Maybe your summer goal is to be surrounded by plants all season long, but your outdoor space is limited to an apartment balcony or a small patio. Here we share our favorite tips for transforming a small space into a lush garden – with interesting and space-efficient layers.
Start with Tall + Narrow Statement Plants
Efficient use of floor-space is key, and a back corner can become wasted real estate pretty easily. Fill that tight corner with a big plant impact by adding a tall – but narrow – tropical houseplant. A few of our favorites include sansevieria, bamboo palm, and Dracaena fragrans – also known as the corn plant. These well-contained plants make a bold statement without taking up a lot of space. For colorful blooms – in a full-sun space – try one of our blooming patio plants trained as a small tree. Several of our flowering hibiscus, bougainvillea, and lantana are grown to have a tall, straight trunk – giving them lots of added height. You can also train the wandering tendrils of a blooming mandevilla or the wayward branches of plumbago to grow on a tall, narrow trellis.
Add Plant Stands for More Layers
Plant stands are another way to utilize your vertical space for even more potted plants on a small balcony or patio. Plant stands come in a variety of heights, so your collection of beautiful blooms and foliage can sit at different visual levels. And some plant stands even leave enough room at the base to tuck an additional pot underneath – for two containers in the same footprint. To keep everything tidy and contained, look for plants that provide abundant color and texture in a relatively compact space – like geraniums, impatiens, coleus, foxtail fern, and begonias. And with enough sun, you can even plant compact, patio-sized varieties of tomatoes, peppers, and herbs too.
Make Use of Your Walls and Ceiling
The floor is just one surface for displaying plants, but don’t forget the wall – and the ceiling too. A wall display can be as simple as adding narrow shelving for a collection of small succulents or attaching plant hooks to hang pots of flowers. Silvery-green Staghorn ferns – grown on wooden planks – are a popular choice for wall-mountings.
And you can place hooks in the ceiling to suspend your plants at various heights too. Consider colorful annual hanging baskets, Kimberly queen ferns, or trailing houseplants like pothos, spider plant, or string of fishhooks.
Add the Finishing Touch to Your Table
For the final details, choose a favorite houseplant or living tabletop arrangement to add to your balcony or patio table. You can create a terrarium arrangement with tropical plants or a shallow succulent garden for a fascinating centerpiece. Or, take a look at the collection of living arrangements designed by our floral team using greenhouse favorites like orchids, bromeliads, and ferns. This collection features elegant containers in a variety of sizes and shapes, so you’re sure to find one to fit any sized table on your patio.
Fill Your Patio or Balcony with Plants
By taking advantage of all levels of your vertical space – from floor to ceiling – even a small patio or balcony can be come a relaxing, plant-filled oasis. From colorful flowers to intriguing foliage, our store is filled with possibilities. And if you need suggestions, just ask. We’re always here to help.
