I don't know if what your looking for is more of just an annual plant or a perennial that will come back from year to year. The best things I can think of for privacy would be some sort of shrub. I have a dwarf alberta spruce on my patio (that amazingly overwintered our very chilly -30 winter) you would have to buy one that is of the size you want though as they grow only a few inches a year (perfect for patios so they don't take off too much). If you were to go with a shrub you could try some sort of shrub or climbing rose(Cl. Blaze is a fast grower but most likely wouldn't come back the following year). Another type of shrub that grows very fast would be elderberry bushes. They would have to be pruned to keep within bounds as they can grow to around 10' if left alone. Under optimal conditions I have had then start at around 2 ft tall and by the second year they are around 6 to 7 ft tall and if pruned can be fairly bushy. They would have to be grown in a larger planter though :) Just remember that anything on your patio (especially the more sun you get) will need to be watered very often in the hot summer months :)

Try looking for a Nice sized Clamatis at a planting store. My fave place here sells them LARGE but you do pay for it and they have very nice flowers. Also what about Woodbine/Virginia Creeper? They look great in the fall.

BAMBOO. I had the same issue and wanted privacy quickly. There are several types of bamboo that would work depending if you want it more bushy, more decorative, how tall you want it, etc. It looks great.

Also, check out HORSETAIL for a really cool looking "grass" that can get a few feet tall.

Thanks everyone! I think I'm probably looking for more of an annual--I live in a small studio apartment and everything from the balcony will have to move indoors during the winter months, so whatever I plant has to either be just for this season, or something that can stay on the balcony year-round.

I'm discovering that plants are not the easiest to come by in Manhattan, especially larger ones. (And the large ones I have seen are all WAY out of my price range--I'm a newbie gardener, and spending upwards of $150 on something that I might kill is just out of the question...) Union Square Greenmarket has the best (and most affordable) selection, but the plant stores here are small and expensive, and the puny garden department at Home Depot is beyond sad. I grew up in the suburbs with what felt like a garden center on every corner, but here the choices are really limited. Are there good online sources for plants (not seeds) or is the shipping ridiculous because of weight?

I posted this question on another forum and also asked a couple of friends with urban gardens, and bamboo (as sparkyr suggested) seems to be the suggestion I've received most often. I'm going to look for some today--I just hope it's not insanely expensive!

Also, how heavy does bamboo get when grown in a container? Since it is a balcony, weight is something of a concern.

I was going to suggest bamboo as well - grows super fast, I doubt it would get very heavy at all.

Could you cheat a bit with some sort of screen made out of entwined branches? I see those as decorative screens quite often, maybe make it look like it's growing? Otherwise if you could put small planters along the balcony top, and plant flowers that'll grow reasonably high/thick, that could work (I'm 17 stories up, but can get away with this by having them on the inside of the balcony, rather than the outside - perfect for strawberries).

As for a bamboo source, some sprigs from chinatown or even Ikea might give you a headstart on growing them, you'll just have to remove the waxy 'caps' from the cut ends so they can grow.

Dwarf Conifers in containers will work great. Using a good potting soil mix like "Al's Mix" over on the container forum, and a pot that will not break in the winter ( plastic...) If you are zone 6, then you would select a plant that is zone 5 or lower. These plants will tolerate colder conditions that will result becasue the roots are not in the ground. The itial cost may be more than you might like, but the fact that youdo not have to bring inside , or replace like an annual.
The photos on the latest post show some "mini" conifers in containers, but single plants - like the drawf Alberta Spruce are a good example of conifers that can grow year round in your zone 6. I bet there are lots of roof top container garedns in NYC with more than just annuals

Have fun --- Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: My blog

So, RF1279, what did you decide to do for you first year of balcony gardening?

PV

Here is a link that might be useful: Balcony Gardening in Brooklyn

Problem is what do you do for the winter. There are several types of trees including fruit trees, citrus and others you can grow. It's really about how much effort you want to make.

Hi there. I too live in NYC, and while in the past I had a deck and yard (in Queens), I am now in a new building with a balcony. This is my first time doing balcony gardening, so like you I am trying to figure things out.

