What flowers can be planted on the balcony. Petunia is an ampelous annual with abundant flowering

Where to start transforming a loggia or balcony into paradise with beautiful flowering plants? For successful cultivation For any flower crop, it is important to organize conditions that are suitable for it.

It is not necessary to determine the orientation of the future oasis according to the cardinal points. An idea of ​​whether solar or shadow side there is a balcony. This is the main criterion for choosing flora for it.

Sunny side

Most balcony crops are grown on the sunny side. Mainly annuals , the first place among which deservedly belongs.

ON THE PICTURE: Hybrid Petunia - great choice for a sunny balcony.

Thanks to the huge variety of shapes and colors, long-lasting abundant flowering and unpretentiousness, this flower has become super popular among gardeners. It is not difficult to care for, and even a beginner can grow Petunia.

Modern hybrid Petunias are:

• bush and hanging;
• small-flowered and large-flowered;
• simple and terry;
• with fringed edges.

The flowers of various types of Petunias are single-colored, with light or dark centers, with radial contrasting stripes and edges painted in a different color. Erect forms are grown in flower boxes various sizes, hanging - in hanging flower pots.

ON THE PICTURE: Ampelous Petunia in a hanging pot.

Most decorative forms are resistant to adverse weather conditions: flowers do not deteriorate from rain. Flowering continues from early summer until frost.

By combining various varieties of Petunias, it is possible to create a unique balcony flower garden from this one genus.

ON THE PICTURE: Balcony decorated with various types of Petunias.

You can purchase ready-made Petunia seedlings at flower shops or grow them yourself by sowing the seeds at the end of winter.

Unpretentious plants recommended for balcony cultivation include and. There are many varieties with different shapes and colors of inflorescences: red, orange, white, yellow.

ON THE PICTURE: From Marigolds different varieties you can arrange a wonderful flower garden.

Marigolds are undemanding to soil and drought-resistant. If you accidentally forget to water the flowers on the loggia, tragedy will not happen. But it is better not to skip watering, especially on hot days: the lower leaves will begin to turn yellow and dry, and the plants will lose their decorative appearance.

Marigolds grow quickly and bloom early, within one and a half to two months after sowing the seeds. For abundant flowering, it is necessary to remove faded buds. Otherwise, the ripening seeds will “pull” towards themselves vitality plants.

ON THE PICTURE: Wilted Marigold flowers must be removed in a timely manner.

It is better to choose for a balcony low-growing species flowering plants. For the sunny side, low varieties, annuals, etc. are good. On a brightly lit loggia the following are appropriate:

• (Alyssum);
• (Antirrinum);
• (Clarkia);
• (Sage);

You can combine business with pleasure: plant several types of herbs, for example. They comfortably coexist in one container. Read more about growing homemade spices in the article:.

ON THE PICTURE: Spices in one container.

Stretch the support cords and plant, decorative beans or. This is how the miraculous is created shady place for relaxing with a cup of tea or a book.

ON THE PICTURE: Morning glory thickets provide pleasant shade on a sunny balcony.

Useful for balcony plantings biennials : () And . On the balconies and loggias of true admirers of floristry one can also find (Geranium).

ON THE PICTURE:Pelargonium has a wide variety of shapes and colors.

For many years, Pelargonium was completely forgotten. Until recently, it grew mainly on rural window sills and in some provincial offices. But in last years breeders have bred many decorative varieties, thanks to which Geranium received a second life. Bush and ampelous varieties of this plant turn loggias and balconies into real flowering gardens.

Pelargonium can be grown from seeds, but it is better to cut out mature bushes in late winter - early spring. Each cutting should have three internodes. Lower leaves are removed from the shoots, after which the cuttings are dried for several hours.

The shoots prepared in this way are planted in small cups or pots with drainage holes. Light, permeable soil is needed. Planting is done deep into one internode: the formation of roots will begin in this place.

ON THE PICTURE: Rooting Pelargonium cuttings in peat humus tablets.

As they grow, young plants are pinched for better branching. By the time the grown Pelargonium bushes are moved to the balcony, they are transferred to permanent containers filled with loose nutritious soil.

If there is a sufficient area of ​​the balcony or loggia, potted and even large container plants are placed there for the summer. Citrus fruits, succulents and potted cacti feel great on the sunny side.

Shadow side

If the balcony most day is in the shade, various bulbous plants will take root on it. Of the large trees, it is worth planting ferns on a shaded loggia.

