Why a Living Screen Beats a Panel Fence

Balconies have a habit of feeling overlooked. Whether you're on the second floor of a Victorian conversion or a new-build block, the sense that next door can see straight into your outdoor space is one of the most common grumbles we hear. A green screen solves that problem while doing several other jobs at once: it softens traffic noise, catches dust, casts dappled shade on a hot south-facing slab, and gives birds and pollinators somewhere to go.

Before you buy a single pot, check two things. First, your lease or tenancy agreement — many prohibit fixing anything to shared walls or railings, and some restrict what you can put on the balcony itself. Second, weight. Compost is heavy when wet, and a row of large containers adds up quickly. Spread the load towards the wall rather than the outer edge, and if you're unsure, ask your managing agent. Also think about the flat below: a screen that blocks their light will cause more trouble than it solves.

Match the Climber to Your Aspect

The single biggest mistake on British balconies is choosing a plant that wants full sun and planting it in a north-facing wind tunnel. Work out your aspect first, then pick accordingly. Remember that balconies are typically one RHS hardiness zone colder in winter and considerably hotter in summer than the ground below.

• Sunny and sheltered: star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is the gold standard — glossy evergreen leaves, creamy scent in midsummer, and it tolerates being trained tightly. Passionflower and wisteria will also perform, though wisteria needs a very large pot and firm annual pruning.
• Sunny and exposed: honeysuckle and climbing roses cope with wind better than most, as do annual sweet peas grown up a wigwam of canes. Sweet peas give you a quick screen in one season while slower evergreens establish.
• Shady or north-facing: common ivy, Virginia creeper and the tougher clematis such as Clematis alpina and C. montana will all cope. Honeysuckle prefers its roots in shade and its head in sun, which suits a west-facing balcony nicely.
• Avoid: Russian vine. It is fast, cheap and will attempt to consume your balcony, your neighbour's balcony and possibly the building.

Keep vigorous climbers attached to your own supports rather than letting them grip brickwork, render or mortar, which they will damage over time.

Supports and Trellises for Rented Balconies

You don't need to drill a single hole. There are several reversible options that work well and can be taken with you when you move.

• Tension wire kits fitted between two sturdy posts or wall brackets give a clean, nearly invisible framework and let you fan climbers out properly.
• Expanding willow or metal trellis panels slotted behind a planter give instant vertical structure and can be moved around as the sun shifts.
• Freestanding screen planters with an integrated trellis are ideal where there's nothing to fix to at all — weight the base with gravel for stability.
• Railings can be used with purpose-made clamps and cable ties, but check first: some landlords dislike anything attached to the balustrade.

Wind loading is the real issue on upper floors. Anything that catches the breeze like a sail will eventually tear loose, so check fixings after every storm and tie climbers in loosely with soft twine rather than wire.

Bulk and Texture: Grasses, Bamboo and Evergreens

Climbers alone can look thin. Add a layer of taller, upright plants in front to give the screen depth and to keep some structure through winter. Ornamental grasses are excellent value for money — Miscanthus sinensis, Calamagrostis and Stipa tenuissima all sway in the wind, which makes a balcony feel far less boxed in.

For evergreen screening, clumping bamboo such as Fargesia is far better behaved in a pot than running varieties. Bay, rosemary, choisya, photinia and even a compact olive will all hold their shape year-round. Aim for a final height of around 1.5 to 1.8 metres — enough to give you privacy when seated without turning your balcony into a dark corridor.

Compost, Containers and Drainage

Bigger pots mean less watering and happier roots. Where space allows, go for containers at least 35 to 45 centimetres across, and choose light-coloured or glazed pots in full sun to keep root temperatures down. A soil-based compost such as John Innes No. 2 or 3 mixed with a little grit holds moisture and nutrients far better than peat-free multipurpose alone, particularly in a windy spot.

Drainage matters twice over on a balcony. Raise pots onto feet so water doesn't pool, and use saucers or a drip tray to stop runoff dripping onto the neighbour below — a surprisingly common source of complaints. A gravel mulch on top of the compost reduces evaporation and keeps everything looking tidy.

Watering, Feeding and Wind

Balcony pots dry out alarmingly fast. In high summer, expect to water daily, sometimes twice on a scorching day, and consider self-watering reservoirs or water-retaining granules for busy weeks. Feed fortnightly from April to September — a high-potash feed for flowering climbers, a general-purpose one for foliage and grasses.

Wind is the silent killer. Group pots together so they shelter one another, use a permeable screen rather than a solid one, and move tender plants against the wall in winter. Wrap terracotta pots in bubble wrap or hessian before the first hard frost, and prune climbers straight after flowering to keep them within bounds. Do all that, and your green screen will look better with every passing year.