Natural privacy protection is very popular in creative terrace design. With this selection we would like to inspire you for imaginative terrace planting that keeps prying eyes away. These plants fulfill their task as green privacy screens with flying colors.
Which plants are suitable as natural privacy screens for terraces?
Annual climbing plants such as morning glories, black-eyed Susans, sweet peas and climbing snapdragons are suitable as natural privacy screens for terraces. Evergreen shrubs such as firethorn, barberry and cherry laurel provide year-round privacy. Fast-growing flowering shrubs such as buddleia and tall grasses such as miscanthus also provide opaque protection.
Annual climbing plants – floral skyscrapers as natural privacy screens
In natural terrace design, walls and fences are frowned upon as privacy screens because they visually overwhelm the area. Instead, in the creative design plan, annual climbing plants are given new honor on the decorative trellis. With their rapid growth, they act as a splendid, natural privacy screen that wards off prying eyes without having to wait long. The following climbing artists score points with their long flowering period and attractive foliage:
- Morning glories (Ipomoea) delight with huge funnel flowers and a long flowering period from June to October
- Black-eyed Susan (Thunbergia alata) for flower-rich terrace planting on the shapely trellis
- Sweet vetch (Lathyrus) serves as a natural privacy screen and also gives the gardener beautiful cut flowers
- Climbing snapdragon (Maurandya scandens) boasts abundant flowers until the first frost
In contrast, evergreen or hardy climbing plants take plenty of time to grow. Furthermore, the care proves to be demanding with regard to professional pruning. Until ivy, climbing hydrangeas or rambler roses act as a green privacy screen, the gardener's patience will be strained for a few years. Clever ideas are required for the transition phase, such as reed mats and similar privacy protection solutions that you can build yourself.
Nasturtium – privacy screen with rural charm
A prime example of romantic terrace planting with flowering climbing plants is nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus). The uncomplicated flower beauty has made a name for itself in the design of country house and cottage gardens. With their busy growth, the flexible shoots quickly conquer sunny and partially shaded locations. The hand- or finger-shaped ornamental leaves grow so tightly packed that they remain unmolested on the terrace.
Green privacy screen for the whole year – tips for evergreen terrace planting
Plants with evergreen leaves maintain your privacy without seasonal gaps. This has the advantage that the terrace is available to you as a relaxing refuge even on mild winter days, unmolested by annoying onlookers. The focus is on slender shrubs that do not shed their leaves and take up little space in the pot. The following selection presents recommended species and varieties for permanent terrace planting:
Deciduous shrubs
- Firethorn (Pyracantha coccinea 'Red Column') with white flowers, red berries and long thorns; 200-350cm
- Barberry (Berberis julianae) bears golden-yellow summer flowers and blue berries over evergreen leaves; 200-300cm
- Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) impresses as a reliable green privacy screen without extensive care;
Conifers
- Tree of Life 'Smaragd' (Thuja occidentalis) a slim, natural privacy screen in premium quality; 200-300cm
- Columnar yew 'Fastigiata Robusta' (Taxus baccata) forms a row to form an opaque green wall; 300-400cm
- Columnar cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana), evergreen bodyguard for the terrace; 350-400cm
When caring for this evergreen terrace planting, please note the limited winter hardiness in the pot or planter. Due to the exposed location, the root balls of hardy trees are more vulnerable to frost than deep in the garden soil. In winter, wrap the containers with fleece (€72.00 on Amazon), foil or coconut mats and push a thick wooden block underneath.
Fast-growing flowering bushes – natural privacy screen for the impatient
Evergreen deciduous shrubs grow according to the motto 'hurry up.' For the intolerant gardener, flowering shrubs come in handy, as they compensate for the shortcomings of the autumn leaves being shed with rapid growth and an abundance of flowers. In the large pot, the growth rockets appear under the ornamental shrubs as a natural privacy screen when it is most urgently needed on the terrace at the beginning of the outdoor season.
The model boy in this illustrious circle is the buddleia (Buddleja davidii), which enchants with breathtaking scented flowers from July to October. The butterfly bush presents its picturesque festival of colors with a growth rate of 50 to 150 cm per year, coupled with a good-natured tolerance to pruning.
Delicate guardians of your privacy – grasses as a natural privacy screen
Green privacy screens without a repellent bulwark character are considered a particular challenge in successful terrace design. Here the focus is on tall grasses, whose individual stalks gather to form an impenetrable wall and yet simulate delicate transparency. We have put together the most beautiful grass species and varieties for you here:
- Miscanthus 'Big Fontaine' (Miscanthus sinensis) natural privacy protection from the first summer; 125-175cm
- Riding grass 'Karl Foerster' (Calamagrostis x acutiflora) man-sized gem for terrace design; 120-150cm
- Bamboo 'Jumbo' (Fargesia murielae) thrives in a pot as a green privacy screen all year round; 125-180cm
- Moor pipe grass (Moliniacaerulea) for opaque terrace design in shady locations; 150-160cm
Large pots and voluminous flower boxes can be used as planters. As a rule, tall grass species require a substrate volume of 15 to 20 liters. Care is limited to regular watering and pruning in early spring, in good time before fresh shoots.
Tip
With berry bushes you can create a cozy terrace planting with a summer privacy factor. Raspberries, currants or goji berries thrive in the balcony box with an integrated trellis, invite you to snack he althily and keep prying eyes away.
