Design Tips for an Abundant Balcony Garden

Balcony gardens can be quite valuable for those living in urban areas with little outside space. They might not be big, but when they are carefully designed, balcony gardens can be truly magical spaces—bringing nature to the heart of a town or city. If you have a sliver of outdoor space by means of a balcony, here is what to think about.

Consider the Balcony's Aspect & Elevation

Before creating a design for a balcony garden, it is important to recognize that every balcony is different. Most balconies will have very different conditions, depending on a number of factors, including their aspect (or orientation) and how high up they are.

Light and Shade

The aspect of a balcony—which direction it faces—will determine how much sun it receives. And understanding light and shade is one of the most important factors in creating a design that works for the specific balcony in question.

In order to design a balcony garden, we first have to look closely at the situation and position of the balcony. We need to look at the environmental conditions that the balcony can provide.

In the northern hemisphere, a south-facing balcony gets plenty of sun but can bake and dry out quickly in the heat of summer. An east-facing balcony will get morning light only, while a west-facing one will get sun during the afternoon. And a north-facing balcony will be in the shade for much of the day.

Wind

Both the aspect and elevation of a balcony will also dictate how windy it is and whether or not this is a potential challenge to overcome. But the main challenge for many balcony gardeners will typically be wind.

Dealing with a windy balcony usually means creating a windbreak to filter and disperse the prevailing wind and create more sheltered conditions behind it for other plants to grow. You might use small trees, shrubs, or taller grasses to create a more sheltered environment for the rest of your plants.

Once you have a more sheltered balcony, you should find it easier to grow a wider range of edible crops and other plants, leaving you less limited in what you can grow.

Use Vertical As Well as Horizontal Space

Most balconies will share one thing in common—space will be somewhat or very limited. And in small spaces, it is especially important to make sure with our designs that we are making full use of every inch of space. Vertical gardening techniques can be important to unlock the potential of any balcony garden.

Vertical gardens can employ:

• planting pockets
• shelving
• towers
• hanging containers
• trellises for climbers and vines.

All of these can be important in making the most of the space available in a balcony garden.

Be Creative When It Comes to Containers

Container gardening is likely to be the main method of growing in a balcony garden. But container gardens do not need to be as limited as some may imagine. With the right plants and the right containers and growing medium, a container garden can contain a wealth of food and other useful and beautiful plants.

But to really make a balcony garden the best it can be, it is important to use your imagination and think outside the box when it comes to containers. Remember that many different reclaimed and upcycled items and materials might be used as you create your balcony garden.

Think About Weight

As you decide on methods, containers, and other items for your balcony garden, one important consideration is how much all the elements will weigh. Make sure you understand your balcony's construction and that it can withstand the weight of the elements you wish to include.

Most balconies can support a garden just fine. But it is important to make sure that the balcony is structurally sound and that it is able to cope with the use to which you intend to put it. Remember that water will add extra weight as well.

If necessary, you can keep weight down through careful consideration of which materials you use for containers and what you use to fill those containers.

Even a small balcony can host an abundant garden if you plan carefully and understand your space's strengths and weaknesses.