Of the beautiful flowering plants, it is suitable for a shady balcony.

ON THE PICTURE: Tuberous Begonia is an excellent choice for a shady balcony.

This type of Begonia is decorated with asymmetrical jagged foliage, flowers of various shades of white, yellow, orange, red, pink. They can be large single or small, but collected in clusters; simple, semi-double and terry.

Begonia blooms throughout the summer and continues until October. But it is necessary to remove the plant from an uninsulated balcony before the first frost occurs. Begonia loves fertile, slightly acidic, breathable soil, which should be constantly moist.

Another beautiful flowering plant, for which the conditions of a shady balcony are ideal, -.

ON THE PICTURE: Fuchsia tolerates shade well.

It is impossible to take your eyes off Fuchsia with its buds in full bloom. Unusual shape and color of flowers, lush flowering literally mesmerizing. Particularly decorative are ampelous species grown in hanging pots.

To get smart flower cascade, take three to five Fuchsia cuttings, depending on the size of the container. They are planted together, closer to the edge of the container, at a slight angle.
.

ON THE PICTURE: Wind-resistant Alyssum exudes a pleasant aroma.

Winter Garden

On a glazed balcony or loggia you can organize a real winter Garden. This best option for upper floors.

ON THE PICTURE: The choice of plants for a glazed balcony is much wider than for an open one.

If there are additional light sources on a glazed balcony or loggia, the choice of plants for them is almost unlimited. If you insulate the walls and floor, install double-glazed windows, install electricity, hang lamps, you can grow whatever your heart desires there.

ON THE PICTURE: Glazed balcony or a loggia turned into a winter garden is a great place to relax.

1. Make sure that flower boxes and supports are securely fastened climbing species on the balcony railing.
2. For flower containers Trays with drainage holes are needed to drain excess moisture.
3. Choose containers for the sunny side light color, to avoid overheating of the roots. For shadow it is better to use dark ones.
4. When growing plants with different colors on the same loggia or balcony, a harmonious combination of colors and shapes is important.
5. In balcony flower arrangements, different shades of the same color are safely combined.
6. Plants on fresh air watered either in the morning or in the late afternoon. Periodically they should be fed with fertilizers, according to the recommendations for a particular species.
7. The glazed balcony must be ventilated for the comfort of the flora growing on it.

Today, more and more often, balconies are turning from a cluttered warehouse into a beautifully decorated space.

For example, a winter garden, balconies with flowering plants - this design option can increasingly be seen in high-rise buildings.

The flower garden is used to transform balconies.

Let's talk about landscaping balconies? What plants will decorate open balcony? How to decorate a balcony with flowers?

When starting landscaping, the first thing you need to do is clear the balcony space as much as possible, throwing out all the trash, removing canned food and food supplies for the winter, such as potatoes, onions and carrots.

The balcony can be either closed or open. So, in winter, nothing will grow on an unglazed balcony other than heaps of snow. If the balcony is glazed, then the air temperature is about five degrees Celsius, and therefore flowers such as chlorophytum and geranium will grow on such a balcony.

If the air temperature drops below five degrees Celsius, then you should pay attention to frost-resistant plants like a palm tree.

If your balcony is glazed, additionally insulated, and the air temperature does not drop below five degrees Celsius, then you can consider plants such as cyclamens for the balcony.

In the fall, you can buy heathers - shrubs with a lot of flowers that look beautiful even after drying.

If you are thinking about what flowers to plant on a balcony that is insulated and well heated, then it is important to remember that the main thing is to create a favorable climate for the flowers. So, flowers love humidity, excellent lighting, and do not tolerate drafts or temperature changes.

When setting up a real winter garden on your balcony, it is important to think about protecting the plants from direct sunlight.

Some flowers are still grown on a sunny balcony, because there are special species that can easily tolerate open sun with proper care.

For an open sunny balcony it is better to choose:

Petunia, which pleases with the variety of colors and different varieties. It is better to give preference to small-flowered forms, because large leaves react poorly to the heat and the flowers lose their attractiveness.

The stems of petunias are very sticky, therefore, when growing these flowers on the balcony in boxes, you need to separate them from each other without loss after the wind. There is such a variety of petunias as “typhoon”, which is characterized by riotous flowering.

Geranium can be zonal, ivy-leaved. The second type will suffer on a windy balcony, but at the same time, both types tolerate the heat well.

