Micile plăceri: My urban garden

There are many people who want flowers, plants, greenery in their apartments, but they give up quite easily on the idea, because they don’t have space, lack a good exposure (not enough light, too much sun, etc.) or the care is difficult.

I will show you that we can all have what we want, with a little effort, a minimum of interest and a little patience.

!!! Some photos have the backgroung photoshoped for security reasons, but the actual plants have not been retouched!

The space I have is an outdoors tiny balcony of about 4,3 feet by 1,6 feet (the iron railing comes at about 1 foot from the door, followed by a step and then a 0.6 feet ledge). The orientation is north-west, so there is intense sunlight from 1:00 PM until the sun sets.

First, think about where you could place the pots and how to attach them.

For starters, I got two window box props and secured them directly on the railing: one large and one small, and they also have clamps on the sides, that secure the window boxes even more (there are many models on the market).

Then, with the help of a taller person :)) we drilled little holes in the ceiling above the balcony, attached dowels and hooks and, initially, a thick rope hanging from the hook. Later, my helper made those metal hooks you can see in the pictures.

And for the small floor, I added normal pots that fit within the available space.

Now comes the hard part: What plants to choose?

The answer varies depending on the position of the balcony (light, sunshine, precipitation), the degree of care required and whether you want seasonal plants, annual or perennial. For a beautiful and robust mini-garden, I recommend you do your research before making any purchases so that everything will suit your desires and your lifestyle.

For example, I have geraniums in the window boxes, begonias in the hanging pots, my big cactus (we're old friends) and the rest of succulents on the steps of my tiny balcony. Although the succulents are delighted by the fierce sunlight and the heat emanated from the concrete jungle that surrounds us, other plants need a little extra attention: they NEED to be watered every night (if it didn’t rain that day) with enough water (during the hot months I expect that I’ll need to water them in the mornings also, we'll see). I water my big cactus once a week and the small cacti and other succulents (the Sempervivum) about 2 times a week. Of course, take into account the weather conditions of that day.

Otherwise, they aren’t demanding plants. Maybe, once a month, you can add some fertilizer in the water, especially for the plants that are watered daily, because nutrients in the soil can be lost very quickly.

Sometimes I give them some extra TLC: I cut the dried stems and leaves on the geraniums, I remove the dried flowers that cling to the stems of the begonias, I remove dust and fallen petals from the steps of the balcony or from the plants below. But all these actions are meant to relax me, working on my little urban garden helps me de-stress.

I forgot to mention that the begonias were purchased as you see them, and the rest were planted or transplanted (for the geraniums I used universal flower soil and for the succulents I used cacti specific soil). Again, it's important to do your research and know the right soil you must use and the specific care methods for each plant.

For plant and nature lovers, the satisfaction is very big, especially if you care for your plants from seedlings (you can also use seeds and then transplant the seedlings when the time is right).

My geraniums from the edges of the window boxes are from last year. They were frost bitten before I managed to move them inside the house, then they grew long stems and in spring, after I took them out, they were broken off by the wind. After a while, they began to recover and then hail struck them... But now they are gorgeous, full of buds and it’s only because I never stopped caring for them. So you can do it too!

I wish you a prosperous life and remember, just like my battered geraniums, you will also overcome your difficulties and become stronger and more beautiful!