For a restaurant patio, how do you suggest we arrange the planter boxes to create some privacy between tables?

Ah, the patio—the soul of a restaurant in good weather. But if your guests are elbowing each other between bites, you’re losing the magic. As someone who has spent years coaxing life out of soil and designing cozy outdoor nooks, let me share how I’d whisper to your planter boxes to create lovely, living privacy screens between tables.

First, I’d suggest using tall, narrow planter boxes—think 3 to 4 feet high—as natural walls. Place them between tables so they don’t block the view of the sky or street, but just cut eye contact. I love pairing a box with a trellis on one side, letting climbing ivy or jasmine weave upward. The fragrance alone becomes a polite “hello, this is your corner.”

Second, stagger them like a friendly forest. Instead of a straight row, place one planter near the edge of Table A, another halfway between Table B and C, and a third closer to the path. This creates a sense of depth and discovery. Your guests will feel tucked into their own little garden room, not stacked like sardines.

Third, use layered heights. Put a low box of lavender or rosemary at the base (your guests’ noses will thank you during a breeze), then a medium planter of hydrangea, and a tall one of ornamental grass or bamboo at the back. The different levels break sight lines without ever shouting “I’m a wall.” It feels organic, like the patio grew this way on purpose.

Finally, leave a breathing gap. A closed box fortress feels claustrophobic. I like to leave a half-foot space between the end of a planter and the next table’s edge. This way, a server can walk through, but the conversations stay intimate. Trust me—your guests will lean in and whisper, not because they’re forced to, but because the plants invited them to.