First off, I'm a bit confused as you said you 'not allowed to use screen or blinds'...I guess you mean somehow hanging aruond the sides of the balcony...but then you added that you plan to use a trellis. So I'm confused as to why the building management(?) won't let you use screens or blinds, but that a trellis is ok...either way they all sort of block the view to varying degrees. What about bamboo fencing?

Anyway, as for the trellis, that was something I too planned to do on the sides of my balcony....not so much for privacy, but to add height so that my cats won't consider jumping up on the tops of my railings. I too then planned to grow some type of climbing plants up the sides of the trellis.

I know that weight is an issue on balconies. Just curious....is your balcony recessed into the footprint of the building, or does the balcony complete jut out from the side of the building? If it juts out, then I'd think you have to be even more concerned about weight. I assume you know that you'd only want to use plastic or resin planters...nothing terra cotta or stone etc. ;-)

You mentioned that you'd need to bring everything inside in the Winter, yet I'm not sure why you think this. I also know that space is at a premium in NYC apartments, so I would guess that you (like me) would prefer being able to leave things outside, versus having to bring them indoors.

The key is either 1) buying annuals and accepting the fact that you'll have to buy news ones the next year, so keepign the existing plants outside in the Winter would make no difference anyway and 2) to buy perennials only, or at least some perennials, and making sure they are hardy for our region. In general NYC is considered Zone 6, and so for plants in pots (and which therefore don't get the protection from the earth to keep the roots warm in Winter) you need to subtract two Zones, so essentially only buy perennials that are hardy to Zone 4...and MAYBE Zone 5.

It's hard for me to visualize a 12' x 6' balcony, but I think a potted Japanese maple would be nice. But for a good sized one (I always buy mine from the Flower District...) you'll probably need to pay about $200. However, I think it's worth it because they are so beautiful, and you'll also get beautiful foliage in the Fall. In the Winter, though the leaves fall off, you are still left with the beautiful shape of the branches. (Though you need to be aware that during heavy snows you'll need to go out and shake the snow off the branches...otherwise the weight of the snow will cause the delicate branches to break off). In NYC, potted Japanese maples can be kept out year-round and should come back each year no problem. (I've never had any issues with my potted maples staying outside....they come back every year.)

If you have tables or any kind of gardenign supply boxes etc on your balcony, you could also try to situate those along the sides of your balcony and then put potted plants on top of the tables. The tables will obviously help to elevate the plants or make them taller, thereby perhaps giving you some of that privacy you want.

Another option is to use hanging plant brackets that can be affixed to your balcony railings. You can situate them wherever you want privacy, and then suspend a plant so that it hangs above the level of the balcony railng. If you have walls where you can affix hanging plant brackets (if you are allowed to drill into the walls), that cuolsd be another option, and then you arrange the hanging plants in such a way as to partially block the view of others.

Attached is a link to a really great wall bracket that can be positioned multiple ways. This same website has a wide range of hanging plant brackets....

Here is a link that might be useful: multi-position hanging plant hook

Also, you'd mentioned difficulty with finding plants in Manhattan and that are not too expensive. I have had really good luck with Niche Gardens. You should give that a try....getting some bareroot plants in the mail from them, and then potting them up. One time I had a problem with one of the plants that I received from them, and they were very good in not just replacing the plant, but sending a larger version (without charging me additional money for the larger plant)....

Here is a link that might be useful: niche gardens website

morning glory is the quickest, thickest grower!!! plant multiple seeds in multiple pots (after germination of course) and in a month or so you will have a total blanket of green leaves and flowers....you would need to add a trellis or string so it can hang onto.

A great source for ideas is Pinterest. Search balcony ideas then stand back.

I'm sure I'm late to the question but here is what I did to create privacy. I purchased 3 (but could do 5) tall (30") thin self watering fibreglass planters to almost match the balcony railing (silver grey) and planted purple fountain grasses. I lined them up in front of the railing. I'm on the 4th floor in Toronto and they provide complete privacy from the street.