Purslane is an ideal flower to bloom on a balcony where there is plenty of sun. The plant is ground-blooded, but looks great in a pot. How else can you decorate a balcony?

It is difficult to imagine a more “tenacious” plant. Purslane blooms from about mid-July until the end of September.

Purslane loves direct rays of the sun, so much so that sunny weather opens flowers, and after sunset the flower closes.

Phlox Drummond is a light-loving plant that tolerates drought well. When growing flowers on the balcony, it is important to monitor the looseness of the soil so that the roots do not rot.

Morning glory is a plant that pleases with new flowers every day. A flower blooms during the day, closes in the evening, but in the morning a completely different blossoming flower will delight the eye.

These flowers on the balcony grow with support, because in order to grow upward, you cannot do without it. Such flowers are used as a green screen, which protects the room from the sun.

The flower grows quickly, but in the fall the stems die, and therefore it remains to be new season grow a new green screen.

If you are thinking about what flowers to plant on the balcony to bloom, you should choose begonia and pretty daisies. To ensure flowers bloom until the end of autumn, you can plant asters and petunia.

When choosing colors for your balcony, you should take into account both the illumination of the balcony and the number of floors.

If the balcony is closed, that is, glazed, then it is clear that the floor does not play any role, but if it is open, then you need to remember that the higher the floor, the stronger the drafts on the balcony.

You can see in numerous photos of flowers on the balcony that they are planted on the upper floors low growing plants like daisies, begonias, marigolds.

Photo of flowers on a baklon

In our city apartments, it is the balcony that often becomes the oasis where constant summer reigns - plants turn green and flowers bloom. Let's figure out how to choose the right flowers for a balcony or loggia. What kind of care do they require? How to protect them from diseases and pests?

In the southern regions of Russia, a constant assortment of perennials can be maintained on balconies, and in the middle and northern regions It is better to prefer annuals. However, a glazed and heated balcony will significantly increase your possibilities in choosing plants.

Flowers on a sunny balcony

If the balcony faces the south, sunny side, the vast majority of balcony plants will bloom well and for a long time, with the exception of fuchsia and begonia: excessive sun suppresses them, they wither and sometimes do not bloom at all.

They show a special “greed” for the sun and warmth purslane, kobea, morning glory, dorotheanthus and dimorphotheca.

On cloudy days, the grandiflora purslane will not open its flowers, and in cool summers it blooms sparingly even on a southern balcony.

Daisies, asters, mignonette, dahlias, godetia, gatsania, heliotrope, ageratum, balsam, lobelia, verbena, violas, sweet peas, morning glory, ampelous pelargonium, petunia, nasturtium- an excellent set for a sunny balcony.

They do well in tubs or large pots. agapanthus africa and Indian canna.

Place in one container grandiflora tobacco, graceful zinnia and Drummond phlox, and you will get a lovely mini-flower garden.

In order to please your balcony with flowering as early as possible, you should plant daisies, violas and everblooming begonia.

And so that flowering continues until the end of October, use asters, kobeya, petunia, gazania, lantana, tuberous begonia and sedum.

Flowers on a shaded balcony

They will bloom well in partial shade begonias, lobelias, fuchsias, mignonette, violas.

Will come to terms with the lack of light marigolds, pelargoniums, nasturtium and petunia. Quite comfortable in partial shade calceolaria and ageratum.

If the balcony is heavily shaded, limit yourself tuberous begonia, daisies, violas, and nasturtium can decorate a balcony until frost, if not abundant flowering, then beautiful rounded leaves.

On high floors, where it is windy and there are constant drafts, it is better to use daisies, low-growing marigolds, ageratum, gatsania, sedum and everblooming begonia.

For vertical gardening suitable inside balconies and loggias ampelous varieties of lobelia, petunia, winged thunbergia, fuchsia, pelargonium and tuberous begonia.

Interesting balcony flowers and caring for them

And in conclusion, a few words about plants, sometimes undeservedly unclaimed in balcony floriculture.

Tuberous begonia is the queen of balconies.

The color range ranges from pure white to pink, yellow, salmon, bright red and crimson. Flowers are simple, semi-double and double on one plant.

Varieties with a height of 15 to 30 cm are suitable. Flowering from late May until October frosts. For the winter, the tubers are put into a cool room and stored until March in sand or peat chips at plus 8-12°C.

