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Two young men enjoying their vibrant urban oasis on a balcony in Brunswick.

Detail of a planter in a balcony garden featuring perennial plants.

Mikala and her daughter picking rosemary as the sun sets in their balcony garden in Melbourne's inner east.

Dense planting of sedum, lavender, and salvias feature in a planter bed in a sky-high meadow garden during sunset.

Two young men happily move a bright yellow planter box on wheels in their Brunswick balcony.

Detail of urban balcony garden featuring plants with height.

Two large pots containing dwarf citrus trees on a balcony.

Detail of a balcony garden featuring a walkway surrounded by greenery on both sides.

A gardener tends to their fingerlime plant on a balcony garden in Brunswick.

Detail of a planter in a balcony garden featuring native plants.

A young woman picks bay leaves from her bay tree on her balcony garden.

  • (Laurus nobilis) create a green screen on the southern side of Mikala and Rob's place, with less direct sun. They're a versatile choice for pots and can flavour your dinner!
  • offer months of fruit picking in a full sun aspect, with rich soil and regular fertiliser.
A young man sits on a couch on a balcony pointing up to his native trees.

  • For an ornamental option, can provide colour and structure for years before they outgrow pots or need pruning.

Tall, clumping sedum varieties with big flowers create a colourful border on a balcony garden in Armadale during sunset.

  • There is always a to help fill the gaps with non-fuss colour. (Hylotelephium cv.) are an autumnal showstopper, with an abundance of poofy pink blooms. They are easy to chop back or divide if they get too big or lanky.
Detail of a planter in a balcony garden featuring lavender as the sun sets.

  • r (Lavandula dentata) keeps flowering despite full exposure to wind and sun, if it gets some rain! Having a scented plant adds another layer of delight to the garden.
  • (Kennedia prostrata) is a favourite for Jules. "It just grows so happily, and when it's in flower it's bright red and yellow, absolutely stunning. So low maintenance, doesn't complain much."

Two young men fix their climbing plant on a Brunswick balcony.

  • Use up vertical space with native climbers like . Feed and prune lightly and regularly to keep them happy and compact in a pot. And don't forget a strong, weighty trellis to support them — especially important in a rental so they don't overwhelm walls or railings.
  • A versatile and popular climber, Mikala is excited to see (Ficus pumila) making a start on the walls. Cut back larger, mature shoots to keep it flat against walls or trellis.

  • Jules and Alex are now turning an undercover, sheltered section into a fernery. There are lots of tough native fern options, like the (Davallia sp.) or (Doodia aspera). Many are epiphytes too — plants that naturally grow on tree branches, so they don't need much soil and can hang off a trellis or wall.

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