Morning Glory - The Beautiful Privacy Screen

My Morning Glory (last year's crop)

Many of us who have balconies wish for more privacy. Morning glories provide an inexpensive but exquisitely beautiful privacy screen.  Using just the railing, a bit of string, or fishing line, and you can create a privacy screen from balcony floor to roof for just a few cents.

My Balcony Morning Glories

I have great luck growing these interesting flowers in a container.  I use my railing for the trellis.  These beautiful flowers add color and beauty.  The leaves and vines add a bit of privacy.  If I planted my morning glories more thickly, I would have complete privacy but I plant my flowers sparsely so that the sun reaches all of my sun-loving vegetables.

Best of all, hummingbirds were very interested in the blooms last year.  I hope that the morning glories are a food source in addition to my hummingbird feeder. But because the birds move so quickly, I'm never quite sure if they are drinking from the blooms or just hiding behind them.

Floor to Ceiling Flower Screen

Imaginative people string fishing line (for an invisible "trellis") from floor to balcony roof to make a complete privacy screen. I think the effect is gorgeous. Were it not for my vegetables, I would do this too.

 33 Small Balcony Designs shares with us a photo of an invisible green screen covered in morning glories as well as many photos of beautiful balconies. The invisible trellis can include verticle strings, horizontal strings, or a grid of strings.  It's up to you how you string your trellis.  I think the horizontal strings are an especially interesting look.

Example of a green screen and invisible trellis

Mobile Planter and Trellis

If you love the idea of a trellis with flowers on your balcony, but need to move things around in that space, you can purchase a planter and a trellis. There are several small trellises that can be used in your existing planters. However, if you have a bit of money to spend, you can purchase this gorgeous large planter and trellis on wheels.  In the event you want to arrange your balcony, you can do so with ease if your morning glories are in this system.

Planter with trellis on wheels

This year, I am again starting my morning glories in a small container and will train them to grow up the balcony railing.  I've planted two colors this year and I look forward to their daily dance of opening in the mornings and closing in the afternoons.

Word of Caution - I have read that morning glory seeds are poisonous to pets. So take care to keep seed packets out of your pet's reach and supervise your pets closely around your morning glory plants.

Morning Glory seed packet