Quote message Flowering balcony ... Ideas and tips for landscaping a balcony.

The best decoration for a window or balcony in the warm season is flowering plants. Greenery and bright colors of flowers effectively stand out against the background of the walls, decorate the building and delight the eye of both the owner of the flower garden and the passer-by. As you know, plants also bring benefits, weakening street noise, cleaning the air from harmful emissions and dust, shading windows on a hot afternoon.

The conditions for growing plants on the balcony are different from the conditions of the garden and the room. They are often extreme and unfavorable for their development. However, here, too, many plants can achieve beauty and lush flowering. To do this, you just need to choose the most suitable assortment of plants and create the necessary conditions for them.

Light is one of the most important growth factors. With its lack of light-loving plants are stretched in length and bloom later. Therefore, when choosing a plant, it is necessary to take into account the location of the balcony. Most of the flowers develop well on the south side, however, such widely loved as, for example, tuberous begonia and fuchsia, do not grow well in the sun, form few flowers and look tired and sad.

Temperature also significantly affects life processes. Most balcony plants tolerate high summer temperatures but are very sensitive to late spring frosts. Therefore, you can plant them on the balcony only at the end of May. If frosts are expected, and the plants are already on the balcony, they need to be temporarily transferred to the room or covered with a film.

Strong winds - mostly near the upper floors of high-rise buildings - can rip leaves and break shoots. Tall upright plants and flowers with drooping shoots are especially affected by this. Therefore, starting from the 7th floor, the choice of plants for the balcony is limited. Under these conditions, it is better to grow only low plants, among them ageratum, begonia, daisies, undersized marigolds are especially reliable.

In most cases, annual plants are planted on the balcony, as well as some perennials that do not winter in the open field (dahlias, tuberous begonias) and indoor ornamental plants.

Annual flowers that have a long development period, it is advisable to grow through seedlings or buy ready-made to enjoy their long flowering from early to late summer.

What is the best way to grow flowers?

On balconies, plants are planted mainly in special balcony boxes, pots made of wood, plastic, ceramics; you can also use tubs, buckets and basins: the latter are now in the top. Wooden or plastic balcony boxes should be as spacious as possible to give stability to the roots and provide the plants with nutrients. In wide and deep boxes, the earth does not dry out so quickly. The width of the box should be at least 15-20 cm, preferably 20-25 cm. The length is selected depending on the size of the balcony, but boxes longer than 1 m are not recommended - they are inconvenient and filled with earth are quite heavy.

Wooden boxes are best painted in a neutral color - brown, black, green. Due to constant dampness, wooden boxes are prone to rotting, often dry out from changes in humidity and temperature, so it is better to paint them with alkyd-resin or enamel paints. For the winter, it is better to remove wooden boxes from the balcony if it is not glazed and store it in a dry room. The plastic boxes are very handy.

For creeping plants, it is good to use a lattice made of thin wire, bamboo, reed. For climbing plants, a few wires, rods or ropes are enough. Containers with climbing plants are usually placed on the balcony floor.

On a balcony and a south-facing window, it is advisable to place plant containers in more spacious flower pots, and between the walls to fill in wet sphagnum moss or expanded clay. On sale you can find boxes with a spare water tank. They are more expensive, but they make it easier to care for plants, save them on those days when you do not have the opportunity to water your favorite flowers.

The same requirements apply to containers for ampelous plants: they must be of the maximum volume with pallets, and the soil must contain hydrogel.

Reliable and safe

When arranging a flower garden on a balcony or under a window, it is very important to follow safety rules. Even a small pot with a favorite flower, falling from the third floor, can deal a fatal blow to a passerby. Therefore, all containers with plants must be securely fastened. Moreover, both those that hang from the window or balcony, and those that are located on the inside of the balcony.

Balcony boxes and flowerpots should have drainage holes for draining excess water, but so that it does not rain on the heads of passers-by, containers must be placed in pallets. And hanging boxes outside the balcony and windows must have clip-on pallets.

What can be grown on a balcony?

