Plants for maximum light, maximum privacy

I have a path running just off my southernmost boundary. People use it daily.

My zone one garden is 'terraced' behind this into two sections. The boundary already has a wall that creates shade in the lower terrace, and the upper terrace is about 1m higher and shaded by a substantial oak tree to the SW. We're based in the UK, in a valley, circa zone 9 in US terms. The garden is essentially a clearing in woodland, by a river.

I'm a relatively private person and would like to use my garden, at times, in solitude. I'm also well aware that as our kids get older, privacy becomes a more significant concern for them too. Right now, our neighbours often will wander over and want to chat. They are lovely, and that's fine, but I would also like to be in my garden without that at times.

I know what I am asking here is for my permie cake and to eat it, but are there any plants that people can recommend that would help with privacy, but let in a lot of light too? For example, I was thinking about clumping bamboo; maybe I could plant this in such a way as to break up the exposure and can hack away when we want more light, knowing that it will deal with a lot of pruning. It would also probably establish reasonably well, despite its first year or two being shaded by the abovementioned wall.

Does anyone have experience with similar requirements and had success with other particular plants?

Thank you as ever.

What about a low-growing hedge, shrubs or tall grasses that won't get any taller than you need them? Or pirckly berry plants that will deter visitors? :)
My experience with bamboo is that it gets invasive and is hard to control, clumping or not. I had many varieties in one yard of mine in Florida and really regretted planting them.  Even the nandina (supposedly a clumping variety) that people grow here in Washington state is invasive.

I totally understand wanting the garden to feel like a private sanctuary. I have a somewhat similar situation and am working to figure it out, so I don't have definite answers, but I'm happy to share what I'm looking at working with.

What about shrubs like hazelnut? They seem to grow pretty fast and are amenable to being coppiced if needed. The chopped stems can be used for baskets, wattle fencing, fuel, etc. Elderberry seems to grow quite quickly as well and responds okay to being cut. Some of the more shrubby dogwoods seem to make good hedges too. While it would mostly only provide privacy in the summer, Jerusalem artichoke makes quite the wall of vegetation. Some of it's relatives could work too. I have a stand of cup plants and during the warm season, they quickly make a wall of green that's impossible to see through, but easy to reduce if I want.

When I was in West Africa I saw that people would plant tall growing bushes closely in a line, then when they had grown up they would turn them into a living fence by placing long poles or rods like fence rails horizontally along each side then tying them together tightly through the hedge. That kept them from spreading out too widely and made the thin hedge effectively more dense.

I would think hazel would be great for this, esp in the UK where hazel hedges have been done forever. You could also use a fast growing hybrid willow species, or even tall grasses like sorghum or maize, or a perennial like Arundo donax or other tall reeds. Tying up and supporting the thick stemmed grasses would make them less prone to falling over and again would make the thin wall of stalks more dense.

Is there a time of year that you want privacy - or year round?
Also, are you wanting the entire garden private, or just some areas?
Years ago, I wanted a private area but only really cared during good weather, so I put up some small trellises like a "fence" and grew Scarlet Runner Beans up it in the summer for privacy. The beans will shade, but you get to eat the captured sun and the insects/hummingbirds love the flowers. Other vining plants might be options also.

Heather Sharpe wrote:I totally understand wanting the garden to feel like a private sanctuary. I have a somewhat similar situation and am working to figure it out, so I don't have definite answers, but I'm happy to share what I'm looking at working with.

What about shrubs like hazelnut? They seem to grow pretty fast and are amenable to being coppiced if needed. The chopped stems can be used for baskets, wattle fencing, fuel, etc. Elderberry seems to grow quite quickly as well and responds okay to being cut. Some of the more shrubby dogwoods seem to make good hedges too. While it would mostly only provide privacy in the summer, Jerusalem artichoke makes quite the wall of vegetation. Some of it's relatives could work too. I have a stand of cup plants and during the warm season, they quickly make a wall of green that's impossible to see through, but easy to reduce if I want.

Thank you. The Elder is a good idea - given the shade that would be apparent planting inside the wall for the first couple of years. J Chokes too - hadn't thought of these. Ideally it would be year-round, but I am well aware that I am asking for opposites; vegetation cover, with light as well.

Jay Angler wrote:Is there a time of year that you want privacy - or year round?
Also, are you wanting the entire garden private, or just some areas?
Years ago, I wanted a private area but only really cared during good weather, so I put up some small trellises like a "fence" and grew Scarlet Runner Beans up it in the summer for privacy. The beans will shade, but you get to eat the captured sun and the insects/hummingbirds love the flowers. Other vining plants might be options also.

Ideally? Year-round, but I'm not sure I'll manage that. It's just one part of the garden; a walled aspect on the south side. It's an interesting idea; I could screw the trellis to the wall, that's one to explore - thanks.

You may find the shade issue is less than you fear.
I gather the boundary wall is at the South with the garden terraces sloping up behind? Then in the summer when things are growing and you want to enjoy the sun it will be quite high and the rise of the ground will capture more of it.  The visual barrier only needs to be 6 feet to provide a bit of privacy for people below the wall.
You may find a shady spot along there useful for leafy herbs and salads that would otherwise wilt in hot sun during summer.
I suggest going the other side of the wall and work out where screening will give you the most privacy, or hide the areas where, for example you might want to sit and have a cup of tea. Maybe put some sticks up to see how it would feel from inside the garden.
Hope this helps