For Apartment Dwellers Only: How To Transform Your Balcony Into Your Own Personal Garden Retreat

Living in an apartment doesn't have to cramp your gardening style. No garden? No problem. As long as you have a balcony, you can have your own personal garden retreat. The key is to get creative and maximize every inch of space to yield big benefits from your balcony.

Take advantage of arbors

An arbor can be your best friend when it comes to balcony gardening. Place several arbors down the length of your balcony for growing vines and trailing flowers. Position the arbors several feet apart for best results.

Measure your balcony before you purchase your arbors. The amount of arbors you need will depend on the length of your balcony. You can also purchase wide or narrow arbors based on the width of your balcony.

Arbors overflowing with lush greenery will provide shade to your outdoor oasis. And shade isn't the only advantage of using arbors. Once your greenery thickens and grows over the arbors, it will block the view of other apartments or unsightly buildings.

Good plants to grow on arbors include wisteria, clematis, grapevine, and climbing hydrangea. However, you should ask your local garden center for recommendations for your specific area based on the amount of sun and shade your balcony receives each day.

Divide it with a gate

If your balcony is long enough, you may want to divide it into two sections by installing a garden gate in the center. This is especially helpful if you wish to make one side an area for relaxing and the other side an area for container gardening.

Having two sections on your balcony is like adding two additional rooms to your living space. One area can be your own personal resting space and the other your balcony garden.

Plant your garden

Buy several flower pots in different sizes to use for growing flowers and vegetables. Nearly all garden centers carry varieties of vegetables that are suitable for growing in containers. Again, the amount of containers you need will depend on how much space you have to spare on your balcony.

If you are dividing your balcony into two sections, you can place the pots in a circular fashion at the end of the balcony. This will allow you to easily access your plants. If you're not dividing your space, simply place the pots randomly along each side of the balcony. You can also hang a few hanging baskets on the arbor for growing flowers and vegetables if desired.

Add some ambiance

No garden retreat would be complete without a little ambiance. Purchase several small shepherd's hooks and several decorative hanging lanterns. Place the hooks inside several pots to hang the lanterns on.

For ease of use, you may wish to purchase solar-powered decorative hanging lanterns. You can also use flameless candles inside your lanterns. These candles are often equipped with automatic timers that will turn on at the same time every day. Use regular candles inside the lanterns if you can't resist the romance of flickering candlelight.

Living in an apartment doesn't mean you have to give up the pleasure of having a garden. All you need is a balcony and a little creativity to design your own private garden retreat for growing vegetables or simply relaxing after a long day at the office.