Arranging an evergreen garden on the balcony is a rather easy and budget-friendly idea, although taking care of the blooming ornamental plants may require certain efforts. The modern world consists of haste and bustle, so many urban dweller want to enjoy an atmosphere of peace and tranquility at least at home. After a hard and long day, it feels exceptionally beautiful to behold some greenery and blossom. Although it’s impossible to fit a real garden into an urban apartment, a small green island of potted plants can be created on any balcony.

Main aspects of decorating the balcony with plants.

The following factors should be figured out before you proceed to arranging a balcony garden or a mini-greenhouse:

  • the size of the balcony space;
  • the amount of sunlight this part of your apartment receives;
  • the desirable interior design style;
  • the blooming periods of different ornamental herbs (in case you wish to create an ever-blooming balcony garden).

The interior garden will be much easier to maintain if you approach its creation with decent carefulness. Take into account the above listed aspects and double-check whether the plant species you’ve picked up are well-combinable with each other.

5 most popular balcony garden ideas.

  1. Potted plants represent the unbeatable top-rated solution when it comes to balcony gardening. A nice complementary idea is to employ baskets suspended from the ceiling and cachepots. As for flower boxes, the recommendable way of arranging them is along the railing, which will create an uninterrupted line of flowers framing the space.
    Hint: The pots and boxes housing the plants should not be too heavy. For decorative purposes, you can paint ornaments on the pots or adorn them with decoupage applications.
  2. Vertical gardening is an incredible idea for smaller balconies, since it occupies only the vertical surface of the wall. The pots with plants may be attached directly to the wall, placed on shelves or suspended from the ceiling. As a rule, either a combination of these methods, or specifically designed vertical garden structures are used by USA designers. The vertical gardening idea is appreciated because it allows you to create a beautiful arrangement of ornamental flowers that doesn’t eat up much space.
  3. A mini-greenhouse is a perfect option for those home-owners who enjoy the idea of growing organic produce or exotic plants. It’s wise to build such a structure if the balcony faces south, so that your plants receive a decent amount of sunlight.
  4. A cascade of fountains is a rather exotic balcony garden idea, which is frequently found in oriental interiors. You may even create a tiny pond with aquatic and submersed plants, such as cow lilies with orange and red flowers. A small indoor fountain will produce the soothing sound of water splashes, creating an atmosphere of sheer coziness and relaxation.
  5. A stepladder or a tower-type set of shelves with potted plants can be employed as the focal point of a large balcony. You’ll basically obtain a portable vertical garden, which you can move from one corner of the area to another.

Choosing plants for an open balcony: hints.

A balcony surrounded with a railing will benefit from creeping plants that can climb over the rail and fall in cascades on the other side: petunias, pelargoniums, climbing roses, etc.

The universal gardening idea suitable for any balcony involves ephemeral plants. If the area receives an abundance of sunlight, opt for drought-resistant species, such as purslane, small-flowered chrysanthemum, verbena, marigold, milkweed, and pansies. On a north-facing balcony, employ plants that are patient of cold and shadow: viola, primrose, ivy, fuchsia, and begonia.

Bulbous and tuberous ornamental plants represent a highly efficient solution for owners of open balconies who want to have a garden in summer but have no spare space inside the apartment to accommodate the pots in winter. Since such a plant is reduced to the size of a bulb when the weather grows cold, you can store your extensive balcony garden inside a couple of boxes.

Choosing plants for a glazed balcony.

A glazed balcony offers much better conditions for gardening, which prolong the blossom period of the ornamental plants. If you winterize this part of your US home, it will give you an opportunity to arrange an interior garden, which will refresh the eye throughout the year.

A winter garden is your own green area, a perfect place for recreation, stress alleviation and oxygen enrichment. The live green plants employed in the balcony interior will revive your spirits and improve your general state. After all, they call winter gardens a means of landscape therapy for a reason.

The requirements towards the balcony designed to become an interior garden are based on the needs of ornamental plants:

  • the balcony room must be winterized and fitted with additional lighting sources; air ventilation is necessary, too;
  • the space should be isolated to prevent heat losses, which involves triple-pane glazing;
  • the materials used for interior finishing should be natural (wood is the tip-top option).

The plants used to arrange a winter garden can be subdivided into categories:

  • exotic tropical plants;
  • desert plants;
  • plants typical for rocky landscapes;
  • fruit-bearing dwarf trees.

If your glazed balcony isn’t winterized properly, you can still have an all-season indoor garden. However, the diversity of decorative plants will be affected. Your only choice is to employ plants that are able to resist sold: chlorophytum and pelargonium; yucca, dwarf spruce and pine, juniper, and arborvitae.

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