Create A Beautiful Garden #balconygarden - Without A Garden!
With thousands of Instagram posts and an exceedingly large number of monthly searches, #balconygarden is a popular trend, but knowing where to start and how to create a cohesive overall space can seem like a daunting task.
16/09/2020
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Cities around the world have seen a significant increase in urban sprawl over the past decade and with backyards and gardens shrinking and inner-city temperatures rising, could plants and shrubs provide the answer? Larger cities such as New York and Singapore are embracing rooftop and sky gardens, but you don’t need to own a rooftop space or pay a premium to create your own private, lush green oasis.
The experts at Love the Garden have taken typical small spaces in the home such as a windowsill or apartment balcony and reimagined them in 6 on-trend interior design themes including a 'nomadic sanctuary' and 'wildlife oasis'. Each detail how the look was created and which plants to buy to recreate the look for yourself.
It is a well-researched fact that mental health and physical wellbeing can be significantly enhanced by spending more time outdoors in green spaces. For those of us who have our own garden space to enjoy, there’s no better feeling than stepping out into your own peaceful oasis. But not everyone has this luxury.
With more and more households having limited or no access to a private garden, perhaps it is time to be more creative and in this feature, we share the possibilities for gardenless gardens with six re-imagined spaces outside and inside city homes. We’ve even got some tips to get the look and those essential plants to make it a reality.
GET CREATIVE WITH WOOD
For any outdoor space that already features wood elements, whether accessories or furniture, you’re halfway there as there are so many ways to incorporate timber in the garden simply with creative and clever design. All it takes is just a few touches and some imagination to turn a functional outdoor space into a private area in which to relax and entertain.
How to achieve the look: Using timber or wood to design striking eye-catching features that also serve to enhance the functionality of your space also complements the organic feel and look of the wood with other natural materials and, of course, with plenty of greenery.
♥ Plants to use
Many plants can be considered to complement the texture and look of timber by offsetting it against herbs and low-growing plants such as:
• Bay Laurel
• Boston Fern
• Basil
• Coriander
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Thyme
A MINIMALIST SANCTUARY
Once you realise that sometimes the smallest things can make the biggest difference you will want to put this into practice to create a minimalist retreat that makes use of simple design to turn an empty space into a feature. Despite being minimalist, the space doesn't feel bare but rather offers a calming and peaceful. Sheer bliss!
How to achieve the look: If you are wanting this look on your balcony, make sure to select bold yet minimalist plants as these should be the standout feature, and nothing else should overcrowd the space. If you are trying to decide on a colour palette, think muted hues or shades of grey and white as the main colours. Now that's simple and stylish.
♥ Plants to use
There are some great plants to keep it simple:
• Bonsai, as a feature piece
• Cordyline, variegated
• Cycads
• Japanese maple
• Nandina
• sansevieria
A NOMADIC RETREAT
Regardless of whether or not meditation is your thing, perhaps you simply want to bring alive memories of distant travels or you could be just dreaming of your next adventure; why not re-imagine your inner-city balcony to be anywhere in the world. Let your space be inspired by worldwide travel and evoke the warmth and colour of a real-life retreat - a #balconygarden.
All it takes are a few simple design elements, finding the perfect accessories and, of course, choosing the right plants, and before you know it you could be in a tropical destination or wherever your dreams take you.
How to achieve the look: The secret to achieving this look and create this gardenless garden is the use of colour - and plenty of it. Think ceramic or terracotta pots, pops of vivid colour with cushions and soft furnishings - the more the better - and wrought iron or steel lanterns.
♥ Plants to use
It is so easy to create your very own sanctuary by using some of the following plants:
• Bougainvillea, compact species
• Barrel cactus
• Ixora
• Hoya, shades of pink and red
• Kentia palm
• New Guinea Impatiens
THE WILDLIFE OASIS
Some of the best gardens are those feature lots of plant and animal life and yes, it is possible to have such a thing, even up high overlooking surrounding cityscapes. Attract wildlife to a garden with a selection of green plants and lush leaves that offer a variety of flowering plants mixed in with foliage to attract bees, birds and butterflies.
How to achieve the look: If you want to create a wildlife oasis on your #balconygarden at home, you will need plenty of nectar-bearing plants but make sure to a clever mix of flowering plants as well as compact shrubs and small trees to provide cover. Don't try too hard to layout this design, which should be more of a casual arrangement with centre stage reserved for the plants and foliage.
♥ Plants to use
Attract birds and wildlife to your balcony garden with a mix of the following:
• Bay tree
• Banksia 'birthday candles'
• Grevillea 'superb'
• Hydrangea
• Lavender, assorted varieties
• Rock lily
• Salvia
• Star jasmine
BRING THE GARDEN INDOORS
What do you do when you have no balcony or veranda to turn into a beautiful garden oasis. Well, that's when a gardenless garden is possible by bringing a garden indoors. For this project, we brought an indoor area to life and used the natural light for a variety of light-loving indoor plants that bring the garden inside. All you need are a few carefully selected accessories and it instantly becomes a welcoming and calming space.
How to achieve the look: Lots of plants are essential for this look. Hanging baskets are a great space-saving option, while larger plants that offer plenty of greenery help with the feeling of transitioning from inside to out. By using different surfaces and textures you can easily create something that has a similar feeling to a balcony.
♥ Plants to use
Bring a garden indoors - both shade and sunlight - with a mix of some of these following plants:
• Aloe vera
• Boston ferns
• Cast Iron plant
• Dracaena
• Jade Plant
• Peace Lily
• Philodendron
• Pothos
• Snake Plant
• Spider plant
CREATE A LIVING WALL
We have all seen what a living wall looks like but have you ever considered this as a possibility for your indoors, or for on a balcony? Take a look at what is possible with the right choice of greenery. An eye-catching living wall can make an amazing feature out of what would otherwise be space unused.
How to achieve the look: To get this look and ensure your living wall stands out, it should be the centrepiece of the space, immediately drawing the eye. The rest of the area should be simply designed so the feature stands out. Don’t go over the top – opt for one striking wall to really make a statement.
♥ Plants to use
Get the right plants to make a living wall:
• Baby’s Tears or helxine
• Bromeliads, including Tillandsia
• Calathea
• Ferns, soft leaf
• Hosta
• Hoya
• Ivy-leaf geranium
• Philodendron
• Rex begonias
• Succulents
Whatever space you have to work with, regardless of whether it is indoors or out, you can find the ideal gardenless garden to transform your lifestyle and enjoy all the benefits of the outdoors in your own home.