I come from a long line of gardeners and dream of having a backyard garden of my own. But for now we live in a condo with a small balcony that I make the most of. Gardening on a slab of concrete can be tricky but I’ve learned a lot the last few years we’ve lived here, so I’ve gathered some of my small space gardening tips for you all!
My Gardening Tips
1. Ikea is your friend
Plants can grow everywhere so make use of ever surface. Think baskets on the railings, multi level stands for multiple plant pots, and seating that doubles as storage. Ikea is such a great resource because they design items for small spaces so I look I buy a lot of my storage and pots there. I bought their Applaro Bench and Wall Panel last year and love it. It provides storage for my soil and extra pots and still looks pretty.
2. Plan your space before going shopping
Consider the size of your pots, their arrangement, and how many flowers each pot can hold before going out to your local gardening store and spending hundreds of dollars on plants. Sketch out a layout of where you want to put things and remember that some plants need a certain amount of space to thrive. Planning ahead helps you get the most bang for you buck while also having a beautiful space.
3. Consider your light source
My balcony is north facing and unfortunately does not get a lot of light. My first year I bought tons of sun loving plants and vegetables and let’s just say they did not thrive. I didn’t consider that we don’t get a lot of direct sun, so now focus on shade loving plants. Lots of leafy ferns and luckily a lot of herbs are incredibly hardy and can survive almost everywhere !
4. Make it comfortable
In the summer, Ted and I get a whole extra room from the balcony and we love to sit out there as much as we can. It’s like a second mini living room so remember to buy pillows and cushions to make your space cozy so you’ll want to spend time in it.
5. Be smart with furniture
Don’t buy bulky patio furniture that will take up valuable space. I’d love to have nice benches and lounge chairs but just don’t have the room. Instead consider bistro style furniture that is smaller and also adds a classy European flair to your space.
It’s not still too late to do some planting so if you’ve been wanting to get to it! Also I apologize for the Winston cameos, he loves sitting out on the balcony and every time I open the door he runs out there to sniff! He was just too cute in the photos and I had to share.
