Overlooked New Build Garden

[Carley14]

Any ideas on how to create more privacy in an overbooked, small back garden?

Unless you actually have a voyeur stationed at his bedroom window with a pair of binoculars, aim for a feeling of privacy rather than actual privacy. A small tree with delicate foliage won't stop someone seeing in if they really want to, but your eye will travel to the tree not to the house beyond, and you'll feel more private. Similar with extending the fence upwards with trellis with some pretty climbers, rather than a dense and heavy wodge of ivy.

If you want to sit out you could create a pergola so you have a roof of well placed timbers with maybe a honeysuckle or rose, to make you less visible from upstairs windows.

think evergreen, then you will have privacy in winter as well as summer.

Privacy in winter may not be as important to you and deciduous gives more options, eg autumn colour

Pergola with climbing plants

There are some brilliant climbers, we have two evergreen Clematis, two rambling roses, ivy, Virginia Creeper, honeysuckle and star jasmine on our fences.

i'd have one tree to give height & structure - maybe crabapple or sorbus because both are good for small spaces.

And then some climbers - winter jasmine is very nice.