To be honest, I just want to answer - yes, almost everything, except for large ones! Much depends on the size, floor height and orientation of your balcony. And secondly, from your desire to mess around and opportunities. In appropriate tubs, you can grow dwarf and columnar apple trees and tangerine trees, undersized arborvitae and junipers, aromatic herbs and sunflowers, heathers and cereals. Only in order to preserve trees, evergreens and perennial herbaceous plants, for the winter they will need to be attached to a cool room so that they do not freeze (in a container, the soil quickly freezes to the bottom at low temperatures). Mandarin, of course, will overwinter in an apartment, an apple tree can be planted free in the garden, as well as evergreens, perennials, cereals, if there is no appropriate room. On an insulated balcony, you can save them by placing them together with a pot in a larger container filled with sawdust, peat, covering it with spruce branches on top and wrapping it in lutrasil, agrofilm. In especially cold periods, additionally insulate with bags, blankets.

Usually flowers grow from the ground and stretch up to the gentle sun. And it happens vice versa! Flowers, against all the laws of nature, grow from top to bottom, which makes an indelible impression on everyone. Do you want to create the mythical Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Choose ampelous plants - bacopa, pelargonium, petunia, begonia, fuchsia, verbena, strawberries! For their comfortable well-being, suspension on a bracket is required.

What to plant?

The basis for a good development of flowers and their long flowering is healthy, fresh and nutrient-rich soil. If you prepare it yourself from a fertile layer brought from the garden, then carefully review it so as not to introduce pests and be sure to water it with Baikal EM1 to neutralize pathogens that are always found in any soil. The soil in the balcony boxes is renewed annually, but with the use of the above preparation, this can be done every two to three years, simply by adding the required amount of fresh earth.

If you want to be free from the hassle of soil and ensure the long-term flowering and health of your flowers, then there is nothing better than the special universal flower soil from the TERRA VITA (“Living Earth”) series and special soil mixtures for different plant groups of the series "Garden of Miracles"

When choosing certain plants, one should adhere to certain principles: in color, various flowers should be in harmony with each other, as well as with the environment, especially with the wall of the house; the height of the plant should be taken into account - on the balconies of high-rise buildings,

So, plants with red or crimson-pink flowers are not suitable for the red wall of the house. Flowers of yellow, orange, white or dark blue color look good here.

White and rich red flowers look good against a red wall. The yellow and brown walls are a spectacular backdrop for the blues and purples.

Almost all flowers with various colors, especially red, pink, blue, bright yellow, as well as colorful combinations, stand out in relief against the white background of the building.

At a great distance, such plants as red pelargonium and salvia, yellow calceolaria, marigolds, nasturtium, godetia, nemesia are spectacular.

Near ageratum, mignonette, salvia, marigolds, lobelia, daisies, gazania, zinnia, verbena look good.

Whether to plant only one type of plant with a uniform color or combine several different types with different flower colors and growth forms is a matter of taste and experience. We offer you some combinations.

For the sunny side: white creeping petunia + red upright pelargonium; blue lobelia + low marigolds alternating with red salvia; an amazing "blooming cloud" is obtained from upright and falling vervain with flowers of different colors.

For penumbra and shade: blue creeping petunia + yellow calceolaria; red and yellow tuberous begonia + red upright fuchsia.

Plectrant gives a lush mass of greenery, its variegated form is especially effective. Plectrant is used to separate different types of plants, as a transitional component from one color to another. It softens and unifies the composition.

Moving to the air

In summer, indoor plants can be kept on the balcony. Staying outdoors is beneficial for cyclamen, aralia, aucuba, azalea, primrose, calla, chlorophytum, hydrangea, clivia, hippeastrum, araucaria, aspidistra. Plants should be placed in a semi-shaded place, primarily protected from the wind. The bright sun harms them. Plants are best placed not on the floor of the balcony, but in large clay vessels or plastic plates filled with well-moistened peat chips.

At the end of September, pots with indoor plants are transferred to the rooms.

Landing and care

At the bottom of the box or pot lay out a drainage layer 1-2 cm high from expanded clay, clay shards and fill the box with earth by 2/3. Before planting, the plants need to be watered abundantly, as dry rhizomes are easily damaged. In a box, seedlings are planted to the same depth as they grew in a pot.

Creeping plants are planted obliquely so that they grow towards the edge of the box. After planting, they are carefully but thoroughly watered and left for several days without watering to allow them to establish. Too dense planting should be avoided, given that as the plants grow, they will occupy more and more area.

