Unless you're some kind of exhibitionist, walking semi-nude beneath your neighbor's windows probably didn't form part of the fantasy life you imagined when the possibility of a hot tub first came to mind. What you'll be glad to know is that even if you've gone and installed the thing already, there are a good number of landscaping ideas for privacy around hot tubs that will make sure you don't have to worry about peeping toms or judgmental voyeurs making your relaxing time a tense or nervous experience.

The absolute best idea for a hot tub privacy design - in terms of providing privacy, at least - also probably goes against what most people find so attractive about the idea of a hot tub - being outdoors in hot water. In other words, you can install your hot tub inside a hut-like wooden structure, one in which you can soak, steam and perhaps even enjoy the garden view through some tinted windows. Alternatively, you could leave one side of the hut open, for a hawaiian-island-type bathing experience. If you're short for space on options like these, you could always convert one of the rooms in your home into a sauna room.

Flip the coin, and you have landscaping ideas for privacy that consist of vegetation and a little ingenuity. Think about using bamboo - it makes for a fun, jungle-esque atmosphere and is great for cutting harsh wind in winter. If you're looking for something a little more western, go with evergreen trees - the fruit, needles and various bits of what-what likely to be dropped by your average deciduous trees make them more troublesome than their good looks or odors can justify. Holly's a great option. If you want to keep some room free around the pool, ask your local nursery manager about espalier trees. These are trees grown so that their branches go out to the sides, so that they're pretty much flat. Obviously, you can get the same effect with trellises or a well-groomed hedge.

An especially great novelty in the western world is to see someone with an Asian backyard hot tub. There vertical lines make them great to look at, and the fact that they're raised out of the ground instead of sunk in means that they're much easier to service if something goes wrong in the pump room.

Sure, you could also build a wall or a picket fence around your hot tub - it's an idea for landscaping that will also provide a feeling of security for parents more worried that their kids could trip and fall in the hot tub than they are about whether they're surround by beautiful vegetation.

Another solution that you'll probably not have heard about is the pergola. This fanciful looking hot tub privacy design was conceived of sometime around the time of the French revolution, and it involved building two trellis walls that lead to a dome that covers the hot tub area. It's absolutely gorgeous, though obviously can be a locus for insects and other creepy crawly things, requiring a little more maintenance than the other options. If you have a full time gardener and are willing to wait for the vines to grow over it, though, few things can beat its romantic impact.

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