How to Build Simple Privacy Planters with Lattice

How to create privacy with planters and a tall trellis. 

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I’d been talking about building these planters and trellis for a while. We’d installed a dog fence around one part of our yard to keep the dogs contained and I needed something to block them from hopping over near the stairs. It was a project that sort of sat for a while because we are always knee deep in several projects and usually exhausted from also caring for the two very busy boys.

But our in-laws were up for a weekend and my husband decided to tackle this while he had his dad around to help out a bit with the heavy parts. I’m not sure why he thought I couldn’t help seeing I’m 100% raw power, but hey… I’ll manage to survive with my bruised ego.

Now… full disclosure… we built these last year. I never got around to publishing the post. I kept hoping to have some photos with beautiful vines growing up the lattice but we didn’t have enough time to get there last year. I would have waited until the end of this summer to post this, but seeing we’re due with baby in August, I can’t guarantee I’ll be up for going out to photograph (and weed) it all. In fact, I highly doubt it. So now seemed like a good time to share. If I can get some updated photos though, I’ll be all over it!

Supplies
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Tutorial

To begin this whole project, I want to tell you that we probably didn’t do this in the best method possible. Ideally, you’d want a nice level area and you’d build it all, then move it onto the spot you want. We have a slight incline to the area and we were building it beside the pond so we were trying to build it in that spot. Not ideal.

This is the spot. Right in front of the deck is the pond which is a bit hard to see from the angle of the photo. But you get the idea. Tight squeeze and it’s at a slight angle.

He built the portion that he wouldn’t be able to access next to the pond first. Then my father in law helped move it to the right spot.

From there, he was able to keep building the rest of the planters.

Here it is, partially finished without the lattice or trim installed.

If you can’t tell, these are a lot of fun for the kids… their own special boat.

My husband added trim around the planters. Then I painted (with outdoor paint) the poles to support the lattice and the exterior of the planters before we installed the lattice. I would suggest stain instead of paint. I anticipate this will need more upkeep than stain would have so I’ve been having some regrets. We’ll see though.

My husband added the trim to the top too. Eventually we stuck on some simple solar motion sensor lighting to the top on each side.

Last year I threw in some various hardy plants in there late in the season so I don’t have any good pictures of beautiful vines growing up the trellis. Womp womp. But this year I planted cucumber plants in the back and nasturtium in the front so hopefully I’ll be able to follow up with some gorgeous “after” photos once we hit August or so. If… you know… I can even waddle up and down stairs by that point…

So far so good though…

Here’s the new pond and planters side by side…