Fairy lights twinkling from a branch highlighting gradient strokes of green, billowy leaves of potted plants, dabs of bright colours on blooming buds and the swaying shadows of passive life; you could throw in a chair or two to bask in its shady haven even if you are in an apartment couple of floors above the ground.
Balcony gardens are fast becoming a way not just to pursue a hobby but also to bring patches of green into an apartment. A few simple decorative items and a good choice of plants can make a world of difference.
Ishrath Humairah, a healthcare professional and co-founder of Tree Souls, makes sure she has her dose of green everywhere. “It is not about the size of the balcony but what you do with it that matters. People with big balcony can have a sprawling garden while those who have space constraints can go for vertical garden walls,” she says.
Natrajan Sridharan, who has converted the 10ft by 5 ft balcony in his home into a green zone, says, maintaining a balcony garden is simple. “The exciting aspect is that there are many types of designs, plants, pots, garden accessories available. You just need a good idea.”
Perhaps, the most important part is to know what kind of plants would suit a constrained space and variable temperature. Says M.M. Hussain , ex-general secretary of Indian Nurserymen Association and Indian Rose Federation, “Choosing plants depends on where your balcony is. It is not advisable to have fixed planters. Go for pots that are 10 inches, to 15 inches wide. It makes shifting and water-proofing easy. Also the soil should be very porous so that it retains moisture and the plants get more water. Well-decomposed manure is a must too.
Hussain explains how the amount of sunlight varies according to geographical directions. “A north-facing balcony gets no sunlight so it makes sense to grow foliage there. Shade loving plants and creepers/climbers are another option. A balcony facing the East gets mild sun up to 11 a.m. So there can be both foliage and flowering plants. Hibiscus could be a good plant to grow on such a balcony. South and West facing balconies get abundant sun. They are a haven for flowering plants. But in summer, you’ll need to take them inside for sometime.”
Chandramouli S has transformed a small section of his apartment into a private garden. “I’ve always wanted to grow plants and it almost seemed impossible in an apartment. But after visiting a few blogs on gardening, I was inspired and arranged about 40 plants on a portion of the terrace. My garden has been slowly growing in size. Adds Ishrath, ”Invest in plants that can thrive in your city conditions. It is ridiculous to buy seeds from Ooty gardens and plant them in homes here. But at the same time you should keep experimenting, for Nature always springs surprises.”
Natrajan points towards the hype about ‘going green’. He says gardens are not eco-friendly unless organic pesticides such as neem oil, compost from kitchen wastes and proper watering methods are used. I would love to help set-up gardens and also help maintain them.” Ishrath also suggests other ways to go ‘green’ — “Invest in solar powers lights, use mud and terracotta pots instead of plastic and put-up khus or bamboo curtains to keep the place cool. Recycle your kitchen or bath water for your balcony garden.”
And once the plants are in place, decorate the space with some garden accessories. Ishrath suggests bamboo furniture, futons, wicker stools, swings, hammocks, wind chimes and accent pots. “You can also embellish with paintings, murals, terracotta tree art, wrought iron furniture or wall hangings, mirrors, tree trunks, dried flower arrangements, and more. Keep a few flowering plants to attract birds and bees for cross-pollination. Add a bird feeder/ bath. Let your creativity run riot and watch your garden bloom.
Planting an idea
North-facing: Dieffenbachias, Aglaonimas, Philodendrons (bushy and climbing), Syngonium, Scindapsus and Marantas (suitable for humid climate)
East-facing: Impatiens, Spathiphyllum, Anthuriums, Saintpaulia (African Violets), Hibiscus and foliage plants such as Chlorophytum, Ophiopogonis, Eranthumum, graphatophyllums and Aralias
South-and West-facing: Pachystachys, Plumbago, Lantanas, Bougainvilleas, Ixoras inclusive of potted roses, Button roses, Taberna Montanas, Hamelias, Gulphimia, Petunias and Clematis
