What are the Best Flowers to Plant & Grow on a Balcony?

Not everyone has a glorious sweeping garden with copious flower beds and borders ready to be filled with flowers. However, any outdoor space can be transformed into a perfect haven of colour!

Coming up with unique and stylish balcony garden ideas can help to bring you closer to nature even in the centre of a busy town or city. Here, B&M have created a list of the best flowers to grow on a balcony. All of the high-quality cheap flower seeds mentioned are available from your local B&M store.

Which Flowers Make the Best Cheap Balcony Plants?

When choosing cheap balcony flowers to make your balcony garden ideas a reality, it’s important to check a number of aspects on their seed packets. These are:

• How much light and moisture is required
• How much space they will need (i.e. whether they can remain in pots or troughs)
• How tall they will grow
• How likely they are to spread through self-sowing
• Their flowering seasons
• Whether they are annual (only last a year) or perennial (continue year-on-year)

It’s important that the balcony plants do not grow too tall or swamp any other flowers you’ve planted alongside them. Flowers that spread to a great extent may cause you to run out of space!

You should take into account how much sunlight and rain your plants are likely to get when thinking through your balcony garden ideas, as this will affect how successfully they will grow depending on their requirements.

It’s also best to choose a combination of cheap flower seeds, creating arrangements that offer interest throughout the year so your balcony plants never look barren.

Finally, if you only plant annuals, you may find yourself replanting them at the same time each year - so be sure to work that into your plan!

The Best Cheap Balcony Plants

Pansies - These classic, colourful characters are so popular because they’re very easy to cultivate. They’re hardy perennials that offer a multicoloured burst to any trough, planter or hanging basket.

You can plant them indoors between February and April, and they’re ready to plant or transfer outside between May and August. They grow best in partial shade.

Asters - Resplendent in purples, pinks and reds, ostrich feather asters are bushier plants that branch out, so it’s better to display them in larger troughs on bigger balconies.

They like partial shade and should be planted inside between February and April or plant or pot outside between April and May. They’re half hardy annuals, so will only survive for one season, but they make beautiful cut flowers.

Dahlias - Half hardy perennials, these colourful, bushy flowers will return year on year. They’re ideal for pots, hanging baskets and containers, and you’ll be doing your bit for the environment by displaying them too - bees and butterflies love them!

They grow best in full sunlight. Plant them indoors between February and April and they’ll be ready for summer.

Godetias - Your planters and pots will be spilling with feminine pinks and deep reds when you choose elegant godetias. Again, they work best in larger troughs and planters due to their spread.

They’re annuals, so you’ll need to replant them every year, but they won’t go to waste as they make gorgeous cut flowers to display in the home. Plant inside between March and May, or plant or pot outside between September and October. Butterflies and bees love them!

Sweet Sultan - These super-cute blooms are easy to grow, and create gorgeous pink or white scented powder puff flowers that are band on trend.

They enjoy partial shade and can be grown indoors between March and May or potted or planted outdoors between April and May. They’re annuals, so will need to be replanted, but they’re perfect for attracting bees and butterflies and make lovely cut flowers.

Edibles - You can also grow edible plants and flowers on your balcony! Nasturtiums are brightly coloured and the flowers can be added to salads, while the leaves of rocket plants are the best parts to use.

They’re great for salads too, though many people also use them to garnish pizza. Both plants have a rich, bitter, peppery taste.

How to Display Your Flowers

Once you’ve selected your favourite cheap balcony flowers from your nearby garden centre, the next step is to decide where they should go. Here are our top picks for unique and attractive containers for your balcony garden.

Space-savers

You don’t have to take up valuable floor-space with your flowers. Use wall-mounted planters, fence baskets and hanging baskets to make use of multiple levels. This gorgeous vintage-look wall planter features a clock and thermometer too, for organised balcony-gardeners!

We also love the rustic feel of this corn rope fence basket - just waiting to spill with bright, colourful blooms. It can be complemented with matching hanging baskets for an arrangement that perfectly frames your balcony. You can even select your perfect brackets to finish off the look!

Troughs and Planters

Elegant, floor-standing containers are the classic approach to balcony gardening. Stone-look Trojan planters can give your arrangement a chic, industrial edge, while an Oakwood Barrel Trough provides a more rustic, rural look while providing plenty of space for bushier, spreading flowers.

Tools

Don’t forget to stock up on gardening implements to keep your balcony garden up to scratch! We recommend a simple hand fork and trowel, a small watering can or spray bottle and a pair of gloves. Save space by hanging all of your tools on elegant hooks out of the way!

B&M Top Tip: Lounge in your brand new balcony garden with perfect fold-away outdoor chairs and other setting from our garden furniture selection!

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