Dear Craig,

I have a balcony that I would like to enjoy, but I feel like I’m in a fish bowl whenever I step out to it.  I’d like to make it private and have more than a couple of plastic chairs with a potted plant or two for decorations.  What can I do to create an intimate space? 

Sonya in Phoenix

Dear Sonya,

Gardens have no boundaries.

Sometimes small spaces can become the coziest areas for a private retreat.  You’ll need lots of potted plants, a sitting area and a small fountain.  The sound of running water will add ambience and help cover up outside noises.  Plants will give you privacy and help to create a cooler area for sitting.  Stay away from plant varieties with thorns.  You’re working with limited space and you don’t want to end up with something that is going to hurt you if you brush against it.

You can create a false wall on one or two sides of your balcony using shrubs or vines in pots.  Don’t rule out the possibility of climbing vines, because you don’t want to install nails or hooks on the outside of your home or apartment.  I’ve found that a dab of silicone and a bent paperclip make an inconspicuous apparatus for vines to climb on.  If you move later, you can easily peel the silicone off of walls or ceilings.  Add a trellis to a potted vine and you’ve got another method of blocking off an open area. This gives you a portable panel that you can move to conceal an area, create a privacy screen or block the sun.  Vines such as bower, Carolina Jessamine and honeysuckle will grow well in containers and provide a delicate scent. 

Almost any plant you’d like to have on your balcony can survive in a container.  After all, they are all grown and sold in pots (plastic containers) at the nurseries. If your balcony or patio is large enough to support a small or dwarf‑type tree, I would place at least one.  Dwarf citrus trees would be a great choice, as you have the added benefit of fresh fruit while you enjoy your private balcony.  Other great choices with edible fruits would be dwarf peach, pomegranate, loquat, and even banana. If you decide upon ornamental trees or tree‑shaped shrubs, there are several varieties to choose from: oleander (tree type), kidneywood with its vanilla fragrance, ficus benjamina, raphiolepis and, one of my favorites, the potato bush with its bright purple flowers.