← Back to Blog

How to Turn Your Balcony into a Gardener’s Paradise

decorated balcony with lots of plants and greenery

For green-thumbed seniors with a passion for gardening, moving into a senior living apartment with a balcony means you can continue your love of the lush without the hassles of constant maintenance. The top things you’ll want to consider in apartment balcony plants and designs are maximizing space, personalization and, most importantly, creating a space that brings you joy and peace without leaving your own home. These design ideas and list of best plants for balcony gardens should spark your inspiration to make the most of your apartment balcony.

Designing Your Balcony Oasis

It’s amazing what you can do in a small space with a little inspiration. Creating an outdoor space where you feel relaxed, comfortable and at home starts with figuring out how your personal aesthetic can be injected into your balcony. These ideas should get you started:

Florida Feel

With a few festive lounge chairs and a bright umbrella, you can turn your balcony into a beach oasis, minus the sand. A few color pops of blues, tans and whites can go a long way in perfecting the beach ambiance. Dwarf palm container plants like the areca palm, sentry palm or Kentia palm are perfect additions to complete the look.  If you want to go the extra mile, hanging a fishing net or shiplap planks on your balcony wall will make your space feel like a true harbor oasis.

Make It Chic

For a classy, minimalist look, consider arranging a simple iron-rod outdoor couch and a couple of matching chairs around a glass-top table. Simple, elegant colors go best with this look. Try sticking with neutral tones like flat-brushed black iron or dark wood to maintain the chic theme. A few well-placed planters can add the perfect splash of rich, vibrant color. With just a few pieces of furniture and lush container plants, you’ll have a fashion-week-worthy balcony in no time.

Cozy Up

If you’re looking for a comfortable lounge area on your balcony, a wrap-around pallet couch with plenty of pillows is the way to go. You can use curtains to close off the open portion of your balcony to bring a comfortable indoor feel outdoors. The key here is to fill your balcony space with plenty of pillows, blankets and seating for maximum cozy capacity. Hang some soft yellow string lights across the ceiling of your balcony to finish creating a truly cozy atmosphere.

Zen Garden

Adding natural elements to balcony decor can transform your outdoor space into a calming, Zen-like escape. Features like wooden planters, a water feature, and a small rock or sand display can create the peaceful ambiance you’re looking for. You can also add a touch of themed greenery such as a bonsai tree or hanging vines to complete the look.With this balcony design inspiration in mind, it’s time to move on to balcony plant ideas to create a lush, vibrant getaway right where you live.

Decorative Plants

The best plants for balcony apartments are typically the ones that require the least maintenance with the lushest results. The last thing active seniors want to do is have to spend a lot of time maintaining their balcony plants to keep them healthy. Depending on your overall aesthetic, a few categories of container plants are perfect for creating your balcony green space:

Hanging and Climbing Vine Plants

  • Devil’s Ivy or English Ivy
  • Pothos
  • Philodendron
  • Hoya
  • Creeping Fig
  • String of Pearls

Blossoming Container Plants

  • Geranium
  • Angelonia
  • Winged Begonia
  • Starflower
  • Petunia
  • New Guinea Impatiens
  • Hibiscus
  • Lavender

Tree-Like Plants Fit for Balconies

  • Ficus
  • Dwarf Peach Tree
  • Boxwood
  • Kumquat
  • Japanese Maple
  • Sweet Bay
  • Dwarf Lemon Tree
  • Croton

Garden Plants

A variety of vegetables and herbs makes for perfect balcony container plants. Not only are they beautiful and provide a nice aroma, but you can cut down on trips to the grocery store and cook using home-grown ingredients. This nonexhaustive list of veggies and herbs can all be grown in a single container to get you started:

Vegetables

  • Broccoli
  • Tomatoes
  • Bell Peppers
  • Cabbage
  • Dwarf Squash
  • Radishes
  • Spinach
  • Lettuce

Herbs

  • Parsley
  • Basil
  • Chives
  • Oregano
  • Rosemary
  • Fennel
  • Mint
  • Thyme
  • Coriander
  • Cilantro
  • Dill

Having space where you can relax, soak up the sun, and enjoy the company of friends and neighbors is essential to maximizing a happy, stress-free retirement lifestyle. Here at Lake Seminole Square, our one- and two-bedroom independent living condominiums are designed for just that. In these customizable, pet-friendly, maintenance-free homes, you’ll have everything you need to enjoy this time exactly how you want. If you’d like to learn more about our floor plan options, feel free to contact us anytime.