Best Balcony Gardening Ideas
If you have a green thumb, but are restricted to a balcony, it can be tough to create the garden of your dreams. Fortunately, there’s still a lot you can do with smaller spaces! From a fruitful edible garden filled with vegetable plants to a Japanese inspired oasis, the possibilities for your balcony garden are endless! First, you need to understand how to get the most out of your balcony and then get inspired with our best balcony gardening ideas. Read on to learn how you transform your balcony into a green paradise.
Working with a smaller space
The key to great balcony gardening is knowing how to work in the smaller space so you can make the most out of what you’ve got. To do so, you need to understand the basics of what you are working with, including how big the space is and the amount of sun and shade your balcony receives.
Measure your balcony
The first thing you should do is measure out your balcony. Grab a tape measure and take some basic measurements including the length, width and height of your balcony. You should also measure any other spaces you’d like to place plants such as window sills, walls and awning or canopy. Having an exact idea of how big your balcony is important as you’ll know how many plants, pots and other planters, as well as other furniture, you can realistically fit.
Configure the layout
After you’ve got the measurements, you can now work out your balcony layout. Place any items of furniture, such as seating, coffee tables and barbeques, in your desired arrangement. Now, you can see how much space you have for plants and where they are best placed. Have a think about what could work well in your layout, you may find that the hanging baskets you envisioned may get in the way of accessing your barbeque or the large potted fern would be better in the other corner so it doesn’t block your view.
Determine the conditions
You know the amount of plants you can house on your balcony, but what about the type? By understanding the conditions of your balcony, like the amount of sun, shade and rain it receives, you’ll be able to choose plants which can thrive! It’s ideal if your balcony is north or north-east facing as it will receive the optimal amount of sunlight. East and south-facing balconies require more shade tolerant plants, while a west-facing balcony needs plants which endure the heat like rosemary and carrots. If you are living on a high rise, you may find that your balcony is susceptible to winds so ensure that your plants are protected and won’t be knocked over or at risk of falling off the balcony. It’s also important to note that some balconies may have weight limitations so check with your body corporate before planting anything too heavy.
Easy balcony gardening ideas
Now that you’ve got a good understanding of how to best use your balcony garden, it’s time to get creative! Try out some of our best balcony gardening ideas to easily transform your outdoor space.
1) Play with colours, shapes & texture
Not having a lot of space to work with doesn’t mean your garden needs to be boring! You can bring a small space to life by experimenting with different colours, textures and shapes. Begin by selecting your favourite colours and shapes (as well as what works best for your space), and have fun in grouping different plants together. For example, pansies are easy to manage and add stunning bursts of colour so you can plant them alongside less colourful plants. Succulents and cacti come in a wide range of different shapes and textures, and look great together in one single pot or in a group. Don’t limit yourself simply to adding colour through the plants you choose, you can also add visual appeal with interesting pots, different types of seating and cushions, or even hang some decorations like fairy lights.
2) Grow vertically
As space is at a premium for balconies, planting vertically is an easy way to grow a wide range of plants. There’s a few ways you can maximise your space through vertical planting. You can use an old ladder, a stand or a tiered planter to stack different potted plants. This can be a great option for renters as you are able to easily manoeuvre the stand and don’t need to drill anything to a wall. You can use a hanging wall attachment which involves either attaching potted plants or planting directly into the pockets of the fixture. This type of installation will usually be required to be fixed directly into the wall through drilling. You can also opt for hanging baskets or a DIY hanging PVC Pipe Installation which are ideal for balconies with overhead coverings.
3) Use a statement plant
You can choose one bigger ‘statement’ plant such as a potted lemon tree or palm to provide impact without compromising space on your balcony. The choice of exact type of statement plant is up to you, however we recommend that you choose something which is dramatic in shape or colour, and can grow well in a pot. After you’ve chosen your statement plant, you can complement it with other small plants or let it stand out on its own.
4) Plant seasonally
One of the downsides of having a balcony garden is that you have less opportunity to diversify your plant selection due to space constraints. Planting seasonally is a way to enjoy a wide variety of plants and flowers easily. This technique is best suited for vegetable plants as they grow best at certain times of the year before dying off. You can achieve this by planting summer plants like tomato, chilli and corn, to then switch these plants out with winter plants like broccoli and kale.
5) Embrace herbs
Herbs are the perfect plants for balcony gardens! Low maintenance and able to grow in small spaces (such as recycled cans), herbs are delicious and a must have for any balcony garden. Herbs work well together so you can maximise space by placing them in the same pots.
6) Mix and match planters
Maximise space in your garden by using a combination of different planter types. This can include using a mix of hanging baskets, pot plants and planter boxes that are suited for different spaces on your balcony and/or stackable.
7) Engage the senses
Elevate your balcony garden by engaging the senses through fragrant and edible plants. This can include planting things like lavender, rosemary and jasmine, which smell great and have the added benefit of attracting pollinators to your garden. Edible plants such as fruit and vegetables means not only do you benefit from the visual appeal, but can enjoy the produce they create.
Learn more about gardening
If you have more questions about how to make your balcony garden successful, you can get in touch with the team at Jim’s Mowing. As gardening experts, we can advise you on all things gardening and lawn-care related!
