The summer balcony garden ideas that quickly transform overlooked balconies into lush, private summer sanctuaries
An exquisite extension of your home, discover how to maximise the opportunity of your balcony in the summertime
A balcony is one of the most romantic outdoor living spaces, especially in urban areas where gardens are a luxury few enjoy. An exquisite extension of your home, in the warm sun, could anything be better than morning coffee and a gentle breeze, standing overlooking its vistas—but how can you maximise the opportunity of this small space in the summertime?
From modern planters and romantic bistro sets to Mediterranean planting, there is an abundance of balcony garden ideas you can try that will give your space a different feel.
Whether your approach is to fill it with pollinator-attracting flowers for a cottage look, or a sleek modern minimalist style, design your summer balcony as a spot for relaxing and entertaining, and one that you will be excited to spend balmy days and evenings in.
Summer balcony ideas
Mediterranean-style balcony
The warm hues of terracotta pots, the silver-grey lanceolate leaves of olive trees, and the heady scent of lavender, in the summertime, a Mediterranean-style balcony garden is a dreamy, warm retreat.
Try layering natural textiles, such as woven cushions and lovely linens, for a soft and inviting look. A bistro table is a stunning centrepiece.
Use terracotta pots or stone-effect planters, and more drought-tolerant plants that can withstand summer’s heat. You might consider planting santolina, bougainvillaea, agapanthus or jasmine, which looks especially beautiful trailed along the railings or trellises on a summer balcony.
Growing to a height of 150cm, this tree is a beautiful addition to a Mediterranean-style balcony, with olive green fruits emerging in the hot summers.
This lovely French lavender with pretty butterfly wing-like petals flowers earlier than English varieties and so will give you a wonderfully long and fragrant season of interest.
The deep evergreen foliage of Trachelospermum jasminoides and its pretty star-like flowers make this the perfect trailing plant for a summer balcony.
A cottage balcony
For colourful wow factor, pack your window boxes with bright and bold petunias and geraniums and corner planters with lovely foxgloves as a focal point. A pastel colour palette of soft whites, pinks, sage greens and beautiful blues will also make the space warm and inviting.
You can explore layering with different heights and textures, using various-sized containers. Typically, taller plants should be positioned at the back of the wall to add vertical interest.
To enhance the romance of a cottage garden, be strategic with the placement of stunning lanterns and solar lights for warm evenings.
With deeply fragrant pink and white petals, this eye-catching sweetpea is a heritage variety from the 18th century, and it will burst into flower in June and continue until September.
One of my all-time favourites, this perennial foxglove will reveal the prettiest bell-like apricot-pink flowers between May and July.
The delicate blues of Lobelia will cascade in a stunning fountain of flowers over balcony railings and hanging baskets.
A minimalist modern balcony
For a sleek city apartment balcony, clean lines and neutral palettes will create a chic outdoor space. Shades of green against pale stone planters work really nicely here, as do ornamental grasses that provide frothy texture in a muted colour palette.
Teak wood furniture is a hardwood option that requires minimal maintenance and will bring some warmth, or you could choose cooler iron and steel for a more minimalist look.
In square metal planters, ornamental grasses add softness and movement. Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Little Bunny’ is drought-tolerant and will flower between July and September.
Known as the snake plant, Sansevieria is low-maintenance and vigorous. Keep it warm and ensure it is positioned in indirect sunlight.
Fargesia rufa is a hardy bamboo that will only grow up to 3m, and so it’s good for balcony corners. It’s non-invasive and so won’t spread, and can be kept compact in pots.
A tropical oasis balcony
Using verdant ferns, glorious palms and monstera plants, you can create a tropical balcony garden that will envelop you in the most incredible greenery.
I’d pair this planting with bamboo or rattan furniture, and use small fairylights to make it the most welcoming and secluded escape that can be enjoyed from dusk till dawn.
With fantastically bold and full foliage, you can include a Boston fern in a hanging basket or planter arrangement to bring some texture to your tropical balcony design.
A busy, evergreen dwarf palm that will give a beautiful shape to a balcony garden.
With lovely lance-shaped leaves, Cordyline australis is brilliant for pots, and when mature will produce stunningly fragrant flower spikes.
If your balcony is really tight on space, and you’re struggling to fit a planter into the square footage, you could consider a balcony planter that is secured to railings. The Greenville balcony planter from Crocus features a built-in reservoir that preserves excess water for the plants to absorb later, whilst the GEEZY balcony rail planter from Amazon has dual compartments so you can plant different varieties.
More from Flowers
d010.jpg?imwidth=320&impolicy=utilities-thumbnail)
More from The English Garden
6138.jpg?imwidth=320)
