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Plants ideas for balcony


15 Best Balcony Plants - Apartment Balcony Plant Ideas

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1

Lavender

Sunny balconies beg for potted lavender! These perennials bloom for a long time and offer a wonderful perfume that will transport you to the Mediterranean. Lavender needs full sun.

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2

Fuchsia

These stunning annuals in shades of pink, red, or purple are best displayed in hanging baskets and window boxes. Hummingbirds and butterflies adore them! Fuchsia needs full shade.

SHOP FUCHSIA

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3

Sweet Alyssum

If you’ve never planted this darling annual, you’re missing out! Sweet alyssum has delicate, sweetly scented blooms and flowers from spring to frost. Best of all, pollinators adore it! Give it room to cascade down the sides of planters or hanging baskets, and keep it watered. It needs sun but tolerates some shade.

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4

Caladium

Caladium is grown for its striking heart-shaped leaves and vibrant lime green and hot pink or red markings. Caladiums range in height from about 10 inches tall to 2 feet tall, which is why it's important to read the label first so you give it a pot that’s large enough for it to spread out. It needs part shade to shade.

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5

New Guinea Impatiens

With cheery shades ranging from peach to hot pink, New Guinea impatiens are a reliable choice for long-season color. They don’t need to be deadheaded (pinched back) to encourage flowering until frost. These annuals tend to do best in pots, rather than in hanging baskets, which are difficult to keep watered in the heat of summer. These need part shade to shade.

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6

Lobelia

Low-growing blue, purple, or white lobelia looks amazing cascading from containers and baskets. It blooms best before nighttime temperatures get too warm. If the plant stops flowering, trim it back and it'll rebound when cool weather returns. Lobelia likes morning sun and afternoon shade, but it will also do okay in mostly shade.

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7

Hibiscus

Need a tropical getaway? The exotic blooms and rich colors of hibiscus make a beautiful addition to a balcony garden. Read the label to make sure you’re giving them plenty of space, as some varieties become quite large. Some can be overwintered indoors, though it’s a bit tricky because they need full sun.

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8

Torenia

Also called wishbone flower, torenia is an appealing purple, pink, white or two-tone combination that resembles snapdragons. These trailing annuals last from spring to fall, and hummingbirds love them! They need shade or part sun.

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9

Rose

Roses are easier to grow than you suspect. Choose a miniature variety or a shrub rose, which will thrive in pots. Make sure it gets at least six hours of sun for best blooms.

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10

Herbs

Herbs are the perfect low-maintenance addition to any balcony, and you can snip off a bit for cooking whenever you like. If you have full sun, choose basil and rosemary. For part sun, cilantro and chives are good choices. Herbs need sun to shade, depending on the type.

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11

Mandevilla

This tropical climber loves the heat! It comes in shades of pinks and reds and needs a trellis to grow upright. In cold climates, you can bring it indoors (though it tends to shed leaves with lower light levels). Mandevilla needs mostly sun, but shield it from hot afternoon sun in warm climates.

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12

Hydrangea

There’s no reason you can’t grow these stunning shrubs in pots on your balcony. Look for dwarf varieties, and make sure to choose a large pot made from a material that won’t freeze and crack in cold climates. Some varieties tolerate more sun than others, so read the plant tag. Hydrangeas need part sun to shade.

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13

Heuchera

This lesser-known perennial, also called coral bells, has striking leaf colors in every shade, from the deepest reds to lime green to pale coral. The small flower spikes are not flashy, but the plant is striking and does surprisingly well in pots. Heuchera needs sun or shade.

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14

Pansies and Violas

Ready for some color in early spring? Pansies and violas with their cheery "faces" and bright colors ranging from deep purple to oranges and yellows will make you smile! They prefer cooler temperatures, so plant these in spring and they'll last until it gets super-hot. They also may rebound in fall if you trim the spent flowers back and keep them shaded until cooler temperatures return. They need mostly sun.

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15

Lettuce

Yes! Lettuce! Grow some fresh mesclun right on a sunny balcony. There are hundreds of varieties, they're easy to grow, and you need only a window box or two (their roots are shallow). Keep it moist while it's sprouting, and trim (don't pull!) the pieces off as they mature. It will produce until super-hot weather arrives. Lettuce needs mostly sun.

