In a country as dense as Germany (i.e., 585 people/square mile, as compared to the US’s 84 people/square mile), it’s no wonder that so much value is placed on having an outdoor space of your own. In all the apartment hunting I’ve done here — whether in Hamburg, Berlin, or Bremen — balconies are worth their weight in gold. They can be your oasis in the city and a relaxing space to soak up the sun (when she makes her rare appearance).
When I left Berlin last September, I left behind a beautiful balcony garden (not to mention the green thumb who tended to it). I wasn’t originally sure if I would want to try my own hand at creating a balcony garden here in Bremen — I am not known for my gardening talents — but the gorgeous spring has tempted me to give it a try and I honestly couldn’t resist.
The weekend before last, I visited the local garden store in town, picked up a few supplies, and bought flowers from the farmer’s market around the corner. I decided to start small and see how things turn out, choosing flowers that hopefully can hold up to full sunlight and wind: woodland sage (Salvia nemorosa), sandwort (Arenaria montana), tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora), and a small plant with purplish-pink flowers that I don’t know the name of (help?).
By early afternoon, I had transferred the flowers to their own pots with new soil and granulate, and hung them on the railing. Even with a few bumps along the way (e.g., the hangers I bought don’t really fit completely over the balcony ledge), it was pretty painless and a pleasant way to spend a sunny Saturday. And they make a really wonderful addition to the space.
Now that the easy part is over, I’m looking forward to watching them grow. Wish me luck in keeping them happy and blooming!
Do you have a talent for gardening? Do you have tips to share with me?
Oh, they look beautiful! I’ve currently got 18 rare tomato plants on my balcony (it’s a bit more chaotic and a lot less minimalistic chic than yours), I’m keeping all fingers crossed that they’ll produce some good fruits!
Thank you for the compliment! Rare tomato plants sound like a challenge — but then you can really enjoy the fruits of your labors! I’m sure they will taste delicious.
Looks like a great and very sunny start of the (almost) summer, Mandi! Bravo!!
Thanks, Judith! If things go well, I’ll be sure to post photos later this summer to show the progress. Already the yellow flowers are blooming like crazy. :)
I’m attempting a balcony garden here in Berlin too – it was going so well with everything blooming and food waiting to be eaten but it kinda died – no idea why. The sunflowers are going strong though, so I shouldn’t complain! Hope yours is going well :)
It’s definitely a “learning by doing” kind of process. So far all of my plants are alive, but they have different blooming cycles. I’ll have to do an update post in the near future. :) Good luck with your garden and hope the sunflowers keep thriving!
Your plant with pinkish purple bloom is Mexican Heather. It loves warm weather and sun. Good luck growing it in Bremen. It does hold over the winter very well, at least in Memphis TN, USA
Thanks for the tip, Shona!