Plants for a City Balcony

City living isn't a barrier to having the green space you always wanted. We'll explain the best plants to choose for a city balcony, as well as some relevant aspects to consider.

Gardening is a growing trend that’s gaining more and more followers, even for people who have limited outdoor space. People who live in towns and cities where space is at a premium can still grow, care for and enjoy having plants. To help you release your inner gardener, we’re going to talk about the plants that are suitable for a city balcony.

Conditions for growing plants depend on whether you do this indoors or outdoors and whether you live in an urban or rural area. Put simply, some plant species thrive better in one place than in another.

Either way, greenery is vital to our well-being and plants are a great way to beautify our towns and cities. So why not start growing and caring for your own? Keep reading to learn how city living isn’t a barrier to having the green space you always wanted.

The best type of plants for a city balcony

The best plants that you can grow on your city balcony are ones with flowers and bushy shrubs. This is because, in addition to providing shade and cleaning the air, they contribute to the decor and aesthetics of the space. This is a great benefit! You’ll have a city balcony that everyone will admire.

In general, vines are a great option for a city balcony because they grow downwards. Such is the case of pothos, false jasmine, and some ferns. You can also opt for climbers, which grow upwards. These work well in corners and wisteria and honeysuckle provide a good amount of coverage too.

Your balcony will look even better if you manage to give it a color balance by growing species with and without flowers.

Potted plants

You may think that the type of plants you grow on your city balcony is irrelevant. But, considering the impact that this small space can have, it’s more than a valid and important point. As we’ve said before, aesthetics plays a very relevant role.

Before you consider the types of plants you can have, the first thing you should do is measure your available space. By doing this, you’ll know whether you can have potted plants on your city balcony or have some flower beds. This exercise will then establish whether flowering or non-flowering plants are most appropriate.

Among the options you have for pots are those made of clay, porcelain, metal, or glass. They can be round, square, or irregular. If you like crafts, you can make your own using recyclable materials.

Important aspects to consider: plants for a city balcony

The plants that thrive in the city face different adversities and climatic conditions to those grown in rural areas. As such, you’ll need to consider the conditions that’ll help your chosen species to remain healthy and beautiful. Here are some tips:

• The substrate must be quality: this allows the plants to take root and provides the necessary nutrients to grow and flower properly.
• The stems must be strong: they’ll have a better chance of withstanding the wind and adverse weather. Their strength will depend on your care and the species you’ve chosen.
• The plants will need compost, fertilizers, and insecticides: try to choose organic versions of these. A city balcony will bring more exposure and potential pests, so your plants need to be well protected.

The most common plants for a city balcony

Although most plants are happy to live on a balcony, when it comes to a city balcony, there are some that stand out for their own characteristics. If you live on a high floor, you’ll need plants with strong stems that can withstand strong winds. However, those who live on lower floors won’t have to be so selective.

Some of the options you have are petunias, geraniums, pansies, lobelias, elecampane, sea Lobularia (Alyssum), or nasturtium. It’s also good to choose the right plants according to the level of light that your city balcony receives. You can buy plants according to whether you have a shaded balcony or one that’s directly exposed to the sun.

As such, the plants that are appropriate for a city balcony are quite a few. Before your buy, do your research or consult a specialized store or gardener. Also, listen to your instinct! The species you choose will take a lot from you in terms of love and care.