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Arricca Elin SanSone

Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more. She’s passionate about gardening, baking, reading, and spending time with the people and dogs she loves.

21 Balcony Garden Ideas for Beginners in Small Apartments

Learn the basics of planning and designing a small-scale balcony or rooftop garden, plus get tips for selecting the best plants and containers. By Anne Balogh

Photo by: Proven Winners

Growing plants in a limited space like a balcony or terrace can be a challenge even for an experienced gardener, but it’s also a great opportunity to be creative and have fun.

From deciding what to grow (an urban vegetable garden? a tropical paradise?) to choosing imaginative containers (such as an old watering can or wood crate), the entire process can be an adventure. Yes, you still must adhere to the strict confines of your space, but there are many tricks for making every square inch count. Here are some tips to help you get started:

On this page: Maximize Your Space | Know Your Restrictions | How to Water | What to Grow | Choose Your Containers | Balcony Garden Ideas

On this page:

MAXIMIZE YOUR SPACE

How much space do you need for a balcony garden? Surprisingly, not much at all if you take advantage of walls, railings, and overhead structures.

Turn your balcony into a vertical garden. Attach pots, shelves, or trellises to the walls; and if your balcony has a ceiling, add a few hooks for hanging plants. Cover the railings of your balcony with chicken wire to support climbing plants, or purchase plant hangers that can be attached to the top of a railing. (See more vertical gardening ideas.)

Think of your balcony garden as an extension of your indoor living space. If you choose plant colors and textures that echo the interior design, even the smallest balcony will look more expansive and welcoming.

KNOW YOUR RESTRICTIONS

In addition to the square footage of your balcony, there may be other restrictions that will limit what you can plant and where. If you live in an apartment building or condo, be sure to check what’s permissible by the building owner before you begin.

Weight. There may be weight restrictions and rules regarding what you can hang from balcony railings and walls. If the balcony is attached to your home, know how much weight it can safely support. The weight from large ceramic containers and wet soil can add up quickly.

Microclimate. The amount of sunlight the space receives is the most critical factor to consider, but wind exposure and temperature are important too.

Tip: If wind is a problem on your balcony, consider using balcony privacy screens as windbreaks to protect more fragile plants. You can also put plants that don't like the wind in low pots near a wall to give them more protection.

HOW DO YOU WATER A BALCONY GARDEN?

Few balcony or rooftop gardens have access to an outside water source, which means you’ll have to rely on water from a sink or bathtub to keep your plants well-hydrated. To minimize your trips back and forth lugging heavy jugs of water, try some of these strategies for watering your plants:

Keep in mind that the hotter and windier the conditions on your balcony, the more frequently you’ll need to water -- sometimes as often as twice a day. If a convenient water source is far from reach, make life easier by growing plants with low water requirements, such as cacti and succulents.

WHAT CAN YOU GROW IN A BALCONY GARDEN?

Photo by: Ania K / Shutterstock

Just about any plant you can grow in a container is fair game for a balcony garden, as long as you have the space for it and can give it the appropriate amount of sun or shade. If you live in a climate with cold winters, consider growing some plants that are hardy enough to leave outdoors year-round or that can be overwintered indoors so you don’t have to start from scratch again each spring.

WHAT CONTAINERS ARE BEST FOR A BALCONY GARDEN?

Anything that can hold soil and has good drainage has potential for a balcony container garden. The style can range from fancy to frivolous, depending on your tastes, but the container should be practical and suit the purpose. Some factors to consider include container weight, durability, weather resistance, ease of watering, and cost.

See more tips for choosing the right container.

