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We like to think that our home is also our fortress of privacy: Once you walk through your front door, you're free from prying eyes (or lenses) and can relax. There are a ton of ways to ensure your privacy inside, starting with items like window films, shades, and curtains. And if you want to protect your outdoor space from neighbors peering over the fence, you have several easy options.
Most of those options, however, assume your neighbors are on the same level as you. If the neighboring homes are located above yours, you'll need to re-think your privacy plan. This is especially true if your neighbors have outdoor areas that offer a perfect view of your backyard. If you get the sense you're being watched every time you step outside your house, here are a few ways you can regain some privacy.
Plant trees
The simplest long-term option is to plant trees—specifically canopy trees, whose branches stretch out and form a living roof over the area below. You'll want to consult with an arborist or other landscaping professional to identify canopy trees that will thrive in your region and climate. You'll also want to get some advice on spacing out the trees so you eventually get the lush, thick “roof” effect that will offer the privacy you're looking for (not to mention cool down the space and block out the sun's damaging rays).
Note the word “eventually,” however: Trees don't just pop up in a matter of days. Maple trees, for example, are excellent canopy trees, but can take several decades to reach their full height and size. But if you're going to be in the house (and using the yard) for a long time to come, investing in canopy trees will solve your problem and beautify the space.
Install shade sails
A shade sail is typically a large triangular or rectangular sheet of fabric that you attach to posts or existing structures in your yard (such as a fence). They let air and rain through, but block out the sun, creating shade wherever you want it. That means they can be used for vertical privacy, too—one or more shade sails installed in your yard will block someone's view of your yard from above.
Shade sails are relatively affordable and easily installed. You can buy a shade sail kit that comes with everything you need, but it's easy to DIY by sinking a few posts or attaching some hooks to your fence or exterior walls. They can also be quickly removed if your circumstances change.
Add a covered patio
If you have a defined patio or deck space where you spend most of your time being observed by your neighbors (or imagining you are), you can cover it pretty easily using several options:
What do you think so far?
Build a pergola by the fence line
Speaking of pergolas, if your neighbor's house looms over your yard, you can enhance your privacy by building a pergola near your fence line where their house is located. The angle will work in your favor; even a modest pergola can block much of your neighbor's view if they're not looking straight down into your yard. And if you have multiple neighbors up there, you can add a strong of pergolas along the fence line to block the angle everywhere.
You'll have to check local regulations (or your homeowners association) before building. Some areas will require a pergola to be a set distance from a boundary fence (e.g., 16 feet), while others might have a calculation based on the size of the property and the height of your fence.
Invest in tall fencing
Finally, privacy fencing isn't your best option for elevated neighbors, but if it is your only option for some reason, go big and install an extremely tall privacy fence. You'll need to check local regulations to see if there are legal limits to how tall your fencing can be and then build or buy a fence at the maximum height (you can buy pre-made 12-foot and even 16-foot tall privacy fencing, though you'll likely pay a steep price). As with pergolas near the perimeter, a tall enough fence can block your neighbors' viewing angle. Another option is to grow a “living fence” using hedges or other plants (such as nigra arborvitae, which can reach 30 feet in height). You'll have to wait for your plants to mature, but this can be a prettier option than a looming fence.
