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Your deck or balcony can easily become a stunning garden. One does not need a backyard to have a garden. An enjoyable and functional space, regardless of the size, can easily be created. The planning process is the same for every garden, from large to balcony size. Planning a balcony garden can take just as much creativity and imagination as would planning out an average-sized city lot.
There are a number of questions that one will have to answer. Start out by answering the following questions: Do you get morning sun, full sun, evening sun, or full shade? How will the space be used? Will it be used as a sitting area, for cooking, eating, or all three? What styles or themes do you prefer? What colour theme do you have in mind? Is there water and power accessible without having to run a hose or power cord through a door or window? Are the views from your balcony desirable or undesirable? You will want to preserve the good views and screen the bad ones.
Make a list of favourite plants that you would like to use. Your selection will be limited to annuals, grasses, vines and perennials. Some exotic shrubs could be used, but must be treated as annuals. Perennials should be treated as annuals, too.
Be creative and incorporate vegetables such as lettuce, Swiss chard, corn or parsley into containers for interest. For balconies, use lightweight pots and a lightweight potting soil. Take the measurements of your small space. Using a sheet of grid paper, draw it out to scale and make a floor plan.
Start out by planning the location of your furniture. Locate where the chairs, tables and barbecue will go first. Draw them out to scale on to the floor plan. You will very quickly determine what new furniture, if any, is required.
Now draw the containers for plants on the plan. Group them in clusters of two or three. Select a focal point where it is visible from indoors. Always give consideration to what you see through the window from inside your condo. This will be your main focal point and where you will want to concentrate the primary cluster of planted containers. The size of your balcony will dictate the size of pots that one can use. If there is an undesirable view, use a cluster of pots to screen the bad view.
Garden decor is the icing on the cake. Select outdoor accents such as wall hangings, statuary and small obelisks or trellises for pots to go with your theme. Small tabletop water fountains work well to buffer the sound of the busy urban streets.