Making an oasis in the smallest of spaces
Balcony gardening can be a wonderful, if small, footprint for a garden, but it’s important to bear in mind some crucial rules, especially if you plan to build a new balcony instead of using an existing one. Do check if planning permission is needed – there will probably be restrictions if you live in a block that hasn’t already got one.
Balcony gardening is so popular now that there is a separate category for show gardens at RHS Chelsea – here are 2025’s designs for great inspiration.
Weight is a big issue. Aim for lighter, recycled plastic or fibre pots rather than heavy ceramics. Look for lighter, peat-free composts – you can bulk out large containers with old polystyrene to lessen the weight. There will be strict weight restrictions on balconies suspended from the building. If in doubt, speak to a chartered structural engineer or a surveyor. Place the heaviest containers near load-bearing walls or over a load-bearing beam rather than in unsupported areas.
Dealing with extremes in weather in balcony gardening
Balcony gardens have to endure strong winds and sunshine if south or west-facing. If using trellis or screens, ensure that any fixings are well-supported. Rather than solid structures, use slatted or mesh screens that filter the wind, creating a microclimate. Make sure pots and furniture are not going to get blown over, securing them in place if necessary. Choose plants that can cope in a windy spot – such as those that naturally grow by the sea.
There will usually be an overhang from the property above, which prevents rainfall from reaching plants. Choose drought-tolerant varieties unless you want to be continually watering! Bigger pots will dry out more slowly and use non-porous materials (plastic, metal and fibreglass). Container plants will need watering all year round, except in freezing conditions, and often twice daily in summer.
Pots should be raised off the ground so that their roots don’t get waterlogged (try Pot-Mate). If watering is hard work, install an irrigation system with excess runoff flowing to a drainpipe outlet. Feed plants regularly. Controlled-release fertiliser used in the compost is the easiest solution. Top-dress pots annually, replacing the top few centimetres with fresh compost. Liquid feed annuals or greedy plants.
Plants suitable for balcony gardening
What you can grow depends on how exposed, how high and how much sun your balcony gets. By using screens, a microclimate is created where plants can survive.
- Plants that are tolerant of wind and sun tend to have small, silvery or succulent leaves. Think of dwarf pines, grasses and phormiums, brooms, cotoneaster or escallonia. Lavenders, santolinas, cordylines, Viburnum tinus and junipers.
- Low-growing, ground-cover alpines tolerate wind and sun, but will need protection from winter wet. Pair them with dwarf spring-flowering bulbs.
- Summer bedding plants, like coleus, begonias, petunias, and busy Lizzies, are all great container plants. Succulents make excellent balcony gardening plants and are ideal for growing in pots.
- Herbs such as lavender, rosemary and oregano will fill a sunny balcony with flowers and scent, while pelargoniums will add colour and interest.
Plants for shady balconies
Many balconies are shady. If yours faces east or west, it’ll only get direct sun for part of the day, and if your balcony is north-facing, it may not get any direct sunlight at all. Add to this shade cast by walls, screens and overhangs, and you’re looking at a pretty shady spot for growing plants. But don’t despair, many plants actually prefer shade.
Lettuces, salad leaves, rocket, parsley and chervil are all best grown in partial shade to stop them running to seed too quickly. Hostas, begonias, heucheras, geraniums and ferns are great for brightening a shady balcony, too.
Growing upwards
When space is limited, attach pots or a trellis to the walls of your balcony. Make a simple planter for salads, or make a dramatic statement with a living wall. Many climbing plants will grow for two or three years in a large container, and you can train them up a trellis attached to the wall. Jasminum x stephanense grows well in a large container.
If you can’t attach anything to the walls, grow sweet peas or a clematis in a large pot and train the plant up a wigwam.
Growing vegetables on a balcony
There are lots of edible crops that you can grow in pots – tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, potatoes, and a host of herbs. Try using a woven plastic shopping bag, or lining a wooden crate with an old compost bag – both lightweight and effective.
Problems with balcony gardening
With regular watering, feeding and maintenance, balcony gardens are usually trouble-free. However, potted plants can suffer from aphids, red spider mite and vine weevils – check out my in-depth pages for further instruction.
