August 2014
While Toronto may be a green city in many respects, balconies are often neglected.
Condo balconies are rarely accessorized with more than a small table and a couple of chairs. Balconies may be used by smokers. They can serve as storage for bicycles or other items. During winter months balconies can be used to keep food cold or frozen.
During the summer when balconies are most popular, more than 90% of balconies appear to be nothing more than empty concrete slabs.
In other parts of the world, Italy being one example, balconies are used in imaginative ways as a garden or urban landscape. In Bern, Switzerland, many balconies have window boxes with red geraniums.
An underutilized or unused balcony makes an ideal garden.
Nearly anything that can be grown in a traditional garden can be incorporated into a balcony garden. Lettuce, strawberries, herbs and tomatoes work well because they don’t require much space. The same applies to cucumbers, beans and vine plants.
Hanging baskets are another way to make a balcony garden visually appealing.
As with any garden, it may take a few years of experimentation to identify what grows best given the combination of temperature, light, sun and moisture that your garden is exposed to.
For more information on balcony gardens select any of the following links;
