Cynthia Nixon's multi-tiered privacy planting transforms her patio into a 'forest-like enclave' – a master gardener explains how to recreate her outdoor space

A stunning outdoor space is the best way to create a personal oasis in the midst of a busy city. However, to do this, you need to ensure complete privacy. Enter, privacy planting, perfectly demonstrated by Cynthia Nixon.

We spotted the actress's patio planting idea in the background of an Instagram post joking about her iconic character Miranda on Sex and The City. The garden features three levels of planting, from towering deciduous trees to plants from a mid-level planter to potted plants on the ground. Built into her wooden fence, they're the perfect complement to her slate flooring and stunning gray furniture.

According to experts, Cynthia's method takes choosing the best plants for privacy to the next level. Rachel Bull, Master Gardener and Head of Gardens at Homes & Gardens, explains: 'By planting at different levels and heights in her backyard, Cynthia Nixon has created a forest-like enclave, which creates incredible privacy and the feeling of being enveloped in nature. On the patio, we have several feathery, delicate potted trees - such as the acer (also known as Japanese maple) behind where Cynthia is standing - creating greenery from the ground up.

Shop the Cynthia Nixon's patio look

Even the most expertly privacy planted patio would be incomplete without gorgeous furniture. This edit is inspired by the gray pieces Cynthia chooses for her outdoor space.

Though Cynthia's city apartment doesn't have a large backyard, effective container planting keeps it feeling green. Rachel explains: 'There are also some smaller potted bromeliads, which add a tropical feel to the space. There is a planting level built into the fence half way up, which is an ingenious vertical planting idea to break up the expanse of wooden fencing, and means less mature plants will appear larger and give greater coverage.'

The entire garden is created to improve the experience of those spending time outside. Rachel states: 'In this level we can see bamboo, itself an excellent privacy plant, and several taller specimens, each with contrasting leaf shapes and textures. The plant choices blend naturally into the landscape behind the fence boundary, softening the hard landscaping in between.'

Privacy planting is the perfect way to elevate your patio into a serene and natural experience. When you work with the surrounding nature, you can never go wrong.