How to Transform Your Balcony Into a Thriving Garden, According to Horticulturists

What better way is there to extend your living space—and enjoy Mother Nature—than by creating a balcony garden? Not only does this space let you enjoy a beautiful, bucolic view, but by adding plants, you can make it even more elegant and welcoming.

However, assembling a balcony garden can often feel overwhelming, whether choosing the right plants or deciding on a layout. Here, we asked experts for tips and tricks—follow their recommendations to create a tranquil outdoor oasis.

Make the Most of Your Space

Maximizing your space is a key factor for a beautiful balcony garden.

Go Vertical: “I love using wall planters or a little vertical ladder shelf for pots,” says Anna Ohler, owner of Bright Lane Gardens. “Hanging baskets are also a game-changer if you have railing or overhead space. I’ve used them for trailing plants and pollinator favorites like nasturtiums. If you’re short on floor space, railing planters or stacked containers also work really well.”

Consider Comfort: However, don't pack too much into too small a space. “You need to be able to move around freely and properly,” Ohler says. “Make sure you're creating a space that's not only beautiful, but also functional. Feel free to add comfortable seating and a personal touch, like a small statue or a string of lights.”

Remember Purpose: Before deciding what to grow, it's important to also consider your garden's overall purpose, says Jen McDonald, a certified organic garden specialist and a co-founder of Garden Girls.

“Is it for beauty? Plant annual flowers,” she says. “Is it for culinary use? Start with herbs, which require little space but have maximum impact. Want to attract more pollinators? Plant natives, which are already adapted to your specific growing zone and climate.”

Evaluate Your Conditions

Sunlight is important for growing plants, but especially if you want to grow vegetables or herbs. “Vegetables require full sun, which is six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day—that may be challenging with a balcony,” McDonald says. “Herbs are a much better option, requiring only two to four hours of direct sunlight per day.” 

House plants like ferns and trailing ivy make excellent options if your space is lacking full sun. You’ll also want to consider whether high winds will be a hindrance, in addition to how altitude might affect plants on a high-rise.

Prep Your Containers

There are several factors to consider when preparing planters for your balcony garden, according to McDonald: 

• Containers require more frequent watering. “There are several smart irrigation tools that can be used to take the burden off the gardener, including self-watering pots, globes, and DIY drip bottle methods."
• You’ll want to chase the sunlight. “Creative balcony gardeners have been known to put planters on casters to chase the sunlight throughout the year, a creative solution that also benefits the gardener in case of inclement weather—a freeze, perhaps—when plants need to be moved inside in order to survive."
• Choose the highest quality soil. “Your local nursery will likely have a premium blend, which is important because good soil contains the nutrients needed for your plants to thrive. It builds stronger roots and provides insulation against the elements. In fact, 80 percent of your budget should be spent on the soil—it’s that important.”

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Grow the Best Plants

It's important to choose the right plants and in turn make smart use of your limited space, says Ohler—especially your walls and railings. 

Best Plants for a Sunny Balcony

Laura Janney, CEO of The Inspired Garden, recommends the following plants for a balcony that gets ample sunlight: 

• Lantana tree: This tree handles intense heat with ease and gives just the right amount of vertical height. “The vibrant blooms are soft and citrusy, never overpowering, and the shape brings a sense of quiet order to a container garden."
• Angelonia: It's upright, tidy, and bears continuous blooms all summer—even with intense heat. “It holds its form well and brings height and movement without ever feeling messy or overgrown. It gives a soft, natural, cottage vibe to your space.”
• Jasmine: “The scent alone makes it worth planting. Jasmine grows with elegance, whether climbing a trellis or upright in a pot, and brings a softness to your terrace.”

Best Plants for a Shady Balcony

Janney recommends the following plants for spaces that get less-than-ideal sunlight: 

• Elephant ears: These bold, architectural leaves make a statement in any setting. “Elephant ears fill space without crowding it, and thrive where many flowering plants won’t. The result is an instant oasis.”
• Coleus: Grown for its foliage, not its flowers, coleus brings depth, contrast, and color. “Its velvety leaves come in rich, moody shades that shine beautifully in low light."
• Begonia: Compact and clean, begonias do well in filtered light and offer subtle color and lushness. “They’re incredibly reliable and mix well with structural greenery."

Best Plants for a Windy Balcony

Here are Janney’s top two recommendations for outdoor spaces that experience high winds: 

• Ornamental grasses: “Grasses like fountain grass or blue fescue move with the wind. They add texture, motion, and softness, which helps balance the sharper straight lines.” 
• Gaura: This plant has airy stems and delicate flowers that flutter continuously. “It’s tougher than it looks and holds up beautifully in exposed spots without needing much care."

Best Herbs and Vegetables for a Balcony

When working with a small space, Luay Ghafari, creator and recipe developer at Urban Farm and Kitchen, focuses on high-yield crops that take up little room.

“Herbs are a wonderful option, and in my opinion, have a great return on investment,” he says. “If you grow your own basil, parsley, and cilantro, you'll be saving money by not having to purchase these herbs at the grocery store for your recipes. Perennial herbs like oregano, thyme, chives, and sage may even come back the following season if you protect your pots through the harsh winter months.” 

Pay careful attention to these two details when choosing herbs and vegetables for your balcony garden: 

• Indeterminate vs. determinate. Many well-loved edible crops are available in indeterminate (vining) and determinate (bush, patio) varieties. “I recommend avoiding indeterminate tomatoes, standard cucumbers, and winter squash,” Ghafari says. “They will grow tall or long and become a challenge to manage, and the wind may also cause damage.” 
• Pollinator considerations. If you live in a high-rise, it may be difficult for pollinators to pay your balcony garden a visit. “In that case, you would have to manually hand-pollinate some of your flowering crops—like tomatoes and peppers—by shaking the plants lightly,” Ghafari says. “Or you can grow crops that don’t need to be pollinated before harvest, like kale, lettuce, radish, salad turnips, spinach, and of course herbs.”