Flowering shrubs on the balcony

Adopt flowering shrubs on your balcony, some of which are perfectly at home there and will delight you with their blooms.

Garden hibiscus (Hibiscus syriacus)

Driven on stems, the hibiscus syriacus with its natural clumpy habit becomes a very original miniature tree perfectly adapted to life on a terrace or a balcony. You can buy it already formed or clear a trunk yourself by repeated pruning (it can withstand severe pruning without flinching!). The large single or double satin flowers are renewed all summer long.

Keys to success: in the sun, rose-type substrate lightened with a little coarse sand. Regular watering in summer, fertilizer every 5-6 times. Short pruning at the end of winter. Re-pot every year if possible. Very hardy.

Indian lilac (Lagerstroemia indica)

Driven on stems, the Indian lilac becomes a superb small tree. A breathtaking summer bloom with shimmering colors. A deciduous foliage taking beautiful colors in autumn (ochre, copper and purple....). A very decorative cinnamon-colored bark which peels off nicely in adult subjects... The Indian lilac is one of the rising stars of the garden. Many varieties are much more resistant to the cold than you might think!

Keys to success: deep pot (vigorous roots), well-drained substrate, sun, warmth but high humidity, pruning at the end of winter, copious and frequent watering in summer, repotting every 2-3 years. Moderate hardiness (winter protection).

The panicled hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata)

This unusual panicled hydrangea offers an impressive summer bloom with its huge panicles of creamy white flowers that fade to very decorative "old rose" colors. Mostly bushy, this hydrangea can also form a real small tree when pruned on a single stem.

Keys to success: well-drained, fertile and fresh substrate. Pruning possible at the end of winter (flowers on the wood of the year). Monthly fertilization from May to August. Re-potting every 3 years.

Other possible choices: flowering apple trees (Malus) and ornamental prunus (Prunus). 

Staging idea

Host a charming duo of an Indian lilac and a Hibiscus syriacus, both trained on stems. Choose the double versions of the latter, its crumpled and silky flowers are a perfect match for those of the Lagerstroemia. Dare to be colorful by offering them glazed pots with sparkling colors. The sun allows for all kinds of daring!

Aerate the whole in a "bouquet spirit" with light flowers and foliage (mugwort, 'Diamond Frost' euphorbia, gaura, grasses.). A star jasmine will bring a touch of green and perfume essential to the beautiful season.

Trees for my south-facing balcony

It looks like the South...

Oleander (Nerium oleander)

The oleander blooms throughout the summer season in a wide range of colors from pure white to dark red, through a whole range of pinks, yellows and oranges. The flowers are single, semi-double or double depending on the variety chosen. There are cultivars with small development, appreciable in cold climate during the wintering out of frost.

Keys to success: fertile substrate (rose soil or half soil and garden soil), annual resurfacing and repotting every 3 years. Pruning at the end of winter. Regular, copious watering (2 to 3 times a week). Bring in before the first frost.

The olive tree (Olea europea)

The good behavior of the olive tree in a pot justifies the craze of city dwellers for this beautiful Mediterranean tree. In the trade, it can be found trained on a more or less high stem (quarter, half). Choose varieties that are resistant to cold and disease, such as 'Anglandau'. The latter is self-fertile: you can even have olives if the winter is mild!

Keys to success: pot almost as wide as the tree's branch, well-drained substrate (Mediterranean type plants). Water weekly in summer. In winter, avoid waterlogging the soil, especially if it freezes. In cold climates, overwinter out of the freezer (in a lighted, unheated room, not in the house!). Re-pot every 3-4 years.

The hemp palm (Trachycarpus fortunei)

This Chinese palm does well in a container. It keeps modest proportions compatible with balcony life while maintaining a majestic silhouette. Its large, pleated, evergreen fans are topped by a thin, cylindrical trunk.

Keys to success: container twice the size of the root ball, fertile and well-drained substrate. Spare it from cold drafts, mulch generously in autumn and wrap the pot with a winter veil if it freezes for a long time. Re-pot every 3-4 years.

Eucalyptus gunnii

The young foliage of Eucalyptus gunnii is evergreen and particularly decorative, making it a perfect backdrop for all the flowers on the balcony. The round leaves are a beautiful bluish-green with silver reflections and become longer as they age.

