One of the dreams of those with a green thumb is to have a flowered and luxuriant balcony, all colored and fragrant. To transform your terrace into a lush roof garden, you must first choose the right plants and flowers.
In this regard, it is essential to first evaluate the degree of sun exposure of the balcony and then opt for the most suitable plants for the condition. Those who live in the countryside and are surrounded by lots of greenery, have no particular problems growing flowers in the courtyard, while those who live in the city, especially if in a condominium, have to deal with narrow and reduced open spaces.
In any situation, in the latter case, there is nothing to worry about, as it is possible to create your own DIY garden on the balcony using a few small tricks.
The vases
First of all, if you are a novice gardener, avoid filling your balcony with more plants and flowers than you can handle. The effect of such a hasty choice could be counterproductive and in no time at all you could end up getting tired and abandoning the path to becoming a skilled green thumb.
Start slowly, perhaps with three or four plants at a time. In this way you will be able to understand how to manage your vessels and consequently you will be able to consider increasing their number over time.
Also pay close attention to the choice of pots and buy them of the right size, which must be suitable for both the type of plant and the space available to furnish. Also do not underestimate the choice of colors of the vases, better if they are in harmony with the shades of the terrace and the flowers, to avoid creating an ugly glance.
To embellish the containers and keep them tidy, cover the soil with pebbles, clay balls or bits of slate. To decorate the walls and railings of the balcony, you could hang some hanging vases, making sure that these are stable and that they do not risk falling dangerously on the balcony below yours or worse on the street.
The choice of plants and flowers
The choice of plants and flowers is a very important step when you decide to set up a garden on the balcony. First of all, it is necessary to evaluate how much time you have available in everyday life to devote to the care of your green friends.
Then you have to consider the degree of exposure to the sun of your terrace; this is because based on how much light hits the balcony, you will be able to understand which plant species it is possible to grow.
On the market you can find both plants that need a lot of light to grow and both plants that can proliferate without problems, even in less sunny environments. To color your balcony, you can count on a huge choice of flowers, obviously everything depends on your personal taste.
Among the most beautiful plants and flowers to grow on a terrace we find: dahlia, gladioli, azalea, primroses, begonia, grandiflora lilies, geraniums, violets, hydrangeas, nasturtium, lobelia, roses, etc.
If you want to vary, you could consider setting up a small garden dedicated to aromatic plants, such as: mint, basil, rosemary, oregano, sage, thyme, lavender, etc. In this way you will give an extra touch of green to the variegated colors of the flowers and surely the scent will be even more pleasant.
If you have enough space, get large pots in which to plant lemons or strawberry plants. Climbing plants also have their charm and if you have the opportunity to grow them, you could build a real vertical garden with wooden supports, which will help the plants to grow.
If you need to fertilize flowers and plants, do a search online for the best-selling fertilizers and evaluate which ones are right for you.
If you’re a novice and just beginning to try your hand at gardening, you can also opt for a DIY gardening kit like SeedSheets. They are biodegradable and dissolvable sheets/pouches that contain non-GMO seeds. They are extremely simple and easy to plant for amateurs. Read this SeedSheets review to know more about how to use this innovative product.
Colors
Avoid using plants with too many different colors besides green. In this way, at a glance, the terrace will not appear too full, rather it will have an airy and orderly appearance. If you don’t want to risk giving the balcony a tacky look, play with shades and hues of the same color.
You can even integrate everything with complementary colors that give even more harmony to the whole. If you want relaxing color tones, we suggest you plant Ficus, ferns and roses.
If, on the other hand, you have a very large terrace and you are used to organizing dinners and parties with friends, we advise you to opt for brighter colors, such as those of daisies, hibiscus and bougainvillea.
If you are an imaginative type and want to create unique shades, unleash your artistic flair and combine plants of different varieties and colors, in order to obtain a mix of great scenographic effect.
Seasonal plants and flowers
To have a balcony that is always lush, it is necessary to choose different species of plants whose flowers bloom at certain times of the year. Obviously, you need to know the specific characteristics of plants and flowers, so we invite you to get information online about the various plant species.
In this way you will also find out how they must be grown and what kind of care they need. Taking care of your garden on the balcony also means being well informed and knowing everything you need to keep your “green corner” healthy.
Evergreen plants
To keep your balcony garden colorful all year round, we recommend getting some evergreen plants. These will allow you not to make the terrace appear completely bare, even during the winter, when the other plants wither. Thanks to this trick you can always count on a small green oasis, waiting for spring and summer.
Conclusion
Terraces and balconies can turn into real flower gardens. Just use a few little tricks mentioned above and a little creativity.