Throughout the growing season, they are regularly watered, weeded and fed, faded flowers and dry leaves are removed.

Of the nutrients needed nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and trace elements. Since the amount of earth in balcony boxes or pots is limited and nutrients are quickly consumed, the soil must be fertilized regularly.

If flowering weakens in plants such as ageratum, lobelia, nemesia, their tops should be cut off by 3-5 cm - this contributes to the rapid development of new shoots and flower buds.

With the onset of spring, many seek to touch nature. And for this they use all possible methods, someone goes to the country, someone plants flowers near their balcony, and someone grows flowers on their own balcony and creates an incredibly beautiful flower garden using vertical gardening.

Vertical gardening is the best way to grow flowers and other small plants because it saves a lot of space.

There are many ways to grow plants vertically. I will talk about some of them. At the same time, I will not dwell on the choice of plants, because everyone can choose those plants that are suitable for your climate and for your balcony. And besides, I already wrote about creating a garden for flowers or herbs on the balcony.

The most affordable ways of vertical gardening of a balcony

In bags with pockets

Plants can be placed on the balcony wall in special bags with pockets. Of course, it is problematic to get such bags in our country, but if you know how to sew a little. Then you can make such a bag with pockets yourself. For him, you need to choose a dense material that can withstand a lot of weight and let air through, for example, from a tarpaulin or canvas. You also need strong threads.

Pockets are sewn onto one sheet of fabric so that small pots for plants or special plastic bags can be placed in them. Small strong loops are made on top for mounting on the wall.

This is the so-called "Carpet" method of planting, which involves the use of synthetic felt, in which the pockets are made. They are inhabited by plants. But they do this only after the flower has taken root in an ordinary pot. It is better to use young flowers - their flexible root system breaks less, adapts to new conditions easier and grows into felt more easily. This method is called hydroponics - an artificial environment without soil.

Of course, you can immediately pour the soil into the pockets, but I think that this will be inconvenient if you want to add something or change the plants.

Hill of pots

If you have enough space on your balcony, then you can create a slide from different pots. I have already described several ideas, here I will show a few more photos.

At the heart of another technology - modular - is a design similar to a cabinet with a large number of open drawers. The earth is poured into them, the plants first take root in it, then the module is lifted, attached to the wall, the flowers themselves take the desired position over time. Or holes are cut out in the shelves into which pots of flowers are inserted. The disadvantage of such a system is a lot of weight.

And in addition, some useful ideas for creating flower boxes with your own hands.

Here is such a two-tiered flower box can be made. On the top tier there will be pots with plants, and below all the necessary materials.

There are also plant stands.

Just an amazing idea with wheels for easy movement.

The beauty of vertical gardening is that many different plants can be placed in a small space.

If people do not have a private house, but they really want to have a paradise green corner, then it can be organized with great success in a city apartment, or rather, on a balcony. The design of the balcony must be approached as carefully and carefully as the decoration of any other room in the apartment. In addition to properly performed repairs, the right plants also play an important role in landscaping. The fact is that each person has balconies and loggias from different sides, so the design should be based on the part of the side where the balcony is located, and it is also important to take into account its illumination, warmth and other factors.

Preparing for landscaping a balcony

Preliminary work on landscaping is the implementation of certain actions.

Work of preparation:

• Liberation of the balcony;
• Carrying out repairs;
• Glazing (optional and possible);
• Strengthening the facade;
• Acquisition of racks, shelves and containers;
• Purchase of land and fertilizers;
• Wall decoration;
• Creation of flooring.

After that, you can proceed to the main work.

Greening the floor with artificial grass on the balcony

Balcony landscaping can be done not only along the walls, but you can also make a beautiful green floor that will look harmonious in the created mini-garden. The standard balcony floor is a gray concrete slab. Not only is this stove itself ugly, it is also cold.

It turns out that every time before stepping on such a floor, you have to put on slippers so that your feet are comfortable and warm.

Artificial turf, which looks very beautiful and pleasant to the touch, can help to cope with a cold, ugly floor. You can definitely walk on such a floor barefoot, feeling warm and soft under your feet. It is important to note that today artificial turf can be purchased without problems at a garden store.