Featured in: Garden Design's Top 10 Garden Trends for 2022 ("Maximizing Balconies & Porches")

BALCONY GARDEN IDEAS

Most herbs will flourish on a sunny balcony or terrace and require very little space to grow. If your balcony doesn’t have good sun exposure, some herbs that grow well in partial shade include parsley, chervil, cilantro, and tarragon. Photo: Franz Peter Rudolf / Shutterstock

On a small balcony, take advantage of vertical space to maximize your growing room. Wood pallets turned on end, old book shelves, or tiered planters are all practical solutions for gardening up rather than out. Photo by: Eurybia / Shutterstock

Don’t be afraid to play with colors and plant types. A mix of small trees, shrubs, foliage plants, and colorful annuals will add interest and diversity to your balcony garden. Photo by: Udo Kroener / Shutterstock

Flowers cascading over railings and climbing up trellises bring breathtaking color and fragrance to this charming European balcony garden. The symmetrical arrangement of the plantings helps define the space and create balance. Photo by: Leigh Trail / Shutterstock

Slatted walls covered in climbing plants and other greenery turn an open balcony into a private retreat. The walls also function as windbreaks, protecting the delicate foliage. Photo by: Tapui / Shutterstock

A dwarf olive tree is the perfect choice for a balcony garden because of its low water requirements and resistance to high winds and subfreezing temperatures. If you plan to use the tree as a focal point, uplight it at night to reflect the beauty of the silvery foliage. Photo by: Ania K / Shutterstock

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What flowers to plant on the balcony - a list of names with photo ideas

Not everyone has the opportunity to have their own flower garden in the country, but for owners of balconies and loggias it will not be difficult to organize a mini-garden. It is easy to get lost in the variety of indoor and garden plants. Your attention - the best flowers for the balcony.

When planning to plant a flower on the balcony, consider its features: thermophilicity, shade tolerance, frost resistance. We suggest starting with the selection of plants depending on the degree of illumination of the balcony.

Flowers for a Sunny Balcony

If you are going to grow flowers on your balcony, then the sunny side is a great option for plants that tolerate direct sunlight well and do not suffer from drought.

Succulents

When it comes to "indestructible" plants, which are not afraid of rare watering and direct sunlight, flower growers first of all remember succulents. These plants are famous for their ability to retain moisture for a long time. The most popular are aloe, haworthia, zamiokulkas, echeveria, etc.

Geranium (pelargonium)

If you are looking for balcony flowers that bloom all summer, then geraniums are exactly what you need. Pelargonium loves sunlight, so a well-lit balcony is a great place for this plant. Geranium does not get sunburn, but rather enhances flowering under the sun. Zonal and ampel varieties of geraniums are best suited for growing on a south balcony.

Purslane

This flower does not require frequent watering and tolerates direct sunlight well. The moisture that accumulates in the dense leaves of purslane allows the plant to remain "in good shape" for a long time. The flowering period is from July to August.

Zinnia

Zinnia (zinnia) is an annual plant that is fairly heat tolerant. During a prolonged drought, zinnia must be watered regularly and carefully so that water does not fall on the leaves of the plant. Its bright large flowers with velvety petals delight the eye until the first frost.

Flowers for the north balcony

Unpretentious flowers for the north-facing balcony, first of all, should be shade-tolerant.

Balsam

Balsams love shady places, in the garden they grow best under trees, so on a north-facing balcony, these plants do very well. It is important not to overdo it with watering, so as not to provoke the development of diseases.

Ivy

Balcony covered with ivy shoots always stands out from the others. This plant is also easy to care for: it does not need frequent watering, but ivy must be sprayed (and even washed in the shower) regularly.

Cyclamen

A popular indoor flower loved by many for its original appearance: cyclamen is remarkable not only for flowers, but also for patterned heart-shaped leaves. This plant must be protected from direct sunlight and high temperatures (no more than 17 ° C), watered moderately, avoiding moisture stagnation or drying of the soil.

Calceolaria

The unusual shape of the flower (it resembles a small clog) and bright color (from bright yellow to speckled red) make calceolaria a very effective houseplant. This flower is another "ideal resident" for the northern balcony: it loves partial shade, low temperatures (14-16 ° C). You need to water the plant as the soil dries.

East or West Balcony Flowers

East or west facing balconies are suitable for most indoor plants due to moderate light.

Verbena

Popular names of this plant: pigeon, cast-iron grass, "Juno's tears", etc. Verbena is known not only for its decorative effect, but also for its healing properties: since ancient times it has been used in folk medicine. Verbena is popular as a garden plant grown in flower beds. However, on the balcony, she feels no worse than in the open field. The flowering period of verbena is quite long - from June to November.

