The balcony is a great place to enjoy the great outdoors from the comfort of your home, but sometimes it can feel as if the whole world is watching you. Rather than put up plastic screens, why not use plants? Natural, beautiful, and environmentally friendly, the following choices will provide plenty of privacy, as well as a relaxing atmosphere.
Bamboo
Tall, fast growing and cold-hardy, bamboo is one of the best plants if you need a bit of privacy on your balcony. It develops quite well in pots, and because its roots are contained, you don’t have to worry about it spreading everywhere like other problematic trees and plants, or as it would in a garden. For best results, go for varieties of bamboo that are smaller in size, grow upright, and develop thick lateral foliage. You’ll end up with a green screen sooner than you think!
Arborvitae
These coniferous shrubs are often used as hedges and green screens in urban landscaping, but they work just as well grown in pots, on a balcony. Arborvitae are cold and drought-tolerant, and although they can dry out faster in containers than they would in a garden, they’re well-behaved otherwise. Some varieties can grow over 10 feet tall, but they are easy to prune, and if you have a creative streak, you can even trim them into unique shapes.
Snake Plant
If you live in a warm and dry climate, or even if you’re just going for a xeriscaping look, snake plant is a perfect pick. Also known as ‘mother-in-law’s tongue’ or Sansevieria, this easy to grow plant can reach up to four feet tall. Given the fact that it grows vertically and its leaves are wide but thin, it’s less intrusive, and ideal if you’re in a pinch for space on your balcony. And if you’re worried about it catching a chill during winter, you can easily bring it indoors, where it works just as great as a houseplant.
Honeysuckle
Available in dozens of cultivars, honeysuckles are a top choice if you’re looking for a balcony plant that provides a green screen, on top of being highly decorative. Its abundant flowers come in many colors, and you can even go for varieties that are fragrant. As a climbing plant, it will require a system of trellises to attach itself to, and can spread out at around three feet per year. The main thing to keep in mind when growing honeysuckle is that its berries are poisonous, so if you have kids or pets, don’t leave them unsupervised around the plant.
Star Jasmine
Like honeysuckle, star jasmine is a climbing, flowering plant with a gorgeous scent. It will need trellises in order to climb and reveal its true potential as a green privacy screen, and can grow between three and six feet per year, depending on how old it is. Star jasmine is not as cold-hardy as honeysuckle, which is why it grows best in USDA Zones 8–10. However, if you’re worried about the toxicity of honeysuckle berries, star jasmine is a better alternative, as none of its parts are poisonous.
Climbing Rose
In terms of green privacy screens, climbing roses are the ultimate show-stopper. True, they are also more costly in terms of containers, fertilizers, and overall time spent maintaining them. But once they’re established, they will turn your balcony into a real wonderland. Climbing roses come in many varieties: some are almost thornless, some with more focus on the scent rather than flowers, some growing only up to six feet tall, as well as cultivars that are remarkably hardy, growing in USDA Zones 4-11.
Ivy
The humble ivy may not be the most showy plant to grow as a green screen, but it is hardy, adaptable, low maintenance, and works well with balconies that don’t get too much sun. Varieties such as Boston ivy or Virginia creeper are not only fast-growing, but also display spectacular colors in autumn, when their leaves turn into vivid red and orange hues. Or, if you’re looking for evergreen varieties, the good old English ivy is a top pick.
Hanging Plants
Creating a privacy screen out of hanging pots is the best solution if you have a narrow balcony, or if you’d rather not relinquish your lounging space to pots and containers. Green screens made out of hanging plants are also remarkably versatile. If you prefer flowers to foliage, you can go for geraniums or nasturtiums. Fast-growing houseplants such as Pothos and Boston ferns will also do well outdoors in the summer. Or, if you really want to make the most of the space, why not grow hanging cherry tomatoes? The best part about hanging plants is that you don’t have to worry about them over winter, as you can bring them indoors.