Balcony landscaping (video)

How to lay artificial turf on the balcony

Landscaping is a great way to create coziness on the balcony. Artificial turf plays a very important role in this process.

It has been proven by practice that, without landscaping the balcony, instead of a flower garden, it will definitely turn into a repository of unnecessary things left in case “what if they come in handy”. Naturally, they are forgotten over time, and the balcony, like the loggia, becomes an almost unnecessary additional area in the apartment.

For landscaping, it is worth choosing flowers and plants that would bloom alternately, and then your balcony will always be bright and fragrant.

There are three options for placing flower beds in such a limited area as a balcony, and even inside it:

• horizontal, in which plants are placed in horizontal rows;
• vertical, in which plants are placed from bottom to top on ledges (cascade placement);
• ceiling, in which the flowers are fixed at a certain height.

Naturally, a combination of these accommodation options is also possible.

Separately, the option of placing a flower garden on the outside or on the inside of the fence will be considered.

Since there is no limit to fantasy, amateurs can offer their own options. For example, it's easy to imagine a herringbone pattern if you place ledges in a spiral around the virtual surface of a truncated cone.

Having decided to green a balcony, keep in mind that the load on the console on which it is fixed has a certain, maximum allowable tensile strength.

Under no circumstances should this parameter be exceeded. If you use the proposed options for placing flower beds, you will not be able to exceed the allowable load.

If large pots and boxes filled with earth are randomly placed on the balcony, then there is a chance of waiting for trouble. Moreover, such placement is not justified, because even if you completely fill the balcony with tubs and pots of flowers, you may not get a beautiful composition.

Before deciding on the placement of flower beds, you need to pay attention to the improvement. It is advisable to paint the balcony in a neutral color, such as white or ivory. The color scheme of plants can be supplemented by choosing the appropriate colors and painting pots and planters with them. It is necessary to decide where to place the directional lamp, as it will sometimes be pleasant to spend time reading next to the flowers. Therefore, designate where a small chair will stand, and possibly a miniature table.

Accommodation options

Today, there are several options for placing flower beds, recognized as optimal for balconies and loggias.

The first

Landscaping of loggias in this embodiment is carried out using elongated wooden boxes that are tightly adjacent to each other. Inside the drawers can be placed in two or three horizontal rows, placing them one above the other (multi-tiered composition). In the case of placing flower beds around the fence, boxes are usually installed on three sides of the balcony. They, unlike the boxes placed inside the balcony, have a size corresponding to the length of the fence. Similar boxes can be fixed under the window located between the room and the balcony.

Second

Place boxes and flower pots on special shelves or by attaching them to the end walls. Balconies, as you know, do not have such walls. Therefore, in order to apply this option, it will be necessary to install structures from the ends, for example, from aluminum corners, to which pots or planters can be attached. If it is decided to glaze the balcony, then you need to decide in advance what you will have on its ends, flowers or windows.

Third

A load-bearing structure is fixed between the end walls (possibly, reinforcing it with stops from the floor). For an unglazed balcony, this option is probably not suitable. For a glazed balcony, this option is possible, since the rigidity of the end structures may be sufficient so that a load-bearing suspension structure for flowers can be fixed between them.

Making boxes

Boxes should not be very heavy, then it will be convenient to work with them. We pay attention to the manufacture and fastening of boxes placed on the fences. Their maximum height and width should not exceed 200-220 mm. Both pine and oak boards with a thickness of at least 20 mm are suitable for their manufacture.

To ensure the strength of the connection, the ends of the boxes are not flush. Longitudinal boards are nailed to the ends and additionally fastened with metal corners. From below, the bottom is nailed to the box, and inside, along the width of the walls and the bottom, a roofing pad is fixed. For fastening the boxes, steel strips with a cross section of 30 × 5 mm or metal rods with a diameter of 10-12 mm are used (the minimum dimensions of the parts are indicated).

They are placed along the length of the box at a distance of 600-800 mm. The bends of the fastening structures around the boxes and in the places of fastening on the fences must ensure their reliable fastening. The metal should be bent while hot. Fasteners can be purchased in a store or on the market and, taking into account their size, make boxes. Fastener metal must be painted to protect against rust. Sometimes it is more convenient to use a metal cable to fasten the boxes to the railing from the inside or to the window frame.

