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Create a Dream Balcony Garden Without Spending a Fortune

If you live in an apartment or a space without a yard, you might think it’s impossible to grow your own thriving garden. But I promise you, it’s not! I live in an apartment and rely heavily on my balcony to give me access to the outside world. One of the things that makes this space so special is how I transformed it into a beautiful garden oasis.

There’s something about having access to lush greenery that makes me feel more connected to the world around me. It’s incredibly special to be able to touch, smell, and enjoy that greenery from the comfort of my own balcony.

No matter how big your space is, you can turn it into the garden of your dreams — and you don’t have to break the bank doing it.

Understand Your Restrictions and Limits

Modern garden and terrace design with gray pots made of fiberglass and stone planted with herbs and small pine-trees placed on gravel and flagged floor in front of a balcony wall.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Before planning out your garden oasis, it’s essential to understand the logistics of the space you’re working with. This includes:

  • Square footage of the patio so you know how much space you have
  • If your balcony has any weight limits
  • What direction the sun is hitting your balcony and how direct the sunlight is
  • How much wind the space gets and how strong the wind is
  • Amount of shade available

Having a grasp on these details will help you better plan the space so that your garden will thrive.

Consider How Much Time and Energy You Are Willing to Invest

Seed Propagation
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Just how green is your green thumb? If it’s a little on the paler side, I recommend opting for plants that are easy to maintain. These plants can include cacti and succulents if your balcony is under a lot of heat and direct sun, or houseplants like calatheas, philodendrons, and tender ferns if the space has high levels of shade. You can also easily grow a wide variety of herbs, fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

Maximize Your Space

Flowers in pots on the balcony window. Sun shines directly onto the plants.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

When I talk about using your balcony space, I’m talking about using all your balcony space. This means shelves, hooks, hanging pots, trellises, railings — all of it. This will really give you the chance to get creative with how you utilize your space and integrate the plants into the natural architecture and structure of your balcony. Work with the space you have — and that means every inch of it!

Lights, Lights, and More Lights

Beautiful view of garden furniture with pillow and burning candles at balcony
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

While this isn’t exactly a part of the garden, I can’t recommend integrating lights into your balcony more. There’s something about having cascading string lights amongst your plants, the ceiling, the railing, everywhere, that will make your space feel like a magical fairy garden. You can even use grow lights out on the balcony to help your plants thrive.

Get Creative With Your Pots

An urban garden on the terrace with pepper plants growing from the balcony of home on a sunny day.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Choosing what you plant your garden in is an important decision. This is another opportunity for you to get creative and establish your sense of style. Are you going for a particular theme? A color pattern? Maximalist? Minimalist? Whatever you go for, make sure you stick to it. Just be sure that your pots all have excellent water drainage.

Water Features

The fresh green garden with square pond and elliptical overflowing pot. Foreground and background are balcony railings with pottery arranged in blur for people who want gardening idea. Selective focus
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

There’s something about water features that make a garden space exceptionally zen. But if you think you can’t afford it, think again. There are loads of options available on the internet or at garden shops that sell all sorts of waterfalls and water fountains. No matter how large of a space you’re working with, you can find a gorgeous water feature that’ll fit the space and your budget.

Integrate Moss

Green moss wall panel in office for green office close up
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Did you know you can include moss when designing your balcony garden? This is often an overlooked option as many people are intimidated by the installation and maintenance of moss. But I’m here to tell you not to be afraid. There are actually lots of simple (and affordable) ways to introduce moss onto your balcony. For example, you can make a garden path or a walkway to make your balcony look dreamy and inviting. You can also make a moss wall that various guides on the internet claim are very easy to put together. Get crafty and creative with your moss DIY!

Grow Some Fruit

orange tree in a pot blue sea in background
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

One of the best additions to a garden balcony, in my opinion, is a tree that bears fruit. Not only will this look super cute and professional, but you get to pick fruit from your very own space that you grew with your own two hands. Some trees you can opt for include lemon, lime, orange, and even apples or pears. Your guests are sure to be impressed by your scrumptious home-grown goodies.

Make Sure There’s Somewhere to Sit

Beautiful cozy green balcony with potted plants, comfortable chairs and table for relaxing and enjoying nature at summer.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

No matter how big or small your balcony is, the best way to enjoy the fruits of your garden labor is by setting up some furniture out there. Whether it’s an entire patio set or merely a collapsible chair, you’ll want to be able to lounge on something to get the full effect of your new outdoor zen den.

Watering Your Greenery

View of a Young woman watering tomatoes on her city balcony garden - Nature and ecology theme. Watering the plants.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Consider the best way for your new garden to get the best access to water regularly. Does your balcony have access to a hose? Are you going to fill up a watering can for each plant? Or maybe you’ll invest in some self-watering pots that do the work for you. No matter what you opt for, make sure your vegetation gets the water it needs, as often as it needs it.

Curtains Are Key

Hygge balcony concept Woman reading a paper book on home balcony outdoors. Party string lights illuminating the space
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

If your balcony gets a lot of extra sun and heat, curtains are a great way to mitigate this. After all, you don’t want your gorgeous greenery burning up. Even a simple, sheer set of curtains can do wonders in keeping your plants in the shade when need be.

Companion Planting

Companion planting giant lilac Benary zinnia with sungold cherry tomatoes are a perfect combination. Zinnias deter tomato worms. They attract predatory wasps and hover flies.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Companion planting is one of the best theories for helping your greenery thrive. It’s when you grow various plants together that help each other thrive. So for example, this could look like growing herbs next to vegetables because they help to repel hungry pests, or growing cilantro and dill near leafy greens, as they attract beneficial insects like ladybugs that protect the leafy greens from bugs.

Get Thrifty With Your Shopping

Greenhouse woman
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

To save a little money, consider thrifting some of the accessories and tools you’ll need to maintain your balcony garden. You don’t necessarily need to buy the latest and greatest to have a thriving garden. Reusing pots for plants and buying multipurpose furniture is a great way to get the garden you want without spending an arm and a leg. And, if you really want to save money and can be patient, consider propagating some plants instead of always buying brand-new plants.

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