Kobeya climbing

Kobeya climbing is distinguished by large bell-shaped flowers of an exotic shape on long stalks, first colored green and later bluish-violet. There is a variety with white flowers.

This fast-growing summer plant, thanks to tenacious and strong tendrils on its pinnate leaves, rises up several meters even on plastered walls, although it is more reliable to strengthen it on a thin wire mesh or support on balcony box.

Blooms from June to October. It is afraid of cold weather, so it is planted after finishing spring frosts. Kobeya quickly greens up large areas, although from a distance it looks much more modest than calceolaria or salvia. Propagated by seeds, which are sown in March.

Seedlings are planted at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other.

Verbena

A low-growing plant with small, very beautiful flowers, similar to primrose. The flowers are fragrant, with white eyes inside. When the plant reaches a height of 12 cm, you need to pinch the top.

Coleus

Coleus attracts with its luxurious “mosaic” leaves and is easily propagated by cuttings.

Small-leaved balcony forms form a dense bush 20-40 cm high. The brightness of coleus leaves and its showiness in the near or distant plans outshine the brightly colored balcony flowers. Plants are planted in May at a distance of 20-30 cm. In August, coleus are cut and left to overwinter in bright room. Reproduction by seeds is possible in February.

Calceolaria

Calceolaria blooms profusely and tirelessly yellow flowers, resembling bright balls. Plant height 30 cm.

It is enough to buy one plant to further provide a spectacular contrasting bright yellow tone for red pelargonium, salvia, petunia, blue and purple violas, blue ageratum and blue-violet heliotrope.

Propagates well in mid-summer by cuttings in a cool, bright room. They overwinter, like pelargoniums, in a room or frost-free room, and in mid-May they are planted on the balcony.

Erika

Erica (Erika carnea), sometimes incorrectly called "heather", reaches 15-30 cm in height, has needle-shaped leaves and is recommended for southern regions and insulated balconies and loggias.

Various varieties bloom from January to March with white, pink and red flowers abundantly covering the tops of the shoots. For autumn bloom The species Erika gracilis is recommended, blooming from September to November.

Early-flowering Erica is grown on calcareous soil, and late-flowering Erica is grown on a slightly acidic substrate, preferably in a mixture swamp soil with peat.

Eriks winter in middle lane in the basement, in frost-free loggias and even in open ground under spruce branches and snow; in the southern regions - in open ground.

Gatsania

Gatsania is notable for its radiant, shiny, orange-red (to bronze) flowers with a diameter of 7-8 cm with a dark spot at the base of the petals and a white eye.

Flowering from June to October. Unpretentious, resistant to winds. Height 20-40 cm. Seeds are sown in the room in March, seedlings are planted on the balcony in May. Close-up decoration.

Petunia

An annual plant up to 25 cm high, it has a compact bush shape and very abundant flowering. Thanks to its unique bright colors it can be a decoration for any garden. Perfect for growing in balcony boxes. In March, petunia seeds are sown in cups or pots; they are not covered with soil, but only pressed down, then covered with glass or paper. Germination time is 1-2 weeks at 18-20°C. Dive into loose, not very nutritious soil, keep at 10-14°C. They are hardened off and planted in mid-May at a distance of 25x25 cm in balcony boxes. Blooms until November.

Geranium.

From mid-February to early March, geranium seeds are sown at 20°C. Maintains optimal hydration. It is best to cover cups and boxes with seeds with film or glass. Germination time is 6-8 days. After the first leaves appear, the seedlings dive into pots 8-10 cm high. Planted in pots or boxes with nutritious soil in late May - early June. For a box 1 m long, 5 plants are enough. It has been noticed that plants growing next to geraniums are not damaged by spider mites.

Alyssum

An annual plant 20 cm high. Forms a white cloud of small flowers. Blooms throughout the summer. The aroma is reminiscent of honey. In March, the seeds are sown in a box, lightly sprinkled with soil. At a temperature of 16-20°C they germinate in 8-12 days. Plant 3-5 plants together in a box on the balcony in May at a distance of 10-15 cm. When flowering decreases, the plants are cut to half. They soon grow back and continue to bloom.

Godetia

Annual plant. This beautiful flower attractive for flower beds. Its large silky inflorescences different colors(white, pink, red) are a decoration for any balcony. If you cut off faded inflorescences in time, the plants will bloom again. Sow in March-April in pots and replant in mid-May. The plant prefers sunny or semi-shaded places and loves fertile soil. Requires moisture. Cold-resistant. Blooms early and until frost.

