Is your backyard a Landscaping Nightmare on Elm Street? Is the border between your yard and your neighbors overgrown? It started out as a few trees but then they were covered in vines, which were supported by weeds. Before you had a chance to clean out the area, you noticed that some of the weeds were poison ivy and you stayed away.

Have you run out of excuses? The last one is usually something like it gives us privacy, or it serves as a sound barrier. Either way, when the neighbors stop hinting politely - it is time to clean up that mess before your neighbors clean it for you. You have a wall of overgrown weeds separating your backyard from the neighbors. You like the privacy that it gives you but it is an eyesore. You could trim it but you have ignored it for so long that it has turned into your own little rain forest. No amount of trimming could fix that mess. The problem is that every time you look out your back window you see a wall of uncontrolled growth also known as weeds.

What can you do? You can hack away at that overgrown mess. You could have the area cleared. In both those cases, you end up with a big bare area in your back yard and no privacy. Or you could call a landscaping company and see what they suggest, which would depend upon your climate, sun levels, and many other factors. If you want to preserve the privacy that the weeds have given you, you could have the weeds cut down and a wall of either shrubs or pine trees put in their place. There are many possible options for a natural privacy wall.

Why not replace that eyesore with a something special, a secluded garden? You have seen them at commercial landscaping jobs: small garden areas with a table and chairs, surrounded by a barrier of foliage. Small gardens of various types are common place at hotels and office buildings. They provide quiet destinations for guests and office workers. Slightly different than many of those gardens found in private residences - commercial gardens are highly visible and frequently covered by gazebos.

If you want more than just a natural privacy barrier, a small garden would give you a private area separated from not only your neighbor’s yard but your house. Surrounded on all sides by shrubs, trees, or other natural growth, the small gardens can be invisible from a distance. These gardens have many variations. You can request a small sitting area or a walkway, year round foliage or seasonal foliage. Ornamentation is another possibility. Oriental archways or vases are commonly used to add atmosphere.

Secluded gardens can come in several different styles including oriental and medieval. Oriental gardens can be identified by the choice of foliage, ornamentation, or pathway materials. While medieval gardens are usually more utilitarian, they can contain spices or vegetables. What do they have in common: privacy and seclusion? Depending on how they are designed both gardens can be made so that they are invisible from a short distance. Commonly found in both, a table and chairs make these gardens more than just ornamentation, they are destinations.

The overgrown weeds that divide your yard from your neighbors can be replaced without losing the privacy that they provide. Why not borrow a common idea from commercial landscapers. A small garden can turn your Landscaping Nightmare on Elm Street into your own hideaway.