a wide selection of plants that can elevate a design plan and deliver a secluded retreat.

Below are five of our favorite privacy plants.

Arborvitae

Often referred to as a living privacy fence, arborvitae create a dense hedge with their thick evergreen foliage.

A few caveats:

With very different heights to choose from, it’s important to understand the plant's ultimate mature height and width before choosing the right variety and making spacing decisions.
Arborvitae can be damaged by snow. The weight of a major snowfall or remnants from an ice storm can cause branches to bend so far that they break.

Major benefits: Tolerates most soil conditions; cold-hardy; low maintenance

Bamboo

By keeping bamboo in a large raised planter, you’ll have more control over this fast-growing option.

However, insulation is a critical consideration when planting bamboo in a container. If the bamboo root structure freezes, it won’t transfer enough nutrients to the plant. Because containers do not provide the same degree of insulation as the ground does, it’s important to know that larger containers deliver more insulation than smaller units.

Additional protection can be achieved by heavy mulching as well as positioning the planter in a place where it’s protected from the wind.

Major benefits: Fast-growing; produces a lush privacy screen; relaxing sounds of creaking and rustling leaves as the breeze passes through the shoots

Skip Laurel

This upright leafy evergreen shrub is another fast-growing option.

With annual pruning and shaping, the glossy pointed leaves can grow into a tall and gorgeous privacy screen. Skip laurel will thrive when planted in full sun to partial shade.

Major benefits: Thrives in almost any type of well-drained soil; bursts of fragrant white blooms in spring

Privet

With the potential to grow 10 to 15 feet tall and 8 to 15 feet wide, privet is another fast-growing plant that’s perfect for creating privacy screens.

Whether you choose to grow your privet in a traditional hedge or tree shape or create a unique topiary design, this plant thrives with regular pruning.

Major benefits: Can grow 2 to 3 feet each year; hardy; a thick crop of sweet-smelling flowers every spring

Holly

Available in shrub or tree form, holly is another excellent solution when you need to create privacy in your landscape design.

With several varieties to choose from, be sure to consider the placement of your containers when deciding on the type. Some varieties have sharp leaves. Although holly typically performs best in partial shade, many varieties can tolerate full sunlight.

Major benefits: Low maintenance; evergreen; colors vary from green to variegated

Contact PureModern to Discuss Creating Privacy with Planters Today!

With proper planning and the right products, planters can create gorgeous and practical privacy solutions for your next landscape design project.

At PureModern, we specialize in creating high-quality custom planters fabricated for longevity with elevated design aesthetics. The suggestions in this article are based on past experience with our clients and what we’ve learned over the years as best practices.

If you’d like more information about creating privacy screens using planters, get in touch with us. Our experts are available to answer any questions you may have.