Plant compositions for balconies

When placing flowers in balcony boxes, the main thing is not to get carried away with the variety of colors: no more than two colors that harmonize well. Monochromatic red pelargoniums, fuchsias or salvias, pink petunias, white daisies, yellow or lilac violas are beautiful and laconic.

Two-color combinations of red salvias (petunias, zonal pelargoniums) from the side of the apartment and blue, white, purple petunias paired with yellow marigolds, mignonette, and blue ampelous lobelias from the street side.

Instead of hanging plants in the outer row you can place low-growing red and white fuchsias, pink ever-flowering begonias, blue petunias or ageratums, and on the inner side - respectively red tuberous begonias and yellow calceolaria. These options are suitable for semi-shaded and shady balconies.

To create a bright flower spot that attracts attention from the street, red and white pelargoniums, red salvias, yellow marigolds, calceolarias, and nasturtiums are good.

Up close, ageratum, mignonette, kobea, beans, lobelia, daisies, sedums and balsams are expressive.

Some plants are good only in the same type of planting: purslane, gatsania, godetia, celosia, eric, dimorphotheca, doronicum, nemesia, aster, dahlias, coleus, chrysanthemums and lantana.

Microclimate and seasons on the balcony

On insulated, frost-free balconies or loggias, you can carry out a successful early spring forcing of bulbous plants - crocuses, tulips and daffodils.

In autumn, a number of ornamental plants from the garden will migrate to the balconies and will delight you with flowering all autumn (asters and chrysanthemums).

In summer, the balcony will also be decorated with indoor plants that benefit from being in the fresh air: azalea, cyclamen, bromeliad, hydrangea, ficus, clivia, oleander, hippeastrum, agave, aloe, crassula, pomegranate, monstera, aspidistra, aucuba and cacti.

But indoor plants native to the humid tropics and subtropics do not tolerate conditions well open ground(Saintpaulias, or Uzambara violets, peperomia, anthurium, royal begonia, philodendron, sansevieria and dieffenbachia), only a glassed “dacha” is useful for them and high humidity air.

Soil for balcony plants

For most summer gardens, compost soil rich in humus with the addition of peat chips (10-20%) and liming material (ground egg shells) is suitable. Summer plants such as sweet peas, asters, and chrysanthemums are especially sensitive to a neutral or slightly alkaline soil reaction.

Melissa, catnip, and bluebells prefer slightly alkaline soils (pH up to 7.0-7.5); azaleas, heathers, hydrangeas - acidic soils (pH 4.5-5), they are fertilized with superphosphate or potassium sulfate.

In general, the soil must have moisture permeability, for which they add river sand; be sufficiently moisture-absorbing, which is achieved by adding peat chips, and must be fresh and free from pathogens; in addition, the soil for balcony flowers must be changed annually.

It is important to remember that earthen mixtures for indoor flowers that contain too few nutrients are not suitable for balcony flowers. A three-meter balcony requires about 30 kg of soil mixture.

For summer gardens, you can use peat chips from briquettes, enriched with nutrients: it will provide easier care, retain moisture for a long time, weigh less and is free from pathogens. For perennials grown in tubs and pots, humus lumpy soil with turf and clay additives is preferable.

Unlike annuals, which require replacing old soil with fresh soil every year, perennials are transplanted into new soil after 2-4 years, with the exception of agapanthus: they prefer to remain in lived-in old pots for as long as possible, content with adding fresh soil.

Feeding balcony plants

Taking into account the limited feeding area and the rapid depletion of the soil substrate, balcony flowers need more frequent fertilizing compared to garden ones. Complex products are ideal for these purposes. mineral fertilizers with trace elements (manganese, boron, molybdenum).

Fertilizing is carried out every 7-10 days, alternating with watering, using weak solutions (2-3 g per 1 liter of water). The first feeding is carried out 4-6 weeks after planting and rooting of seedlings. Feeding continues until the end of August.

Minimal fertilizing (once every 2-3 weeks) is given to nasturtiums, gatsania, purslane, sedums, godetia and dorotheanthus: on heavily fertilized soil they form many leaves to the detriment of flowering, or even do not bloom at all, purchased soil for them it is diluted by 30% with river sand.

