5+ Practical Tips on How to Shield Yourself from Nosy Neighbors at the Dacha

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Neighbors can be different. Sometimes we don't get lucky, and they turn out to be too curious, persistent, or noisy. We tell you how to hide from them.

We share tips on protecting your right to privacy while not violating the rules of good manners.

How to Hide from Neighbors? Fences and Green Plantings

Building or renovating a house, as well as planning a garden plot, is the best time to consider all details. You need to think ahead.

You should take into account not only the wind rose and the sun's position above the horizon in different seasons. There are requirements for fence height and transparency. Especially where they border adjacent plots. Discuss all fencing matters with your neighbors right away. Don't neglect the three rules of good neighborliness: negotiation, compromise, and acceptance of another point of view.

Who said you can't plant a protective green belt next to a low and permeable fence for light? Just don’t place fruit trees or spreading shrubs there, no matter how compact the plot is — it's just an excuse and temptation to come closer or reach over the fence.

Windows, Terraces, and Porches

The first line of defense: the outer perimeter, gates, and entryways. The second: approaches to the house and openings through which light and air enter.

Moving a porch or entrance to a terrace is too expensive and time-consuming. But it can be disguised with trellises covered in climbing plants, giving you shade where needed. They are also useful if the windows you spend a lot of time in face the street. It also reduces dust.

For terraces and balconies, as well as window frames, louvered screens or foldable venetian blinds can hide you from prying eyes. Don't forget about awnings and gazebos, decorative supports over windows for fast-growing climbers.

Those who love a green lifestyle will surely like the idea of using solar panel panels as roof supports.

Garden Paths

When a path leads directly to the house, a passerby's gaze follows it. But if you soften the edges of paths and hide turns behind trees, shrubs, and flower beds at different levels, you can avoid curious glances. If you still prefer straight lines, consider diagonals.

Arbors, Gazebos, and Tents

If possible, move open relaxation spaces under a roof. Planters with trees and aromatic herbs combined with other vertical greening methods will come in handy and shield you from unwanted looks.

On the ground level, you can set up barbecue zones, post-lunch siestas, and evening gatherings. Rain protection (awnings, tents) will also help you hide from neighbors.

If you don’t want to build a roof or canopy, the trick of 'fence inside a fence' works well for these corners. The shape of the fence depends only on your imagination.

Evergreen trees planted closely to form a living wall through trimming. Vertical planters or mesh walls topped with flower boxes. Gabions, fences. Even textile screens: removable, easy to clean, and breathable. Not necessarily rectangular — choose a sail shape and imagine you're at a seaside resort.

Проект: Оксана Костюченко

Winter Garden

Where it's cool and damp, a standalone or attached structure with proper ventilation solves several problems at once.

First, it blocks sounds: glass does a great job with this. Second, it maintains a comfortable microclimate: some people enjoy not only having lunch or a coffee but also sleeping under a glass roof, gazing at the stars. Third, it delights you with plants that don't survive in open ground and can be used as natural screens from unwanted glances.

More Quick Solutions

When the season is about to start, there's no time for drastic changes. Let's recall mobility.

A four-sloped garden tent can be framed with foldable trellis screens. Secure them to plant boxes for stability, but make sure the structure can be disassembled in minutes. Add removable curtains or mesh screens and your summer pavilion is ready.
A frame with weaving or slats can be mounted on wheels and moved as needed, following the sun or your desire.
Foldable woven or perforated screens can be moved almost instantly from place to place and arranged as desired.
Another solution, albeit not as quick — build a space divider that can also serve as a firewood holder and storage for other items. Both decorative and practical.
An open shower-fountain opening with a transparent water wall behind which you can hide. A good idea in places where water is not being economized.
Even strips of the right size inserted into the cells of a simple mesh grid can add privacy.

What about soundproofing?

Capital external fences and outbuildings on the perimeter of the plot work even better than green plantings. But the ideal result comes from a combination: add a layer of soil and a continuous carpet of plants to the supporting structure using vertical greening, and you’ll get a sound-absorbing construction with additional thermal regulation benefits.

With latticed or mesh fences, it’s more complex. When dacha houses are placed too close together, even the sound of a powerful air conditioner can cause a migraine. For such cases, special sound-absorbing coverings made of multi-layer materials with various fillers have been developed. Visually, they resemble a quilted blanket.

+ Three More Tips

Using thorny wire or broken glass to keep unwelcome guests at bay is not advisable. However, prickly pear cactus (opuntia) requires only a small amount of soil in a container above the fence and is both decorative and effective as a guard.
In stone outer walls or the base of lighter fences, experienced gardeners recommend creating something like a shelter for beneficial insects — for example, bees. Hollow dry stems, cones, and wooden planks with drilled holes will do. Bees not only pollinate plants on your plot but also deter nosy neighbors.
If passive protection doesn't help, fight intruders in peace within the law: tips can be found here.

Photo on cover: Design by Olga Sobko.

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