Garden Update: Twinkle Light Privacy Screen

Outside our back door to the left is a small area that faces the condos in the back. The woman upstairs doesn’t use the staircase because of the steep stairs.

It’s a nice covered area, but it does overlook the (crazy) neighbor. Said neighbor will go out on her back patio and start screaming at the top of her lungs, totally starling me and, probably, anyone else within earshot. One of her rants is “ONIONS!!!!!” Onions? Perhaps a disgruntled chef? We have no idea, but her nickname is now “Onions” when we refer to her.

So, to give us some amount of privacy, I decided to grow vines up in the area.

In a series of window boxes, we planted morning glories, moon vines and sweet peas for climbing; and, added nasturtiums for their hanging and trailing. Up and down growth. It could work.

I got a roll of a plastic mesh. It seems sturdy and should work. I attached it to the upright corner column with a staple gun and ran it horizontally to the next upright. The window boxes are on cinderblock and board shelves. I also ran a set of solar powered twinkle lights through the mesh, as shown below.

Solar twinkles! YAY! And, in the photo below, do you see that fenced in area? That’s where “Onions” has her outdoor space. She stands right there, faces up to the sky, and screams. It’s unsettling.

In the photo, below, are the window boxes. On an adjacent shelf are a group of ferns since this area is on the north side of the building.

Window boxes in place, mesh up with lights and solar panel facing west to catch the afternoon sun to keep it charged. The seedlings are beginning to sprout. I’ve learned to make chicken wire covers to keep the squirrels from digging up the plants. This really does work. Plus, it helps to anchor the plants as they grow through the fence.

The shelves and boxes are to the side so they do not obstruct folks from passing by or using the stairs. It’s also stable and secure.

Now, for it to all grow in…