A lack of privacy around your outdoor swing could frustrate your plans. Imagine an encounter with your sweetheart, out under the stars. Whispering in each other's ears, feeling the breeze tickle your necks .. .. Then the neighbor sees you and heads over for a chat. You like your neighbor, but you have other things on your mind at the moment. Or, at least, you did. After a half-hour conversation with the neighbor, you can't remember what you were doing. Your romantic mood has evaporated. Conversation about the overflowing sewer down the street has sapped your playfulness.

You might avoid a scenario like this one if you enhance the privacy around your outdoor swing. One way to encourage your privacy is to set up screens. Outdoor privacy screens typically involve several panels linked together with hinges. Screens offer several advantages. They cost less than a fence around your entire yard. Many screens are mobile, so one purchase could service different areas of the yard; just move the screen with you as you go. You can find screens that are more decorative than regular privacy fences. Some screens even have shelves for plants. Others incorporate detailing or rich colors.

An arbor provides a more leafy hideaway. You can buy an arbor or build one yourself. An arbor is a framework upon which you can grow plants. Some arbors are small, like the size of a doorway. Others can cover the area of a picnic table, or even a large back porch. Good plants for arbors include ivy, sweet pea, roses, honeysuckle, wisteria, morning glories, and more. The varieties you choose will depend on how much room you have and how shady or sunny the spot is where they will grow. Of course, measure your outdoor swing first to ensure that your arbor will be big enough, or if you are building your own, that you buy the proper amount of materials.

Shutters offer another option. If you have some old, tall shutters lying around, you can make your own screen. Give them a fresh coat of paint and install hinges. Set them up like you would a screen; bend the piece at its hinges so it will stand up on its own. If you don't have the right material, but you want to try this project, check yard sales or estate sales and auctions for suitable materials. If you know of a place to buy salvage wood and building materials, you might check there for possibilities. You could even combine different shutters for a unique look.

Some people go to great expense to enhance their privacy in their back yards, but you can achieve similar effects with a smaller expense. You can set up a screen around your outdoor swing. The screen may be a decoration in itself, or you may wish to buy a model with shelves for small potted plants. You can also install an arbor and grow climbing plants on it. The plants will provide coverage for you. If you like making things yourself, you can create a screen by hinging together tall shutters. You can take simple steps that will both increase your privacy and turn your outdoor swing into an adventurous hideaway.