How to plant balcony flowers

It is important not to thicken the flowers when placing them in boxes: the optimal distance between seedlings of dahlias, chrysanthemums, salvia, gazania, petunia, pelargonium, asters, lantana, tuberous begonia, fuchsia and celosia is 20-30 cm; for verbena, heliotrope, balsam, godetia, Drummond phlox, violas, zinnias, daisies, mignonette, marigolds and ever-flowering begonia - 12-15 cm; for fiery red beans and sweet pea- 10 cm.

It is important to remove flowers immediately after flowering, preventing the formation of ovaries, unless you need to collect seeds. When the flowering of ageratum, lobelia and nemesia weakens, it is important to trim the upper part of the plant, leaving only stems 3-5 cm high: they will soon form young shoots and flower buds.

Diseases and pests of balcony plants and how to deal with them

Provided the right location is chosen and proper care is taken, balcony plants are rarely affected by disease.

Reddish or yellow coloring of leaves at the edges occurs when the soil is severely waterlogged (lack of drainage) or overdrying.

Poor flowering may indicate an excess of nitrogen in the soil, and in combination with suppressed growth and yellowing of leaves - a lack of nutrients.

Plants can be damaged by pests.

Ugly, bent shoot tips and leaves covered with sticky sap indicate an aphid infestation, which occurs during dry, warm summers. Don’t rush to the store for pesticides, but don’t put off fighting pests: they multiply at an unprecedented rate and can quickly eat your entire flower garden. Sprinkle the affected plants with an infusion of garlic, nettle, or, at worst, soap or washing powder.

Sometimes the leaves are eaten by caterpillars - remove them and destroy them. A mini-garden of spice herbs and planting marigolds will help repel pests. Finally, tiny ladybug will complete the job.

In dry, warm summers, sometimes the leaves and stems become covered with a white powdery coating - real powdery mildew. Sprinkle the plants with a strong solution of potassium permanganate (15 g per bucket of water) or fermented infusion of fresh chopped garlic (40 g per bucket).

The most effective means protection are, contrary to popular belief, not strong poisons that destroy pests and pathogens, but simple and generally available preventive measures that stimulate the plant to effectively defend itself.

Do not over-moisten the soil and do not thicken the plantings - your asters, marigolds, and lobelias will not get sick with blackleg and fusarium. Do not use acidified soils - get rid of rot. Every year, change the soil in the boxes with fresh soil - there will be no soil fatigue and pathogens.

Balcony is a part of the apartment, often used as warehouse space for things that you don't want to throw away. This room, located on the street, can be turned into a blooming corner, planted balcony flowers, and have evening tea parties here. Not all plants are suitable for flowering on loggias. To avoid wasting time and money, find out which plants are best planted on sunny balconies and which ones on northern balconies.

Shade-loving plants for northern balconies

Plants for shaded verandas are conventionally divided into two groups:

1. Shade-tolerant - calmly tolerating shading. They would grow well in direct sunlight, but will also tolerate shade. Such plants can be planted on northern balconies - violets, astilbes, aquilegia.
2. Shade-loving - they develop much better in the shade than in the sun. Their natural properties do not allow them to grow in sunny areas. The leaves turn yellow and the plant begins to hurt. These include ferns, hostas, and periwinkle.

On the northern and shaded eastern side, many plants feel great and delight with their beauty and flowering. Representatives of the flora natural conditions growing in the shade of other brethren, they take root well and exist in shaded loggias.

Growing plants on the balcony good opportunity create a green corner in the house

Violets, cyclamens, fuchsias, and spathiphyllum thrive in such conditions. Amaryllis decorate the flowerbed - clivia, hippeastrum. Photos and names of balcony plants can be found in abundance on the Internet.

All kinds of ferns, growing in forests always in the shade, look amazingly harmonious on balconies. Beautiful companions of fern are chlorophytum and adiantum.
Aeschynanthus and anthurium - delight with lush, variegated greenery, but without flowering.

Lobelia, ivies and palms

Most often, lovers plant lobelia on their balconies. She loves the sun, but also takes root well on northern balconies and even blooms profusely. There are also varieties of drooping lobelia, which is used for ampel plantings. It blooms with pink and purple flowers. It produces many branched stems and enjoys long, abundant flowering.
Lobelia is sown for seedlings at the end of February. On permanent place young seedlings are planted in May, keeping a distance of 20 cm between them. Flowering begins in June and continues until deep frost, especially if the plants are located on a glazed, wind-free loggia. This plant is demanding on root nutrition, so it is fed with a solution of mineral fertilizers twice during the growing season.