Marigolds (tagetes)

Marigold originates from Mexico, in some countries this plant is used in cooking as a seasoning. Due to the fact that the flowering of marigolds is very plentiful and long, these flowers have gained popularity both in gardens and on balconies. Marigolds tolerate both heat and windy weather well. They are comfortable in almost any environment.

Daisy

In the middle lane, daisies bloom in May and continue to please the eye until the onset of cold weather. An unpretentious compact plant feels good in shady places, so a dimly lit balcony is quite suitable for this garden flower.

Heather

Do you want your balcony to remain decorative in winter? Plant heather, a hardy shrub that blooms from January to April. Some plants of the heather family bloom in autumn, for example, Erika Gracilis (Erika gracilis). Even when the heather practically dies (freezes), it does not lose its decorative effect.

Climbing flowers for a balcony

A beautiful flowery balcony is hard to imagine without at least one climbing plant. Graceful shoots wrapping around the railing of an open balcony or a grill installed specially for this look luxurious.

Bougainvillea

Curly shoots of bougainvillea with bright purple flowers can effectively decorate a balcony or terrace. This plant prefers well-lit places with normal humidity. The optimum temperature is 23-27°C.

Ipomoea

Lush, densely flowering liana with bright flowers looks great on the balcony. Make sure that morning glory has where to direct the shoots and what to braid: install a net or pull the ropes. In general, an unpretentious plant should still be protected from direct sunlight.

Calistegia

This perennial bindweed is familiar to many gardeners. Why not use it as a "balcony" vine? Calistegia is not capricious in care, it blooms with modest but beautiful flowers of pale pink color. Traditionally, the flowers are bell-shaped, but there are species with double petals.

Clematis

A south or east facing balcony is perfect for growing the beloved garden plant, clematis. For the balcony, choose frost-resistant varieties. Keep in mind that on the north open balcony, clematis can die from the cold, so if you are the owner of just such a balcony, opt for another plant.

Hanging flowers for the balcony

When deciding which flowers to grow on the balcony, think about hanging plants.

Fuchsia

Charming fuchsia is an evergreen plant with unusually shaped flowers. It is because of the peculiarities of the flowers (they seem to "look" down) that it is customary to grow fuchsia as an ampelous plant. Fuchsia is used to decorate terraces, balconies, rooms. A variety of varieties allows you to choose a plant of this species for any room.

Lobelia

One of the most popular hanging plants, lobelia, looks like a blooming cloud in a hanging planter. This flower loves bright but diffused lighting, so it is better to grow it in partial shade, on an east or west balcony (in extreme cases, on a light open north one).

Petunia

Thinking about how to decorate a balcony with flowers, you probably imagined a hanging flowerpot with a spectacular plant, densely covered with bright flowers. This is what petunia looks like - a favorite of gardeners and flower growers. Choose cold hardy hybrids for a north balcony, but most varieties of petunias can be grown on a south or southeast balcony.

Euphorbia

Various varieties of milkweed are popular for gardening (especially for rock gardens), and are also widely used as houseplants, such as Euphorbia Milius (Mile) or Euphorbia Thirukalli (finger). This succulent is unpretentious, does not need frequent watering, but you need to be careful with the juice that is released when the milkweed branch is broken, as it is poisonous.

Indoor flowers on the balcony

Indoor plants need fresh air and sunlight as much as a person, so with the onset of heat, arrange a "vacation" for the flowers on the balcony. When deciding when to bring flowers to the balcony, be guided by the weather outside the window. Wait until the temperature outside drops below 15°C in the morning, and start accustoming your "green pets" to a new place.

Not all indoor flowers are recommended to be taken even to a glazed balcony. So, uzambar violet (saintpaulia) and some types of cacti do not like such changes.

To begin with, leave the flowers on the balcony not for the whole day, but only until noon, so that bright sunlight does not harm the plants. Gradually increase the time the flowers are on the balcony so that they have time to get used to.

Leave flowers on an open balcony (and on a glazed balcony) for the whole day only after the difference between day and night air temperatures outside becomes minimal.

