Balcony gardens tend to consist of collections of small potted plants, each of which has its own maintenance needs. Jenny's garden (above) is a lovely example of this, but just as often balcony gardens tend to look a bit worse for wear, precisely because each little pot requires individual attention and care, a task which can easily overwhelm a busy apartment dweller. Perhaps we're all going at our balcony gardens the wrong way?
In fact, larger, more mature potted plants might make more sense for balcony gardens than small pots; having just a few different plants in your balcony garden, each of them well suited to the particular light and wind conditions, makes for much easier maintenance. And the look is a bit more refined than a motley collection of pots (which can, of course, be beautiful, but sometimes results in a cluttered look).
Of course, some balconies are just too small for mature plants; not all of us have the luxury of balcony space shown in the garden above (designed by the U.K.-based Paperbark Garden Design). Furthermore, weight and watering requirements may make mature plantings difficult on some apartment building balconies.
What do you think? Are you growing large, mature plants on your balcony? Please share!
(Images: Jenny's Bokashi Blog; Paperbark Garden Design)
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Comments (11)
I don't have a balcony, but I am definitely trending towards this in potted plants. Bigger plants,bigger pots, less variety all mixed together... with the exception of succulents, where a lot of different varieties look good together, and are still low maintenance. But even those I have been planting in fairly good sized pots.
No more 6" terra cotta pots for me, I just can't commit to the watering chores.
I have three large pots on my balcony containing plants in various stages of decrepitude. I'm always worried about buying mature plants because they're expensive, and I'm more worried about killing expensive things than I am about killing cheap things. So, to improve the situation, I'm always looking out for:
1. A source for reasonably-priced large square lightweight pots to replace the very heavy round ones I have now; and
2. A source for reasonably-priced large plants that I can be fairly sure will withstand hot, direct sun in the summer, a chilly, shady, wet winter, and a sporadically negligent caretaker.
In other words, it would take a miracle to get my balcony looking like either of the pictures here. But that doesn't mean I haven't--in profound fits of optimism--tried to make it happen.
for potted plants (on the patio) I swear by hosta's. These plants seem to be able to stand any kind of abuse by wind, sun, lack of water and cold winters. I do use some bigger pots for herbs. Good old geraniums also seem to thrive in hot windy balcony conditions. Mine still flowered when the snow came!
I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Although we are no longer in an apartment, we now have a very large yard to care for...I don't want extra maintenance for one hundred tiny planters on the deck!
I've been having good luck finding medium-sized planters at thrift stores lately. No large ones yet, but I know I will hit gold one day. I've gotten a lot in the $5-$10 range, and most of them have their original $30 tag still on them.
Home Depot has large plants for reasonable prices. You may have to help them to better health, since they are usually just a little bit under the weather, but it's worth a shot.
Another "plus" for larger plants: they're less likely to get blown over in the wind.
Ahhh! So amazing! I can't wait to get a balcony!
I find that ferns and heathers do very well in large pots as they are both good at withstanding extreme moisture and dryness (via the medium of peat).
I move most of my houseplants (all very hardy or I would've killed them long ago!) out to my 5'x7' patio in the summer and plant a few flowers in outdoor-only flowerboxes.
If you move your houseplants out to the balcony every summer they will get large in no time. Plants, even house plants, don't like to be indoors -- they will only survive there. Outside, they really grow.
We have a very small and skinny balcony, and since we moved here nearly 2 years ago I have been saying we are going to beautify it. There's still nothing on the balcony except for an old table and 2 chairs we picked up off the street and some lavendar plants my mom gave me (I promptly killed them).
Maybe THIS summer will be the summer I actually get my act together and plant some beautiful greenery out there!
http://www.abbeycatchat.com
Some great balcony plant advice in the comments here! I'm going to check out geraniums for plants and thrift stores for pots. Very nice!