Lubelia: a plant that has gained popularity due to its beautiful flowers

To create a real garden on a loggia, dwarf palms, for example, the Hamedorea bamboo palm, are perfect. Hibiscus ( Chinese rose) also grows and blooms well in the shade.

Climbing plants such as cissus and hoya look spectacular when serving as a backdrop to flowering plants.

Attention! Variegated ivy in the shade loses the bright color of its leaves. It is best to grow it on the sunny side.

Araucaria, hydrangea and other shade-loving plants

• If you wish, you can arrange a small piece of coniferous forest in your northern one. Araucaria is very similar in appearance to a Christmas tree. You can even dress it up New Year. Araucaria is a solitary plant. It feels good only when kept away from walls and other plants.
• Hydrangea will add royal splendor to the shaded garden. Blooming in large inflorescences of white and shades of pink, it needs staking. The soil under hydrangeas is watered twice a year with a fungicide solution due to the plants’ weak “immunity” to fungal diseases. Balcony hydrangea flowers look very presentable.

Hydrangea blooms with large inflorescences of white and pink

• Variegated Hosta attracts attention, as its name suggests, with its speckled leaves. From June to August, the beauty blooms in the center of the bush with pink, white, cream flowers framed by variegated leaves.
• Periwinkle densely covers the soil with small green leaves and flowers of pink, white, purple, blue colors. Shade-loving ferns and hostas grow beautifully on a periwinkle carpet.

Plants for sunny balconies

The choice of plants for a balcony on the sunny side is much wider than for the northern side. Which flowers to use in this case depends on your preferences, the microclimate on the balcony, average temperature and lighting. If the balcony is glazed, then the choice of plants increases significantly.

Verbena, petunia and geranium, brief information about these popular types:

Advice. Brachycoma and allisum grow well on sunny balconies.

With a little effort and mood, you can create a real green corner on your own balcony in an urban environment, no matter which side it faces the sun.

Video: Balcony flowers

Photo: Flowers on the balcony

Decorating a balcony or loggia in an apartment with flowers is great opportunity create a beautiful green corner for relaxation in the city. You can also put a small one here wooden table with chairs and enjoy evening tea and sunset. Not all garden flowers can grow on the balcony.

In this article you will learn what are the best flowers to grow on the balcony in boxes.

1. Marigolds

The heat-loving yellow heads of marigolds are an integral feature of summer containers, garden flowerpots and balcony boxes. They are easy to grow from seeds or purchase seedlings, they are unpretentious, bloom from early summer until frost. Removing spent flowers prolongs flowering.

In addition, if you are thinking about what flowers to plant on the sunny side, then these are marigolds. They love sunny places. The only thing is that during drought you need to water regularly and not overdry the soil.

The most popular varieties marigolds are rejected hybrids. Varieties can be bushy, in which case you will only need a couple or three plants for the balcony box. So that these yellow flowers looked beautiful on the balcony, choose low types 15 - 30 cm. Double or semi-double inflorescences with a diameter of up to 5 cm are perfect for a balcony box.

2. Calendula, marigolds

A flower that does not require soil. These are flowers for a balcony with sunny side or light partial shade. Completely unpretentious, can be amazed powdery mildew and aphids. Refers to plants that bloom all summer. Flowering time is from June to September. For long-term flowering, you need to remove faded inflorescences.

The original type is calendula officinalis, for balconies and loggias you need to choose low-growing variety Fiesta Gitana - 30 cm, which have different colors. It is very easy to grow at home from seeds. For early flowering, calendula seedlings can be planted in the second half of February.

While creating unusual design It is better to plant calendula on a balcony together with other flowers - pansies, bulbous flowers (daffodils, tulips), hanging petunias, decorative cabbage, ornamental and spicy herbs.

3. Nasturtium

Annual nasturtiums are flowers for a southern balcony. Blooms from July to September. Sow the seeds immediately in a permanent place. These flowers for balconies are unpretentious and almost always grow from seeds. Unique garden plant, flowers of different varieties are completely different from each other:

There are vines for draping walls, that is, you can choose varieties and grow climbing flowers for the balcony;

Ampelous flowers for balconies and window boxes - nasturtium peregrinum, the length of the vines reaches 3 m;

Bush-like dwarf varieties for flower beds

foreign nasturtium

climbing nasturtium

4. Petunia

The most popular flowers to grow on the balcony in boxes are petunias. Thanks to the variety of colors, long flowering, the variety of varieties and species they create unique design on the balcony.

