If you wantflowers on the balcony to look nice and not cause problemsto grow, it is worth choosing plants for balcony boxes that match the weather conditions on the balcony. A special condition isthe location of the balcony on the south, north, east or west sideThis affects the amount of sun reaching the plants and the temperature on the balcony. Here areexemplary flower arrangements for the north, east, west and south balconies photos of flower boxesshowing the final effect will help you plan the plantings!
Flower arrangements for the balcony
Fig. © Piotr Moliński
Flower arrangement for the north balcony
Even a very shaded northern balcony can be planted with beautifully flowering annuals , although the lack of light somewhat limits our choice of species and varieties that prefer such places. It is an ideal exhibition for plants that like shade. There is also no danger of sunburning the leaves.
Flower arrangement for the north balcony
Fig. © Piotr Moliński
Ourflower arrangement for the northern balconyconsists of plants such as: tuberous begonia and plektrantus. A square, wooden pot with 3 tuber begonia planted in it. Two seedlings planted in the back and one in the center. Plants placed in this way will not be too obscured and will have enough space to develop freely. In the front, in the right and left corner, I planted the Forster 'Marginatus' plectrant, popularly known as the Komarzyca. It will be able to hang down without any problems. Thanks to this, it will slightly cover the front of the pot and give a little lightness to the entire composition. Plectrant can be easily cut to any length if it becomes too large.
Tuberous begonia and mosquito grow perfectly in the shade. Such a position will avoid sunburn, which sometimes threatens these plants. The soil in the pot should be kept slightly moist.
Flower arrangement for the eastern balcony
The eastern exhibition is characterized by the fact that the sun warms our plants from early morning until noon. The sun's rays at this time aren't that strong and hot, so they won't burn more sensitive plants.
Flower arrangement for the eastern balcony
Fig. © Piotr Moliński
In the flower arrangement for the eastern balconythe front of the pot was planted with potato groves.It is a hanging plant that will nicely cover the front of the pot and embed the flower arrangement in the ground. Its bright yellow leaves with an interesting shape contrast with the flowers of the Peruvian heliotrope planted on the back of the pot. Heliotrope is a shrub plant, but in our climate it does not reach the target size. In the evenings, its flowers smell beautifully with vanilla, soit is worth placing such a flower arrangement in a place where we often passJust remember not to fertilize this flower arrangement too intensively, because the Peruvian heliotrope is sensitive to the salinity of the substrate. An over-fertilized one will quickly wither and dry out.
Flower arrangement for the west balcony
The western exhibition illuminates plants from the south to the very west , so profusely flowering plants are ideal for such places. The setting sun only gently heats and illuminates our flowers, so we will avoid plant burns.
Flower arrangement for the west balcony
Fig. © Piotr Moliński
In the presented flower arrangement for the west balconyboth pots were planted with geraniums and Forster's 'Marginatus' plectrant. A pelargonium was planted on each side of the pot. She keeps the whole composition in check and her flowers contrast with the dark leaves. In the middle of the pot, Forster's plectant 'Marginatus' was provided. It will introduce a little white and relax the entire composition. Its fast-growing shoots will divide to the sides,making the flower arrangement on the eastern balcony more attractivePelargonium and plectrantus have a specific smell of leaves, which makes them excellent plants that repel mosquitoes and flies. It is worth placing such a composition close to the places where we are on the balcony.
Flower arrangements for the southern balcony
"Flower arrangements in the southern position are exposed to sunlight for the longest time In prolonged heat, it is a position where even sun-loving plants can get burned. Dry air and quite strong drying of the root ball are particularly unfavorable.A good solution when planting plants in a pot on the south sideis to add a hydrogel to the substrate, which absorbs excess water during watering and systematically gives it back to the plant during drought. "
Flower arrangement for the southern balcony
Fig. © Piotr Moliński
The pot with a flower arrangement for the southern balconywas planted with a white geranium located in the center and a catnip. White geranium flowers add freshness and brighten the composition. Four catnip are planted in the four corners of the pot. Their soft, gray leaves blend in perfectly with the whiteness of geranium flowers. They grow quickly, so they will hang from the pot, which will give this flower arrangement dynamism.Catnip and pelargonium are sun-loving plants and grow very well in such conditions, as long as we water them systematically. If the catnip has grown too large, it can be trimmed.
Flower arrangement for the southern balcony
Fig. © Piotr Moliński
Finallya flower arrangement using pelargonium and potato wolfwith yellow leaves. The geraniums are planted in the center of the pot, as their shoots grow upwards and the flowers will be in the center of the composition. The potato wolf, in turn, is planted in the corners so that its shoots hang loosely and have room for growth. If you look closely at this photo, you will see that beside the flowers there are pots of herbs and strawberries, which can also be grown on a sunny south balcony.
I hope that the presentedexemplary flower arrangements for the balconyand their photos will inspire you when planting balcony boxes!
Eng. landscape architect Piotr Moliński