Keys to success: a large pot (50 cm minimum), a substrate such as rose soil + 1/3 coarse sand, copious watering in summer to keep the root ball fresh. Protect from cold drafts and winter frosts (winter cover). Re-pot every 3-4 years.

Staging ideas

Around an olive tree that is already well formed in a beautiful terra cotta pot, create a decor with southern accents by welcoming other warm weather enthusiasts. Agave, cordyline or purple phormium can bring a graphic and exotic note. The generous and sparkling bloom of an oleander or a lantana will bring color to the scene all summer long. You may also prefer a softer Provencal version with two or three pots of lavender and a Mauritania bindweed.

Beautiful pelargoniums all summer long

We often admire beautiful pots of flowering pelargoniums on balconies and terraces but it is sometimes difficult to reproduce the same result at home. Follow our tips and you will get a result beyond your expectations!

The right exposure

Pelargoniums like warmth and a very sunny exposure. Place your pots in full sun to obtain a maximum bloom. In the south, Pelargoniums can tolerate a few hours of shade during the hottest hours of the day.

Don't forget that these plants are not hardy, at the beginning of the season protect them from night frost with a winter veil and in case of a big cold snap, bring them in under cover.

The container

The container should be large enough to accommodate the plant. It should have a hole in the bottom so that the water drains well and does not stagnate at the roots, which Pelargoniums fear. For the same reason, avoid containers with water reserves that retain too much moisture. Then you will just have to choose the material: terracotta, resin or wood, it doesn't matter!

The substrate

Pelargoniums are greedy. The substrate must be fertile. Mix a good commercial potting soil and compost. Add a few handfuls of crushed horn. Don't forget to provide a drainage bed at the bottom of the pot. It can be made of clay balls, gravel or even pottery shards.

Very regular watering

Leaves that turn brown or wilt are a sign of lack of water. To avoid this phenomenon, water your pelargoniums very regularly so that the soil never dries out completely between two waterings. Never leave water in the cups.

From May to September, add a special geranium fertilizer every 10 days after a copious watering in order to avoid burning the roots.

A necessary maintenance

To keep your pots looking good, remove yellowed or dried leaves. Cut off diseased branches and burn them. Don't forget to prune the faded flowers to avoid the exhaustion of the plant and encourage the birth of new flower buds.

To keep your plant compact and induce its branching, you can pinch the ends of the stems from time to time, but you will have to wait a little to see it bloom.

Growing a rose in a pot

If you are not fortunate enough to have a garden, there is nothing to stop you from growing a potted rose on your terrace or balcony. With proper care and by respecting simple parameters, you will soon be able to fully enjoy the beauty of these exceptional flowers and their legendary fragrance.

Choosing the right rosebush

Everything will depend on the space you can give to your plant and therefore on the size of the pot. The majority of modern roses accept this method of cultivation, simply avoid planting a climbing rose with a large growth.

For small spaces, the choice will be miniature roses or ground cover roses which have a lesser development.

The cultivation of a bush rose is quite feasible if you install it in a deep enough pot.

How to plant a rose in a pot?

• Choose a beautiful subject in a container, so you can plant it all year round. For bare root or root ball roses, you will have to wait until November.
• Choose a pot at least 40 cm deep, preferably in clay to ensure better oxygenation of the roots.
• Spread a 5 cm layer of clay balls at the bottom of the pot after covering the drain hole with a pebble or a shard.
• Fill 1/3 of the pot with good commercial potting soil containing a slow release fertilizer.
• Place the rosebush in the pot after soaking its roots in a bucket of water at room temperature.
• Bare-root plants should be pruned and pruned before planting.
• Calculate the planting height so that the grafting point of the rose is flush with the surface of the pot.
• Complete with potting soil.
• Never bury the grafting point.
• Pack, water, and adjust the height of the potting soil.
• Spread a mulch of pine bark on the surface of the soil.
• Place your rosebush in a very sunny place.

Maintenance tips

A rosebush in a pot dries out much more quickly than a rosebush in the ground. Remember to water it often without letting water stagnate in the cup at the risk of seeing the roots suffocate.

Avoid watering the foliage to limit the appearance of cryptogamic diseases.

In the spring, make regular applications of "special rose" fertilizer to support the flowering.

Cut off the faded flowers above a new eye in the axil of the first leaf, this will allow to obtain new shoots and thus new flowers.

Treat with Bordeaux mixture to avoid the appearance of diseases.