What flowers to plant on the petunia balcony:

Ampel varieties of petunias are planted in large garden flowerpots or hanging planters for balconies, loggias and summer verandas (these varieties should be sown for seedlings earlier than bush varieties - in early to mid-February);

Tilling multi-flowered species.

Beware of purchasing flower seeds with one stem; they are completely unsuitable for balconies and loggias. In this case, 1 stem will grow from the pot with several flowers at the top

Scheme for planting petunias in a balcony box 15 by 15 cm. Single-row and double-row planting of petunias in a box on the balcony is possible.

How to create flowers on the balcony design:

For single-row planting, plant 3 pink and 2 purple petunias, alternating them by color;

When planting in two rows in a box, place upright flowers in the background and hanging varieties in the foreground.

5. Pelargonium

Most often, pelargonium is called geranium, which is grown in pots, like indoor plant. Pelargonium is one of the unpretentious plants easy to care for, grows quickly, blooms well and profusely. By the way, when proper care pelargonium may bloom all year round. It has a pleasant spicy aroma, which is emitted not by flowers, but by leaves. A wonderful plant for a balcony in warm periods.

In addition, with pelargonium you can create wonderful flower arrangements, complementing them with other colors. Here is one of the schemes for planting flowers on the balcony:

pelargonium white and red;

immortelle.

6. Nemesia

Nemesia flowers come in one, two and three colors. Blooms early; in hot summers flowering may not last long. A second wave of flowering is possible, closer to autumn. To do this, you need to trim the stems after the first wave of flowering. If you want to achieve autumn flowering, then plant nemesia seeds for seedlings in early June, then your balcony will look great in November.

Nemesia seeds are small, so you need to sow them on top, without covering them with soil. Then spray well with water and cover with glass. As the glass fogs up, you need to open it slightly, and remove it after green shoots appear.

When transplanting into flowerpots and pots, maintain a distance of 20 cm between flowers. When planting flower seedlings, pinch the stems.

Decorating a balcony with nemesia flowers turns out to be very delicate, due to the fact that the flowers are small, low, about 20 cm and bushy.

7. Low-growing varieties snapdragon

Usually snapdragons are grown in the garden, but if you take the shortest variety, Rainbow, you can grow the flowers of the most different colors and shades. On the plus side, it is worth noting the smell of snapdragon, it exudes such a fragrance! And for this you only need 5 - 6 bushes.

In autumn, when frost sets in, this plant freezes, the flowers do not change color and it looks great. The flowers last as if they were alive all winter. Therefore, if you are choosing which flowers to plant on the balcony, be sure to add dwarf varieties of snapdragons to your list. They bloom in the second half of summer, from July to October.

8. Begonia everblooming and tuberous begonia.

Both types of begonias can be grown in containers and are flowers for north-facing balconies; they grow well in partial shade. They have rounded, fleshy leaves with colors ranging from pale green to chocolate brown. Blooms from June to September. It is considered a perennial, but most often this plant is grown as an annual. Grows well in humus-rich soil and in partial shade. Therefore, when planting, you need to add compost.

9. Fuchsia ampelous

There are 3 main groups of fuchsias. What flowers are best to plant on the balcony? These are tender, heat-loving ampelous fuchsias with weak, cascading stems in hanging baskets. The name of the ampelous fuchsia variety is Swingtime. The stems grow up to 50 cm with red and white flowers.

Fuchsias are excellent blooming flowers for a north balcony. They only need a small amount of light to bloom and grow. Be sure to water regularly and abundantly. Make sure that the earthen ball does not dry out. After a drought, fuchsia will die and will not recover.

10. Pansies or Vitrok's violet

There are many hybrids of Vitroka violets with a height of 15 - 25 cm. These flowers on the loggia are of two types:

Winter-flowering (November - May) varieties that are grown as biennials are dominated by the Universal series;

Summer flowering (June - October), grown as annuals.

Viola can be grown on the balcony, but it must be planted in a place with proper lighting. The sunny side with shading during the midday hours is optimal. On the southern balcony it will quickly lose its decorative effect. Already in July it will fade and look dried out and unattractive.

Tags: ,