Balconies give apartment dwellers an extra space where they can enjoy a beautiful view and fresh air. However, the lack of privacy extends to the balcony.
Balconies provide sunlight but everybody knows the feeling of continuous surveillance. In most instances, everybody can see the balconies and inside the apartment.
Perhaps you also have a nosy neighbor or the next door’s house overlooks your garden. Whatever the issue, screening plants may offer a solution for developing your ideal green space. If you’re wondering which plants work best for privacy, here are a few ideas to consider.
Bamboo
The fast growing plant makes an excellent privacy screen. You’ll discover the tall ornamental grass is available in different species, one of which will meet your needs. Good choices include hedge bamboo and sasa palmata.
Bear in mind that some types are invasive, so watch out for them because they’ll need “taming.” Bamboo is also light, so it may be necessary to put gravel beneath your containers or secure them to prevent them from blowing over in case there’s a lot of wind on the balcony.
Lilly pilly
This plant has shiny green leaves, flowers during summer, and produces edible maroon berries. The lilly pilly grows between 3-5 m tall but you can maintain it at a shorter height. Beware that birds like eating the berries and their droppings leave stains on decks and pavements.
Arborvitae
The evergreen plant grows fast and thrives in a confined space. You can line them up easily and they can grow several feet annually. Furthermore, you can plant several of them close to each other.
The attractive and versatile shrub is beneficial as a hedge material or as interesting focal garden points. An arborvitae hedge offers a beautiful screen and security.
They also come in various colors and sizes thereby offering a solution for nearly any landscape situation. Bear in mind that it thrives in moist and well-drained soil under partial shade or full sun.
Leighton Green
The fast-growing conifer is great as a screening hedge or plant. The conifer has a dense forming habit and can attain over 5 m in 10 years. Bear in mind that it’s not suitable for small gardens unless you have time to maintain it at a smaller size.
Cypress
Cypress is a fast-growing and narrow plant, which you can plant together to create a privacy screen. The trees need a prominent space in the landscape and can tolerate occasional drought.
Numerous gardeners don’t consider planting it because they think it only grows in wet and marshy soil. While their native environment is continuously wet, these trees can thrive on dry land once they are established.
For them to grow successfully, you must plant them in the right site. Make sure you select a site with partial shade or full sun and wait a year after you plant before fertilizing it for the first time.
Phontinia Red Robin
Phontinias make a vibrant screen or hedge and their new foliage can range from fiery red to bronze. The medium-fast growing plant attains 1-3 m in height and up to 1.2 m in width. If you don’t allow it to grow to its natural width, it can seem twiggy because of its huge leaf.
Final Thoughts
Making a privacy screen using plants is a practical solution for your apartment balcony. You can accomplish this easily with any of these plantings. However, before planning your screen, make sure you consider the quantity of light your balcony obtains.
For more screen ideas for your apartment balcony, contact us at Apartment Apartment Agents or leave other ideas.