Monitor the appearance of aphids and treat with nettle manure.

Prune in February/March.

Growing an oleander in a pot

The oleander is an ornamental shrub that blooms for nearly 6 months if the growing conditions are suitable. Frileux, it will have to be wintered in the less privileged regions, this is why a culture in container is appropriate to him well.

Oleander Who are you?

The oleander (Nerium oleander) is a shrub that grows naturally near waterways that dry up in summer from the eastern Mediterranean basin to China. That's why it needs more water than the sellers would have us believe.

White, pink, red, yellow, peach, single or very double flowers, you will be spoiled for choice!

Be careful, all parts of the plant are very toxic if ingested.

How to plant the oleander in a pot?

The laurel is a shrub with strong development. Prefer to install it in a large container where it will have the space to develop well.

• Choose a large enough container with a hole in the bottom;
• Pour a layer of clay balls or gravel equivalent to 20% of the volume of the pot;
• Make a mixture of potting soil, garden soil and compost, add a shovelful of river sand;
• Pour a layer of this mixture into the pot;
• Place your laurel so that its collar is flush with the top of the pot;
• Fill in the gaps around the plant, centering it well;
• Pack around the foot;
• Water.

How to care for a bay tree in a pot?

Place your oleander in a sunny location to ensure maximum flowering. Potted plants can be overwintered in a greenhouse or a veranda if you live in a region where frost is common. Bring your laurel inside as soon as the first frosts arrive in autumn, you can take it out again once the risk of frost is over.

Watering should be regular in summer, especially in hot and dry weather. One or two waterings may be necessary per week. Caution: never let water stagnate in the saucer. Complete the watering by adding fertilizer for flowering plants every 15 days during the growing season.

In winter, give your laurel a rest period by placing it in full light in a relatively cool room (about 10°C). You will then only water it every 15 days.

Pruning the oleander is not mandatory. This shrub produces its flowers on the wood of the previous year, pruning them would certainly allow to obtain a fuller and bushier plant but would compromise the blooming. However, if you must prune it to save space in the winter storage room, prune it in the fall, just after flowering. Clear the center of the plant by cutting off the branches that cross or that are dead. Remove some stems at the base around the plant if necessary to reduce the width. As for the height, try to keep it so that you can enjoy the flowering the following year.

Growing a lemon tree in a pot

For climatic reasons the cultivation of the lemon tree in open ground is sometimes compromised. Fortunately it is possible to grow it in a pot.

A plant not very hardy

Although the lemon tree is given to support temperatures up to -7°C, it remains very fragile and can be cultivated in the open ground only in the zone known as "the orange tree". Everywhere else, it is preferable to grow it in pots in order to winter it out of the frost during the cold season.

Some parameters must be taken into account to ensure a good success and perhaps taste its acidulous fruits.

Planting the lemon tree in a pot

The lemon tree hates to have its roots constantly soggy so the substrate dedicated to it should be well draining.

• Choose a large container or a pot preferably in terra cotta with holes or in wood to let the air circulate freely. The container should have a hole in the bottom to ensure good water drainage.
• Place a thick layer of gravel or clay balls equivalent to about 20% of the volume of the pot at the bottom.
• Make up a mixture of good potting soil, compost and medium-grained river sand.
• Spread a layer of this mixture on the bottom of the pot and place your lemon tree in it so that the grafting point protrudes slightly from the surface of the pot because it should never be buried.
• Fill in the empty spaces with the mixture and pack around the plant.
• Water copiously to eliminate any air bubbles in the soil.
• If necessary, add more mixture to the surface.

Maintenance of the lemon tree in pot

Often placed on a terrace during the summer, the lemon tree is subject to strong evaporation. Like all citrus trees, it needs very regular watering during this season to grow optimally. The mixture should never dry out completely between two waterings in summer, but be careful not to leave any stagnant water in the cup! Add "special citrus" fertilizer once a month to ensure good fruiting.

From autumn onwards, the lemon tree will be wintered in a very bright and frost-free location. The ideal temperature should be between 8 and 12°C. The watering will be more spaced and it will be possible to let the soil dry between two of them.

After the harvest, it will be possible to prune the lemon tree. Cut the dead branches at their base and remove the one that crosses inside the frame to let in a maximum of light. In spring, pinch off the ends of branches to keep a compact habit and ensure good branching.