Balcony garden ideas to make the most of your space

Whether you're just after inspiration, or you're looking for ways to transform your balcony into a tranquil outdoor garden, here are the best balcony garden ideas to bring life right to your space. After all, being outdoors, surrounded by nature, enhances our mental well-being and transports us to tranquillity. All the more reason to get into balcony gardening.

With over 220 nature reserves dotted around England, we Brits are not short of wild and unique flora, miles of green spaces and nature's most beloved birds and animals practically on our doorstep, wherever we might find ourselves ambling within the country. We can't blame you for trying to bring some of this back home. Aside from flora and fauna, consider the design of your balcony garden. Where are you going to put your balcony plants?

Balcony garden ideas at a glance:

• Best for individual potted plants: 6 Tier Wooden Plant Stand - view on Amazon UK
• For a rustic, cottagecore look: Malesmbury Planter - view at Garden Trading
• Hang over your balcony: Balcony Hanging Planter in Sage - view on Amazon UK
• Durable deckchair: Fiam Dondolina Steel Frame Deckchair - view at John Lewis

Further, it's exceptionally nice to have your own outside space at home, so we turn to our gardens - whether out back or by our front door or porch. After all, gardening provides the same dopamine hit we get from experiencing nature. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a garden, though that doesn't mean you can't reap the benefits of gardening and bring nature right to your available space too, which can be some indoor plants or a balcony.

Balcony gardens are currently very on-trend, with plenty of inspiration online and on social media, from minimal Scandinavian-themed aesthetics to tropical paradises that transport you elsewhere. They provide a brilliant opportunity to decorate some plant pots. We've written a guide on how to create a balcony garden of your own.

Best Balcony Garden Ideas 2023

On with our suggestions, from outdoor dining sets to planters...

Balcony Garden Wooden Planters

How about switching it up and continuing to add to that layer of depth by introducing some more shapely planters- enabling you to add a burst of character to your outdoor balcony space. We've found some unsual additions to home your favourite outdoor plants...

Balcony Plant Pots

No outdoor garden space is ever complete without a seating area to allow yourself to perch, admire and be mindful in the presence of such stunning greenery and flora. Below, is some outdoor seating, perfect for any budget.

Space-Saving Seating

FAQs: Balcony garden ideas

Tips on how to create the ultimate balcony garden

Emma Tipping, a designer at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, has collaborated with home design brand, Ruggable. to share expert tips on how to utilise limited space to create the perfect balcony garden. Here, she offers advice on how to utilise limited space and make use of existing balcony features. On with the balcony garden ideas...

Make use of your existing balcony features

"Railings and external walls are great features to utilise when looking to save space," says Emma. Use plant hangers or create a wall garden or vertical vegetable patch "by attaching long planters to external walls" to avoid taking up any floor space. By making sure you use space-saving and vertical gardening techniques, you can create a "calming environment that is great for wellbeing and wildlife".

Recycle and repurpose what you already have

In an effort to be green, Emma suggests upcycling items you have to hand: "You’ll be surprised at what items can be used to create your balcony garden". For example, she suggests utilising treated pallets by either securing them to the wall or used as a seating area by "stacking them to create a raised bench." Not only that, but Emma loves the idea of using old tin cans and colanders as plant pots and hanging baskets, respectively. Perfectly primed for produce.

Bring your interiors outdoors

“The key to making your outdoor space comfortable and homely is to bring a touch of the indoors outside," says Emma. By adding outdoor comfy cushions, you can curate the ideal spot for seated relaxation "under the trailing leaves of your plant." Plus, by throwing a weatherproof rug down on the ground, you're making your balcony feel like a home away from home: "It creates a serene seating place, giving you the true outdoor feel of being amongst nature.”

Choose plants with a purpose

Emma suggests opting for plants that are "functional" for your balcony. After all, you want to make the most of your space. So, seek plants that "add fragrance and colour" as a functional element will maximise your balcony's influence on your life - from the way you wind down to the way you eat. It's an easy way to create a herb garden at home. Ideal for floral arrangements and glorious fragrance, Emma recommends planting hydrangeas for your balcony garden.

Piper Huxley is a Homes, Garden and Wellness Product Writer for Yours, an all-rounder who will write on anything from décor to wellness. When not scouring the net for the best home bargains, Piper is listening to a musical soundtrack and tending to her houseplants.