Gardens

Landscaping Ideas-Create a Natural and Green Outdoor Privacy Screen for your Deck or Balcony Area that is Sure to Add a Custom Charm

Too often we see balcony and deck areas go unused because of a sheer lack of privacy.  Now you can showcase and bring texture to your yard with natural beauty and privacy at the same time.  A unique way to add beautiful greenery to your balcony, coverage from the prying eyes of neighbors, or, what might be an unattractive view, is to create a natural outdoor privacy screen . 

Start with lightweight decorative resin or plastic containers.  We used 3 for our project because of the size of the balcony deck.  One for the front, and one for each side of the balcony.  Be sure to select containers that that have drainage holes at the bottom.  Plants that are sitting in soggy water-filled soil are never a good thing.   

Put a few small rocks around the top of the drainage holes to keep the soil from draining out.  Then, fill the containers with soil, and plant vines (we used Creeping Fig because it is hardy and will naturally cling to the surface once it gets established) with branches that are long enough to secure to your balcony’s fence panels.   Position your 3 decorative resin containers along the front side of the balcony – center, left and right side.  This will give you an outdoor privacy screen that covers all the angles. 

Next, cut rolled plastic fencing in to 1-2 inch strips and staple to fence using your staple gun. Secure vines to plastic fencing with plastic coated wire ties.  Be careful not to staple the vines themselves.  Ouch!!  As vines branch out, continue to add more plastic fencing until wood fence panels are completely covered.  This will give your balcony a custom charm and a natural outdoor privacy screen.  You can also use this same method to cover ugly metal fence poles in your yard as well (see our article on ‘Covering Up Ugly Metal Fence Poles.’)

Supplies:

• 3 Lightweight resin plant containers with drainage holes, or drill your own.
• Plastic Gardener Fencing  (3 x 50 ft. ? Can be found at most home and garden centers.)
• Plastics coated wire ties for outdoor plants.
• Staple Gun
• Staples (for your staple gun of course)
• Scissors or wire cutters
• 3 creeping figs
• Potting soil and mulch
• Drainage saucers

About the Author

Linda Johnson is a degreed and experienced crafter and interior/exterior decorating specialist, with years of experience helping friends, family, and clients solve their decorating and craft needs. Linda and her contributing writers invite you to submit your own great ideas for free, and also find tons more craft ideas and landscape decorating articles and projects like this with photos to try yourself

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