The diameter of the cable must be at least 6-7 mm. For fastening boxes on the outside of the balcony, this method of fastening is not safe and should not be used.

To fasten the brackets to the wall, it is necessary to gouge a hole with a depth of at least 150 mm, a diameter of at least 30 mm and firmly drive a wooden cork into the hole. The bracket is nailed to the wall with nails or crutches. Do not use plastic plugs to mount the brackets to the wall.

For landscaping the loggia, you should come up with a plan so that the flowers delight the eye from early spring to late autumn. It is very important to take into account what temperature differences a particular species tolerates, because day and night temperatures can differ significantly on the balcony, and if you take into account the flowering time of various plants, this will allow you to create a continuous flowering process from spring warming to autumn frosts.

Flowers and plants should be selected taking into account their characteristics. For example, small flowers on the balcony create more coziness and blend better with the small size of the room. Yes, and you can place them in a much larger number. It makes no sense to convince someone which balcony plant is the most beautiful. You should pay attention only to the points that must be taken into account when breeding flowers and caring for them.

Choice of colors

It is not possible to tell about everything that can be grown on a balcony. However, for a novice lover, we will give minimal information about some fairly common types of flowers grown on balconies and loggias.

Marigold

Low-growing varieties are grown on balconies, the minimum height of which is 20 cm. These plants can reach a maximum of 1 m. Flowers in diameter reach 12 cm. Even in open ground, marigolds stop blooming only with the onset of frost. These flowers thrive especially in full sun and light shade. These flowers do not require much moisture.

Chinese carnation

Of all the varieties of carnations, only this variety feels good on the balcony. The height of this type of carnation does not exceed 30 cm, and the plant blooms continuously throughout the summer. Does not tolerate stagnant water in boxes and requires moderate watering. You don't need to feed often. So that there is no break in flowering in August, pruning is done at the end of July.

Ageratum

An upright plant, 10 to 60 cm high, loves sunlight and does not require abundant watering. The flowers are small, do not exceed 1-1.5 cm in diameter. On the balcony planted in vases and small containers. Can be planted as a low-growing component of the general flower garden. It blooms until September, after which seeds appear.

Nasturtium

The plant can be erect, creeping or climbing. The stem can reach a length of 2 m. The size of the flowers is medium, they reach 5-6 cm in diameter. In open ground they bloom from spring to frost. On a balcony, it should be placed hanging in a sunny position, but it also feels good in a slightly shaded area. It tolerates drought well, but does not tolerate even light frosts at all.

plant care

Of course, each plant requires a certain composition of the soil and a certain care. Specific features of plant care should be clarified with the seller when buying seedlings. But there are also general requirements. So, for annual plants, the soil must be changed annually.

For perennial plants, the soil should be replaced after 3-4 years, and some of them do not require a change of soil, but only require periodic top dressing. To create a moisture-permeable environment, it is necessary to add river sand to the soil, and in order to contain the required amount of moisture, peat chips are added to the soil.

Naturally, pathogens must be destroyed in the soil. Unlike indoor plants, balcony plants require significantly more nutrients.

Top dressing should be carried out with a weak solution of fertilizer (1-2 g / l) once a week, replacing watering with it.

Sometimes there is a desire to escape as far as possible from the daily hustle and bustle and at least briefly relax in nature - among the singing of birds, fresh greenery, the aroma of bright flowers. Of course, you can take a vacation and go away from civilization for a few days. But what if you still have to wait a long time for a well-deserved rest, and you want to plunge into the delightful world of flora immediately. In such cases, you can sigh sadly, or you can ... You can create a green paradise on your own balcony. And to do this is not as difficult as it seems at first glance.

So, you have decided: the loggia needs landscaping. But where to start? There is a lot of special literature and recommendations on how to properly and tastefully landscape a balcony. But the general rules are always the same.

Balcony preparation step by step:

1. Clear the space of unnecessary things.
2. Determine the area of ​​the balcony and the size of suitable flowers.
3. Draw a scheme for landscaping a balcony.
4. Analyze which of the flowerpots already in the house are suitable for such purposes.
5. Pick up new plants for decorating the loggia.
6. Buy suitable flower containers.

