12 of the best garden screening ideas and solutions for privacy

To help every part of your garden feel like it has a distinct purpose, you may want to consider garden screening and there's a huge range of trellis, screening panels and rolls that you can use to achieve just that.

Multiple panels, trellis for climbing plants and statement-making garden screening can all help you carve out secluded pockets of the garden but screening is also a great way to increase privacy from neighbours and passers by.

Some screening is designed to attach to existing structures, such as fencing and pergolas, while others can stand independently and various sizes are available, as well as extendable versions which can be adjusted and moved as required. Screening also comes in a range of materials including natural bamboo and wood.

You can also create privacy in the garden by planting a tree, or a group of trees. Read about our recommended screening trees.

Below, we explain how to get privacy in an overlooked garden followed by a selection of garden screening ideas, including all of the above options to help inform your choice.

For other decorative garden inspiration, we've also put together a round up of unusual garden ornaments as well as some useful garden mirror ideas. Plus, if it's seated or social spaces you want to create, see our garden seating ideas and guide to modern garden benches.

How to get privacy in an overlooked garden

The following solutions will help create privacy and a sense of seclusion in an overlooked garden.

Screening rolls

If your garden screening needs height or length, long sheets of lightweight fencing are ideal. Often made from bamboo or other woven materials, they're designed to attach to existing fencing or structures like a pergola or balcony. Garden screening rolls are also ideal for adding an extra layer of depth to prevent passers by or neighbours seeing in.

Trellis for screening

Trellis is a useful frame for climbing plants and a staple in the garden. However, trellis also makes excellent garden screening. Placing trellis above an existing wall or fence makes a natural garden screen, obscuring the view from neighbours. Larger sheets can also be used as dividers within the garden, to create quieter, defined areas for seating or socialising.

Screening panels

To create a more solid privacy screen a wide variety of specific screening panels are available. They can be used in combination to surround and hide a smaller area of the garden from view or as stand-alone statement panels to help define a patio or terrace space. Some panels are extendable or portable, so you can adjust the areas you want to seclude at different times of year.

12 of the best garden screening ideas

Browse our selection of trellises, rolls and panels below.

Ideal for creating privacy in an overlooked garden this natural willow fencing comes in four-metre rolls. It can be attached to existing boundaries to extend the fencing's height as well as provide additional coverage. You could also surround a pergola to create a secluded area, separate from the rest of the garden.

Dimensions: 4m x 1.5m

Price: from £39.99

Buy Willow Natural Fencing Screening Rolls from Thompson & Morgan

Gardeners on a budget will appreciate this expanding willow trellis from Wilko. For just £5 and the cost of a climbing plant you can create some effective screening that won’t break the bank.

Dimensions: 180cm x 90cm

Price: £8

Buy the Expanding Willow Fence from Wilko

These rectangular panels from B&Q feature a square trellis design for a more uniform, contemporary design and can be combined to create a private area, made more secluded by growing plants over the fencing. It can be mounted both horizontally and vertically, and comes with a 10 year guarantee.

Dimensions: 63cm x 1.83m

Price: £31.20

Buy a Trellis Panel at B&Q

If you have a lot of climbing plants to support, check out this 4 pack of trellis from B&Q. Made of sustainable FSC timber, it’s strong and durable thanks to pressure treatment and it comes with a 15-year anti-rot guarantee.

Dimensions: 1.8m x 0.6m

Price: £160

Buy the Rosemore Lattice Trellis 4 Pack from B&Q

If you have a balcony garden, this side awning is great for privacy. It’s collapsible too, so you can create a secluded spot when you need it, or alternatively, fold it up should you want a more open space.

Dimensions: 1.4m x 1.4m

Price: £34.69

Buy a Patio Side Awning on Amazon

These stylish panels can be used alone or in combination and there's a choice of two thicknesses and three colours available: black, grey and cream. The garden screening is UV treated to help protect it from fading in the sunlight and it can also be installed horizontally or vertically, depending on what works best for your outdoor space.

Dimensions: 1.8m x 90cm

Price: £100

Buy Verdure Large Garden Screen at Screen with Envy

For neat and uniform garden screening, this honey coloured rattan weave is a great choice. Its natural tone is understated so it won't draw the eye, making it ideal for screening unsightly bins and it's resistant to UV and frost. Made from non-toxic plastics, it's also safe for pets and wildlife.

Dimensions: 1m x 1m

Price: £26.99

Buy Honey Rattan Weave at Amazon

Giving you extra height and privacy along the top of your fence, this trellis is great for introducing climbing plants like clematis, wisteria, and honeysuckle, which are not only beautiful but turn your fence into a living green wall.

Dimensions: 1.83m x 30cm

Price: £22

Buy the Forest Garden Fence Top Trellis Diamond Lattice from Wickes

This handy wooden trellis fence is a useful, practical option as it can be extended and retracted according to your needs. It's free standing, so there's no need to attach it to existing fencing and the diamond pattern would work well supporting plants such as ivy or climbing roses.

Dimensions: 80cm x 1.6m (extended) / 80cm x 27cm (closed)

Price: £98.99

Buy Extendable Instant Fence at Amazon

These arched panels are made from pine and feature the trademark criss-cross of traditional trellis. The wood has been pressure treated for long lasting protection and they are ideal for creating a sense of seclusion in a corner of your garden.

Dimensions: 9cm x 1.8m

Price: £68

Buy Arched Trellis Panel at B&Q

This coordinating corner set is made from pressure treated timber, guaranteed against rot for 10 years. Ideal for a patio or terrace space, the set includes two screens, planters with liners and timber posts, so you'll have everything you need to set up an attractive garden divider instantly.

Dimensions: H1.83 x W1.04 x D1.04m

Price: £389.99

Buy Rowlinson Garden Creations Corner Set at Robert Dyas

This screen offers a natural, woodland feel, and because it’s made from bark, it’s easy to cut it to exactly the size you need.

Dimensions: 1.7m x 40cm

Price: £105.94

Buy the Vedant Bark Privacy Fence from ManoMano

This product guide was last updated in August 2022. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.