Make the Most of Your Balcony This Spring

As the weather starts to warm up, now is the time to start thinking about getting your balcony ready for the spring and summer. Even the smallest of spaces can be brought to life by some simple planning and a few well-placed flowers. Your balcony is a great place to create your own oasis, whether you?re out in the country or in the middle of the city.

Preparing the Space

Your balcony probably hasn?t had a great deal of attention over the winter and parts of it might be starting to look a little worn. Before you begin planting this year?s flowers, it?s a good idea to ensure that the whole space is clean and tidy. You should also deal with any repairs. Look out for patches of moss and weeds, especially between the joins in decked floors. If your furniture has been left out over the winter, then you should clean it and then treat wooden furniture to help protect it from the elements. If you have iron balcony railings, give these a clean and you can repaint them if necessary.

Before You Start

You shouldn?t just start buying and planting flowers without some thought about the final look you want to achieve. Think about the size of your balcony, the amount of space you want to dedicate, the free time you have available, the colours and styles you want to use and the furniture you already have. This will help you to decide what type of balcony garden you want and the kinds of plants and flowers you should choose.

Small Spaces

It doesn?t matter how compact your balcony space is, as you can still use it to your advantage. Choose a few pots and stick to one colour theme. This way the balcony won?t appear as if it?s being overtaken by plants and the colours won?t be too overwhelming. If the floor space is really limited, then you can use hanging baskets to bring some colour to the area. There?s also the option of having pots and containers attached to the iron balcony railings. These will mean that you?re not taking up valuable space and give you the room to walk around.

Choosing Colours

With balconies and enclosed or small spaces, choosing the right colours is more important than with a larger area. You don?t want to go for colours that clash with one another, so opt for ones that contrast with each other and the rest of the decor, such as walls and furnishings.

Enjoy the Balcony

For some people gardening is fun and part of the experience, but for others it?s just a means to enjoy the balcony. Therefore you need to go for plants and flowers that don?t take too much looking after. Cactus plants are probably among the easiest to care for and are a great choice for a minimalist balcony.

Once you?ve got your balcony garden sorted out, you?ll be ready to enjoy the space when the summer arrives.