The Best Plants for Balcony Gardens

Apartment and uptown dwellers, this is for you.
Alyssa Ruane,

People often associate gardens with a plot of land in a house's backyard. While gardens often reside around houses with land, that doesn't mean they can only be planted in a garden plot.

 

City and high-rise dwellers can also reap the rewards of gardening—as long as they've got a balcony, terrace, or patio.

 

To ensure you can have a garden in one of these unconventional spots, first, you need to ask yourself a few questions. Does the area receive a proper amount of sunlight? Will the area have proper drainage so as not to bother neighbors downstairs? Should you contain your plants, or will they be able to climb? Once you are able to work out some of these details and deem the area fit for a garden, you are ready to get your balcony garden started.

 

You can plant everything from colorful flowers to dinnertime veggies to flavorful herbs on your balcony, and the below picks are the best balcony plants that will thrive in such a space.

 

Best Flowering Plants for Balcony Gardens

  • Marigold
  • Pansy
  • Fuchsia
  • Hydrangea
  • Echinacea
  • Lavender
  • Roses
  • Jasmine
  • Angel's Trumpet

 

Best Vegetables (and Some Fruit!) for Balcony Gardens

  • Tomatoes
  • Lettuce
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Radishes
  • Peppers
  • Broccoli

 

Best Herbs for Balcony Gardens

  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Sage
  • Basil
  • Cilantro
  • Mint
  • Oregano
  • Tarragon
  • Chives
This article appears in the January 2017 issue of Charlotte at Home.
Categories: Charlotte @Home

Related Stories