I am glad I happened by this forum. I had a similar issue at first with my 7x4 balcony.

Have you considered growing fruit? My balcony gets so much sun that even the succulents die if their pots are in the sun in summertime (the soil gets too hot, I guess?), but I put a dwarf Meyers lime and a dwarf orange tree out there and they just love it out. They are evergreen, too, so they're good for privacy... as well as tasty fruit. I just put a dwarf pixiecot apricot out there as well, and that's even taller but it doesn't always have leaves.

can you put a freestanding bamboo shade up there? probably not but that is an option as well. Hope this helps a little.

valberry
http://stufficanmake.blogspot.com/search/label/garden

I can't put up any type of barrier, shade.... but the Meyer lemon tree is a good idea, I had also considered a fruitless olive but they are $$$!

Glad I stumbled upon this...please see my other post. I have trouble with Lavender in SOFLA but am encouraged to try fruit trees once again.

I say only this as I am clumsily trying to work out my own balcony.