I rent but yard has zero privacy

[Kell1976]

My husband and I have been renting our house for close to 10 years. The lack of privacy issue has never bothered me until recently. There isn't a single tree in the front yard (completely vulnerable) and the only garden bed we have is up by the porch that is about 12 feet across and 2 feet wide. I've planted pink gaura in there to get height. When ever we go out front to do anything, we're on full display. I'm a very private person and like my space. I've asked our landlord for a tree, but they said no because our lawn died. I live in San Joaquin valley and our summer this year was brutal and we were in a drought the year before so the lawn suffered. Maybe this is a landlord type subject, but I was wondering what type of plants or temporary structures would work for privacy and is landlord friendly?

[akiraana]

I'm curious to know why it hasn't bothered you until now if your a private person?

temp. fence with vines?
Raised beds with shrubs?

Are you allowed to dig to plant things other than a tree?

[applestar]

As soon as I looked up San Joaquin Valley, I realized that growing conditions will need serious consideration and I'm not familiar with them, which means I'm not sure what kind of plants to suggest.

This might be a good reference:
Low Water Use Landscapes - UCCE Master Gardeners of San Joaquin County
https://sjmastergardeners.ucanr.edu/Wate ... landscapes_/
-- Is this a kind of landscaping project your landlord might approve?


What sort of privacy -- size while you are doing what in the front yard, what part of the year -- were you thinking of?

Also, what is the security in your neighborhood. Are temporary objects left unsecured in the front yard likely to "walk away"? Should objects/structures be more like fold-up and put away each time -- plus side, easily be moved around and put up -- or heavy or cemented into the ground? What are the local ordinances about larger structures? (Height, size, location set back from property lines)

Do you have outside electrical outlet in the front yard?

[imafan26]

A picture would help. You may be able to screen your porch area with a curtain or shoji type screen. You could also plant shrubs and small trees in pots and use it for a screen.

Actually, I understand the landlord not wanting a tree. Anything in the ground you leave behind becomes his headache to take care of or remove and it is expensive to prune or remove a tree. My tenants mowed but never pulled a single weed or watered the lawn. When we moved back, the yard was so infested with weeds and the sprinkler system had frozen because it was not turned on. It cost $165 to repair the sprinkler and $300 to replace just the front lawn in 1998 (19ft x 23ft). I would cost more than that now. I paid $300 a year to have my tree pruned (this was a very reasonable price, my friend paid $1000 to have hers trimmed.) One company wanted $800 to remove the palms and to remove the tree in my front yard after it had outgrown the space cost me $500 (2008), which was cheap for the time. I had to dig the grass out of my vegetable garden, they took out my asparagus and the dwarf pomegranate which was resurrected when we moved in, could not survive the second time around.
They were good tenants, they took good care of the house even though they removed all of my window locks. I didn't realize that until we had another break in. They had never had a yard before. We had to remove the tree, partly because of the drought stress that killed the grass also caused the tree branches to start dying and the roots from the tree came up to the surface and was heading for the house foundation.

[thanrose]

Imafan makes a good point. And there are other good suggestions here that might help, but we could be more targeted in our responses if we could see what you are talking about, either in a photo or by description.

You could have trespassers of any sort, or nosy neighbors, or be on a busy corner, or next to a church or basketball court. My sister's lack of yard privacy is kids playing along the retention pond behind her. The alligator is not doing his job. I used to have a neighbor who inspected his roof and my fenced backyard at least once a week. A friend's neighbor's dogs barked through the chain link fence any time his little girls went to play outside. And way back last century, a neighbor would peek around the wall on my apartment balcony "to say Hi!" Do you need hostile landscaping of any kind, the stuff that keeps voyeurs or burglars from casing your place?

I feel for you. Privacy is very important to me, too.

[Gary350]

For privacy I would plant corn some varieties get 7 ft tall. When it dies leave it stand it will make privacy for a long time.

I understand the no tree thing. A yard with no trees, no bushes, no fence, it is ZERO maintenance landlord is in it for the money less he spends on maintenance more $$$$$$ in his pocket.

[Animal_lover]

What about asking your landlord if you cannot plant some flowers (e.g. roses) or tall ornamental grasses on the edges of the garden? Or you could just place some bamboo fence in a few areas where you want privacy. They look pretty and natural.

[ronbart]

How about sun chokes. They are perennial and get 8 to 10 foot tall. You could plant them in a stock tank if you are worried about them spreading. And they are edible.