Over time, the sun heat on the balcony will increase, so consider the possibility of shading so that the flowers on the balcony do not get burned in summer.

How to decorate a balcony with flowers - tips with photos

Decorating a balcony with flowers is, first of all, a matter of taste. Thinking through the composition, consider the size of your balcony, the color of the walls, as well as the general style in which the room is designed.

When placing climbing plants on the balcony, think about how to beautifully arrange the lattice or ropes along which the shoots will trail.

Place flowers on the balcony in boxes or pots according to the same principles as in the flower beds in the garden - combine plants of different heights, play with shades and textures.

For ampelous plants, make strong mounts to protect yourself and the flowers themselves. If you want to organize a vertical wall composition, arrange the flowers in a non-strict order.

So, if you already have seedlings for a balcony (or seeds), then, armed with ideas and connecting your imagination, start transforming balconies and loggias, and we are waiting for your photos in the comments!

Flowers on the balcony - how to arrange them? 75 photos of the best design ideas!

More and more often balconies are transformed from a cluttered warehouse into a beautifully designed space.

For example, a winter garden, balconies with flowering plants - this design option can be seen more and more often in high-rise buildings.

The flower garden is used to transform balconies.

Let's talk about landscaping balconies? What plants will decorate an open balcony? How to decorate a balcony with flowers?

Starting landscaping, the first thing to do is to clear the balcony space as much as possible, throwing out all the rubbish, removing conservation and food supplies for the winter, such as potatoes, onions and carrots.

Next, you need to check how reliable the parapet is, and if you need to repair the wall, you need to do it immediately.

The balcony can be either closed or open. So, in winter, nothing will grow on an unglazed balcony except for heaps of snow. If the balcony is glazed, then the air temperature is about five degrees Celsius, and therefore flowers such as chlorophytum and geraniums will grow on such a balcony.

If the air temperature drops below five degrees Celsius, then you should pay attention to frost-resistant plants like palm trees.

If your balcony is glazed, additionally insulated, and there is no air temperature below five degrees Celsius, then plants such as cyclamens can be seen on the balcony.

In autumn you can buy heathers - shrubs with a lot of flowers that look beautiful even after drying.

If you are thinking about what kind of flowers to plant on a balcony that is insulated and well heated, then it is important to remember that the main thing is to create a favorable climate for flowers. So, flowers love humidity, excellent lighting, and do not tolerate drafts, temperature changes.

When arranging a real winter garden on your balcony, it is important to think about protecting plants from direct sunlight.

Some flowers are still grown on a sunny balcony, because there are special species that perfectly tolerate the open sun with proper care.

For an open sunny balcony, it is better to choose:

Petunia, which pleases with a variety of colors and different varieties. It is better to give preference to small-flowered forms, because large leaves do not react well to heat, the flowers lose their attractiveness.

Petunia stalks are very sticky, therefore, when growing these flowers on the balcony in boxes, you need to separate them from each other without loss after the wind. There is such a variety of petunias as "typhoon", which is characterized by violent flowering.

Geranium can be zoned, ivy-leaved. The second species will suffer on a windy balcony, but at the same time, both species tolerate heat well.

Purslane ideal blooming flowers on the balcony, where there is a lot of sun. The plant is ground-blooded, but looks great in a pot. How else can you decorate a balcony?

It is difficult to imagine a more "survivable" plant. Purslane flowers from about the middle of July until the end of September.

Purslane loves the direct rays of the sun, so much so that in sunny weather it opens flowers, and after sunset the flower closes.

Drummond's Phlox is a photophilous plant that tolerates drought very well. When growing flowers on a balcony, it is important to monitor the looseness of the soil so that the roots do not rot.

Ipomoea is a plant that pleases with new flowers every day. A flower blooms for a day, closes in the evening, but in the morning a completely different blooming flower will please the eye.

These flowers on the balcony grow with a support, because in order to grow up, you cannot do without it. Such flowers are used as a green screen that protects the room from the sun.

The flower grows quickly, but the stems die off in autumn, and therefore it is necessary to grow a new green screen for the new season.

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