Noise pollution, whether in the form of a busy roadway or the kids next door, can completely ruin your experience of the outdoors. If you’re trying to create a calming backyard getaway, or simply desire more privacy, your contractor will be able to put measures in place to insure this. While they can’t eradicate the source of the noise, there are various techniques through which the racket can be muffled and suppressed. Here are a few ways in which you can achieve more peace and quiet in the comfort of your Reading, PA, backyard.
Deflecting sound with tall barriers
A rigid barrier can cause sound to bounce away from you, the recipient, and upwards or back towards the source. Attractive walls can be created to achieve this, incorporating concrete or stone masonry for its hard and unyielding nature. Consider approaching contractors such as Nature’s Accents Landscape Services, Inc, who are familiar with landscaping techniques for quiet spaces, as they will know exactly which materials to use.
If a tall perimeter around your backyard makes you feel far too confined, a single sunken outdoor room can be created, for which the rest of the patio forms four enclosing walls. This space can serve as a quiet retreat, while leaving the rest of your landscape open and unrestricted.
Related: Create a Lighter, Airier Outdoor Living Space with These Patio Ideas
When plants are used in conjunction with walls, you can capture and suppress a greater amount of sound.
Plantings that absorb sound
Plants, which are more flexible and yielding than concrete and stone, vibrate more when hit by sound waves. This allows them to absorb more sound and diffuse it through their leaves and branches. Experts suggest opting for varieties with many branches and thick, fleshy leaves. Unfortunately, these plants tend to be deciduous, so incorporate evergreens into the softscape and don’t be left defenseless against noise during winter. Fortunately, you spend most of your time outdoors during summer, when these plants thrive. When the wind rushes through their leaves, calming sounds are created that help to mask the racket from large parties and nearby roads.
Related: Choosing Poolside Plantings in the Hamburg, PA Area
Create white noise
White noise refers to the sound landscape designers deliberately create in order to mask undesirable noise. White noise, which often includes the sound of rushing water, is pleasing and calming. Consider adding a water feature, using authentic natural stone to enhance the peaceful atmosphere it creates. When deciding on a waterfall design, it helps to experiment with its height in order to achieve the volume of sound you desire. Some homeowners opt for subtle waterfalls that work together with other white noise to drown out annoying neighbors. Others prefer creating large, cascading waterfalls that create sound loud enough to be the sole source of white noise in the landscape.
The sound of a breeze rustling through leaves, or colliding with wind chimes, can also draw attention away from unwanted noise. Layers of white noise, created by different sources, can add interest to a landscape and work together to completely mute the din coming from beyond your fence.
Related: Here's How a Professional Landscape Designer Can Help Transform your PA Property
