1. How To Create A Garden In Your Balcony
Greenery in your balcony provides a place of retreat. No matter how small it
creates a quiet place to retreat in the midst of a fast paced lifestyle. Gardening
is also a major stress buster. Fulfilling your green thumb in an apartment
balcony requires planning and turning your terrace green is an art. Be prepared
to spend a lot of time and energy in maintaining your green space.
The Start up
Make a clear start up plan for your flat balcony. Mark out a zone for plants and
a clear demarcation for your seating area or chairs. Make sure you leave
enough space between pots for cleaning. If you dry clothes on your apartment
balcony and if space permits, install a screen that demarcates your garden
from the utility space.
The Design
Spend some time on your balcony to figure out how much sunlight it receives.
This will help you make your choice of sun loving or shade loving plants. If your
apartment is in Cochin or Trivandrum, make sure you get the direction of
rainfall also correct. West facing balconies receive more sunlight. Place your
pots aesthetically, not in a line. Place your pots in clusters or islands. Plan the
colour combinations of the pots, flowers or leaves. Make sure you vary the size
or girth of the pots.
The Plants
You don’t have to make all your decisions at once and buy all your pots
together. Just keep adding to your garden. If your flat or villa is in tropical
Cochin or Trivandrum you have the luxury of mixing ornamental plants with
herbs and veggies. Other tropical plants include Anthurium’s, Spathiphyllum
for flowers and Diffenbachia, palms, ficus and philodendrons for their leaves.
They also do well in the shade. Your herbs and greens need more sunlight and
the easier varieties to grow are spinach, coriander and mint.
The Pots
The green lung of your flat or villa can be made more fun by varying the
shapes, sizes and colors of the containers or pots. You can add creative
touches by up-cycling old coffee mugs, wooden crates, wooden basins, cans,
bottles, etc. make optimum use of railings and walls for climbers. Hanging
multi colored mugs with a collection of your favourite plants in them look
great.
2. The Accessories
If your flat or villa in Cochin or Trivandrum is small, it doesn’t mean you have to
scrimp on accessories. Hang up wind chimes, bells, Chinese lanterns at niches
places. A cheaper option will be to hang up fairy lights in between the pots or
over your climbers. Adding interesting elements like a small water fountain will
add those magical sounds to your evenings on the balcony. You can even add
sculptures in nooks in your balcony garden.
Who says you can’t have your piece of paradise in an apartment or villa?
Change the concrete jungle effect with your very own garden.