Ask-a-Dave's-Gardener: Which plants for balcony screens?, 1 by MacMara

MacMara wrote:
Hello!

I am looking for advice on which plants to use to create a screen at both ends of our balcony to provide us with privacy. Ideally we would like to have screens that are evergreen in the winter and flowering and scented in the summer.

I hope I am posting in the appropriate forum!

We live in Belgium in an apartment with a large balcony facing north. We have installed lattices at the east and west ends of the balcony. I have planted, in troughs at the feet of the lattices, fuchsia, clematis, nasturtiums, a false jasmin, a honeysuckle, dark-eyed Susans and sweet pea (and pepper and tomato plants). I hoped that they would create a wall of greenery and flowers. As can be seen from the photos, the result has been disappointing, the plants covering at best only the bottom half of the lattices.

In recommending plants to me, please bear the following factors in mind:

- our lattices are only 1m80 (roughly 6 feet) in height
- our apartment is on the 4th. floor and there is often a strong westerly wind
- despite facing north, our balcony, being on the top floor, receives sunshine most of the day
- I do not like bamboos
- if need be I can always fall back on a small ivy (e.g., Goldchild)

Thank you for sharing your experience and expertise with me!