Before & After: Plants and Privacy, What More Could a Backyard Need?
Robyn’s backyard was suffering from a lack of both greenery and privacy. She decided to spruce the space up with some plant boxes and a very charming lattice, perfect for dining al fresco!
From Robyn: We have lived in our home for almost three years now and I have been on a mission to add character to our home, including outside.
The backyard shares fences with six of our neighbors and when we moved in there wasn’t a single plant or tree here, even though the house was nearly 20 years old. The area by the back patio door was just a concrete step and a few patio stones placed on top of the grass and no privacy.
Over the past couple of summers, I have tried adding potted plants in a shaded area and last year planted a dogwood shrub and some kale, which grew well in this shady spot.
This year I decided that I wanted to create a larger planter box to grow more kale and create a sense of privacy with a lattice extending beyond the fence.
This project took me about 20 hours, if I had to guess. The building was quick but the staining took much longer than I had anticipated. I did everything by myself except having the wood for the planters cut at Home Depot.
The cost for all materials (wood, screws, stain) was $300 and these cedar boxes are 14 feet long, with a lattice that is 8 feet high.
I love that this forgotten space has become a feature not only during the summer but for all seasons. I check on the plants daily to see how they’re growing. We’re going to have a steady supply of leafy salad greens into September and I planted daffodil bulbs in these boxes to enjoy come spring.
Now my husband will actually come outside to eat meals when he previously wouldn’t because there was no privacy, this was my ultimate goal!
Robyn’s words of wisdom: Be prepared that the staining takes a long time but it’s worth it. Also I did talk to my neighbor before building this.
Thank you, Robyn! You can see more on Robyn’s blog Shibang Designs.