This is the 'privacy screen' thingy that I carried back home with me earlier in the week (on the bus + walking). (Cf my Monday post.) An adjustable trellis made of willow, covered in fake leaves. It's not heavy - just not a really comfortable size to be carrying around for too long.
It was not until I freed it from its plastic cover yesterday, and quite a few fake leaves immediately fell off, that I began to question the truth of the label declaring the contraption to be "eco-friendly and sustainable"... (The trellis itself, absolutely. The fake leaves, maybe not so much...) Luckily I unpacked it indoors rather than outdoors.
As it's lightweight, it wasn't too hard to fasten it onto the balcony railing simply using gardening wire. I put it up yesterday - and as far as I can tell today, it still has most of its leaves in place, in spite of rather windy weather.
Visually, I quite like it; and above all, it serves its purpose. I can partially see through it, but my "next balcony neighbours" and I no longer have to stare one another right in the face if we happen to be out on our balconies at the same time. (On the other side, there is a permanent frosted plexiglass screen between me and the balcony directly adjoining mine. So while we hear each other all too well, at least we don't see each other.)
I've seen other balconies in the neighbourhood using the same kind of trellis screen that I bought now, so that's what inspired me to get one like that too. It seemed an easier option to handle than something more solid that would probably need professional assistance to be mounted in a safe way. (I'll be taking this one down over winter.)
These are my cherry tomato plants. They have grown quite a bit and are now also beginning to bloom, although that may be hard to see in this photo.
11 comments:
I quite like your screen. Functional and attractive. It serves your purpose really well.
I am envious of your tomato plants. Ours are struggling with our cool and un-summery weather.
You found a great privacy screen. That must have been a bit difficult to carry to and from the bus. You did good.
I have never seen such a thing, it is amazing! I love it!!!
oh that's a nifty thing to use for privacy. We need to buy some trellis in Spring to put up next to our spa pool otherwise people can see us from the road.
I am not a fan of plastic leaves, but I understand your wish to be in your own space without anyone looking right at you, even if you're not into topless sunbathing :-D
There are many of these type of fences around here, larger and sturdier ones around gardens, too, but the dark green of the fake leaves tends to change colour over time, and more often than not, they look rather shabby after a while. But that's the ones that are not taken down for the winter, so I guess your trellis will do much better.
It's a good idea and a very practical solution to your problem. We have lots of different types of fencing here and I've seen something similar to yours. The leaves are also available on a fine mesh, and can be bought by the metre, so it's easy to replace them when they start to shed.
I LOVE the trellis and if it starts to look shabby or lose to many leaves, it would be an easy fix to add new ones by wiring them. its PERFECT! and I like the way it looks. worth the carry home thing for sure. I would not want to sit out there if others were right there next to me... I see Coppa says there are leaves on mesh. I did not know that..
you could even put a string of fairy lights on it for night sitting
Thanks everyone for your comments. Maybe I should clarify re the fake leaves that my worry is more about the wind carrying too many of them off to litter the surroundings rather than how to replace them if that happens... So far so good though - I think! (Hopefully the "weak" ones came off already before I got the thing up.)
I love that idea!
Sandra and Meike - Really not much point in fairy lights in summer here as it doesn't get dark until very late (at midsummer, not until nearly midnight)!Reminds me I do have one solar lamp down in my storage room though which I've so far forgotten to bring up... ;-)
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