When choosing flowers for decoration, it is important to be guided by two principles. You can decorate the free space as tightly as possible with greenery, or just place accents using compositions with bright flowers. But it is not advisable to fill small balconies too tightly. For decorating loggias and terraces, different rules and principles are used. For example, on a small balcony, one row of flower pots along the railing is enough. You can place flowers both on the inside and on the outside of the balcony.

In general, decoration styles are very different, and a blooming composition is already the result of your imagination and taste. As the simplest option - one long container with a set of colors. The balcony, decorated with a cascade of greenery, looks beautiful. On large balconies and loggias, space can be planted with the help of containers and pots of different sizes, therefore, plant sizes are also very different.

Through west to east

In order for the flora to qualitatively play the role of decorating balconies, and not to wither under the summer sun, it is important to take into account the location of the terrace and the preferences of the flower in terms of lighting.

South side

For landscaping southern balconies, heat-loving and heat-resistant plants, such as succulents and cacti, are suitable. But even at the peak of the heat, they should do shading. The southern sun is categorically not suitable for fragile indoor flowerpots. However, they also do not like showers.

East and West windows

Loggias from the east or west are liked by almost all indoor greenery. But you should not take out flowers on such a balcony that do not tolerate “moving” and temperature fluctuations.

north terrace

This place is not suitable for growing sun-loving plants - they will bloom weakly or will not please with bright flowers at all. But on the northern balconies, shade-loving flowers with dark green leaves look beautiful and delightfully grow.

To each his own

There are several types of loggia design:

• using indoor flowers;
• ampelous;
• using climbing varieties.

You can try to dream up and apply a combined decoration.

Houseplants

Indoor flowers in the summer can always be taken out onto the terrace and beautifully arranged over the entire area of ​​​​the balcony. They will be fine here - there is a lot of light, a more comfortable level of humidity, the air temperature corresponds to natural conditions.

Use: geranium, fuchsia, begonia, aloe, balsam, amaryllis.

ampelous plants

Ampel gardening of a balcony provides for growing plants in hanging planters. Flowers with falling shoots and many flowers look beautiful in such pots. This decoration resembles bright colored balls. But having decided to resort to this type of landscaping, it is important to use special containers for hanging flowers (with a secure fastening and a stand for draining excess water). There are many varieties of flora for growing in pots.

Ampelous landscaping of balconies is a solution for small areas, where in small areas you can hang many pots of flowers beautifully and in an original way. Decorative baskets will decorate the balcony on both sides - internal and external, at different levels. Allows you to create compositions of greenery of different sizes.

Use: ageratum, verbena, petunia, lobelia, bindweed, pelargonium, Godetia, Fortunia.

climbing plants

Curly varieties are very popular in the art of landscaping balconies, because they are ideal for the role of a living curtain. And different types of vines will complete the composition of greenery.

Use: nasturtium, morning glory, kobe, clematis, sweet peas, ornamental beans, tunbergia.

Vegetables as decoration

Often, herbs and vegetables are successfully grown as landscaping elements on balconies. Such landscaping gives not only a decorative effect, but also allows you to create a small vegetable garden right on the balcony.

Use: balsam, parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, marjoram, mint, dill, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, radishes, onions, zucchini, carrots, garlic.

Plant combination

Of course, at the time of flowering, you want the balcony to be filled with as many bright colors as possible: from rich shades of green to a delicate sky tone or, conversely, fiery red. But when combining different plants, and even more so creating compositions from indoor flowers, it is important to consider the compatibility of plants with each other. As practice shows, some flowers coexist nicely and even begin to bloom more intensively with a profitable neighbor, while others do not get along in any way on the same "living space".

But in order for decorative greenery to please the eye with its beauty for a long time, it is important to adhere to several recommendations of professionals.

1. Before placing the pots, study the compatibility of colors on the same balcony.
2. Water and feed the greens, according to requirements.
3. To create a composition of small varieties, use one large container.
4. When placing pots, take into account that light-loving plants are not in the shade, and vice versa.
5. An excellent solution would be to decorate balconies with perennials and fast-growing peers.

The rules for caring for balcony plants are simple and do not differ from the process of growing home flowers. Consists of the following steps:

• watering - when it needs additional moisture;
• top dressing - twice a month;
• loosening the soil in the container;
• removal of dried leaves and flowers.