Gardens

Balcony ideas for stylish outdoor spaces

If you're lucky enough to have a balcony, it's worth making it work hard as an extra room in the house. Whether you plant a garden or simply decorate it with garden furniture, here are favourite balcony ideas, accompanied by tips from cook, florist and gardener Charlie McCormick, who shares a London flat with architect Ben Pentreath

Charlie on his balcony

Assess your space

"You can rarely choose which direction your garden, balcony or terrace is going to face so adapt your planting to suit its situation and exposure to sun and shade. Hostas are good in the shade and they are particularly easy to grow (just beware of slugs - consider banding your pots with a copper ring to ward off devastation). A surprising number of perennials enjoy a spot away from direct sunlight. Foxgloves, agapanthus, lavender and star jasmine are good in sunny locations.

Charlie and Ben on their London rooftop

Our London balcony garden is split into two levels. The lower level is for sitting so we have a small table and chairs in the middle surrounded by clematis and jasmine and lots of pots. The climbers offer privacy. The upper level is reached by steep metal staircase and this is where we have large planters filled with vegetables and flowers for cutting."

A bistro set and a potted plant or two can brighten up a small space, like the balcony of interior designer Virginia Howard's elegant Pimlico apartment

David Oliver

Plot your pots

"Accessibility can affect small spaces so it's good to have a think about what size planters to use on a balcony or small deck and also consider how the garden is going to be watered before installing them. Pots dry out quickly so will need regular watering in the warmer months. It's worth putting a simple automated watering system if you know you will occasionally be away or don't fancy endless trips with a watering can."

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Wrought-iron chairs and a table provide a place to take in the view on this terrace at the London house of Henrietta Courtauld of the Land Gardeners

Elsa Young

Mix it up

“At the moment I'm growing a mixture of perennials, bulbs, trees, succulents, box, climbers and vegetables. I like the variety. Generally I plant bulbs in the winter, annuals and vegetables in the spring (I bring on my seedlings inside so they are ready to plant out once the bulbs go over). I will then harvest veg through summer and autumn and start with the bulbs again in winter. The advantages of a small outdoor space is that they are quite easy to maintain, giving you plenty of time to potter and enjoy the space.”

The small balcony of this Seattle bungalow by Studio Laloc is transformed into a social space thanks to a sofa from Anthropologie, a coffee table from Chairish.com, and chairs from Summerhouse. The designer had weatherproof covers made for the upholstered items for the winter months.

Lauren L. Caron

Hunt out the best tools of the trade

"I like to look in junk shops and vintage fairs for interesting planters and old terracotta pots. A good pair of secateurs are a must - Japanese brand Niwaki are the best. Sometimes the best tools are not necessarily purpose-made - a hoof pick from an equestrian shop is a good alternative to a hoe to get weeds out of hard places and unwanted ivy off walls. Our trellis panels and large black planters are from Garden Trellis Direct - they have a great range of sizes and colour options."

Have courage

"Try things. Trial and error is all part of the process. Foxgloves are very easy to grow and their spires look majestic towering from pots instead of a traditional border. Let things go to seed and spread - see what happens!"