Balcony Garden Project

I sometimes hear folks say that they can’t have a garden because they don’t have any land or they just don’t have the space. I’m here to tell you that there is so much you can do with just a small space! A small balcony or patio is a perfect place to start. You can grow in containers on the ground, raised, or in hanging planters. Believe it or not you can grow a pretty wide range of edibles and flowers in containers. 

I recently had the pleasure of working with a client, Kristin, who lives in a condo and has only a balcony. She also hasn’t had much experience with growing and has had some unfortunate fails. It seriously happens to everyone. Yes, even experienced gardeners can “kill plants” or have unsuccessful grows. I mean, heck... you didn’t walk successfully on your first, second or even third try, did you? Of course not! I’m so glad Kristin decided to give it another try because I’m in love it this super cute balcony garden we created for her to enjoy. 

First, we talked about what she wanted and what she was willing to try. We looked at the space, the light, and her time. Kristin travels and needed something low maintenance that would survive a few days without tending or watering. On her balcony she gets sun, but there are parts that are shaded. Kristin also wanted a combination of easy edibles, things that smelled good, and some color. I selected some options for planter styles and from there we picked just the right ones.

I gave her a design plan that included self watering planters, specially formulated soil for optimum moisture control, herbs, shade loving plants, and sun loving flowers. Another priority was creating a little privacy on her balcony without covering her view of the lake. She really has a great view. That may seem like some difficult and contradicting asks, but really, it was easy peasy. That’s one of the benefits of a garden consultation and design. We garden coaches love to solve garden problems and our goal is to help you create a place that you love.

Kristin also wanted to learn how to garden and how to care for her new plants. When it came time for the install, we worked together to assemble the planters, shop for plants, and plant them. As we worked, I provided instruction, and gave tips for future success. Some of the instruction was by showing and some by doing. The end result is a wealth of knowledge and a feeling of accomplishment. 

The railing planters we selected are self watering and adjustable to ensure proper fit on her railing and provide time for a few days of neglect without drying out. We used two 16” Self-Watering Saddle Railing Planters in white to blend in with her railing. The great part about these is that both sides can be planted, which allowed for a nice variety of flowers. Splashes of color was on her list of must haves and we accomplished this with shades of pink, fuschia, purple, and white with Geraniums, Portulaca, Vinca, Dianthus, and Pansy’s. All of which will bloom for months. We also selected these varieties not just for the different blooms but also with different leaves to give some more variety and interest.

Kristin had an outdoor carpet in a pattern of teal and white. We used that to play off of with our colors. We selected the Demeter Mobile Planter Cart in a gorgeous shade of turquoise to make the carpet stand out and bring the color up to contrast with the white railing. We positioned the planter directly in front of the railing to accomplish the goal of privacy. In the planter are herbs, edible flowers, and one red bell pepper (her favorite snacking pepper), selected and placed to not block her view of the lake, but give privacy for the seating area instead. The herbs were chosen for use, smell, color, and texture. We chose varying shades of green and leaf shape to add interest. We also selected herbs that smell fantastic, have emotional and medicinal values, and are great to cook with or use in teas. Rosemary, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Thyme, Tarragon, Lavender, as well as Marigolds fill this planter.

For a little pop of color, we selected 14” Viva Self-Watering Hanging Baskets in a deep red. We hung them on either side of the balcony. Again, so as not to block the view, but instead frame it. The one that gets sun was planted with a Little Bing compact cherry tomato, perfect for containers. In the other hanging planter that gets all shade we selected a New Guinea Impatien, Creeping Jenny, and small leaf Ivy to trail down and dance in the breeze.

The potting mix was a key item for both the self watering planters and her need to leave the plants unattended while traveling. The Self-Watering Potting Mix had a super root boosting agent, Mycorrhizae (beneficial microbes). It is specially formulated for self-watering containers to promote strong roots, boost nutrient and water uptake, enhance plants' resilience to stress, as well as improve drought tolerance. 

I really love the way this balcony garden turned out. I’m so thankful to have had this opportunity to help Kristin create her amazing balcony garden. I think we hit all the must haves for this client, and created a space that she can enjoy and grow with.

Until next time…

Dream Big, Plant Love, and Grow Where You’re Planted

XOXO - Laurie