7 perennials to grow in pots on a north-facing balcony
Our selection suitable for a shaded and cold balcony
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To decorate a north-facing balcony where shade is present all year round, the perennial plants in pots must meet several criteria: ability to thrive in shaded conditions, ease in a cool and humid atmosphere, and frost resistance in winter. For this, opt for hardy plants with evergreen foliage. Embrace bright colours, variegated or light foliage to brighten up the spaces, fragrant flowers, trailing plants for hanging, as well as certain grasses.
Here is our selection of perennials to grow in large pots or containers on your shaded balcony.
Heuchera 'Berry Smoothie'
To add some vibrancy to a north-facing balcony, Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ is a great choice! Certainly, its bright pink veined foliage turning dark pink after summer brings cheer to your less sunny outdoor space. This perennial, also known as Painter’s Despair, forms a well-rounded clump about 50 cm in diameter and 45 cm high when in flower. Its evergreen foliage, except in very cold regions, adds colour to gardens during winter. Fine stems bearing bell-shaped white flowers appear from June to August. The Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ is easy to grow, very hardy, and also withstands heat. Plant it in partial shade or shade, protected from direct sunlight, in rich, cool, and well-drained soil. Mulching helps retain moisture in summer and protects the Heuchera from the vine weevil, whose larvae develop in the soil and feed on the roots. Cut back the dried foliage in March.
Create a large pot by combining Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ with Carex oshimensis ‘Evergreen’, Bluebell, Vinca minor ‘Alba’, and Tiarella cordifolia ‘Pink Brushes’.
Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ (photo Wikipedia)
Discover our range of Heucheras on our website.
Check out our advice sheet on Heucheras: planting, cultivation, and maintenance.
Hedera helix 'Marginata Elegantissima'
Often unpopular, ivy is actually a charming and useful climbing perennial! The Hedera helix ‘Marginata Elegantissima’ features beautiful grey-green foliage edged in cream white and bordered with a pink line. Additionally, these small, triangular evergreen leaves take on a lovely pink hue in winter. This common ivy is perfect for elegantly decorating a balcony! Its flowers are also a resource for wildlife: they provide excellent nectar for bees and produce fruits favoured by birds during the winter months. Hardy down to -15°C, the Hedera helix ‘Marginata Elegantissima’ grows slowly and clings to its support using climbing roots to green a north-facing wall. Ideally placed in shade or partial shade, it adapts to all soils as long as they are well worked, drained, and cool. In pots, regularly provide it with organic fertiliser during the growth period and remove the oldest stems in autumn to rejuvenate it.
Install it in a container with a trellis to avoid damaging your wall. In the background, it will add character to a composition of perennials: Cyclamen persicum, Calluna vulgaris ‘H.E Beale’, Epimedium, Lamium, and Hydrangea petiolaris ‘Silver Lining’.
Hedera helix ‘Marginata Elegantissima’
A selection of Hedera awaits you on our site.
Discover how to plant, prune, and care for Hederas.
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Vinca minor 'Illumination'
The Vinca minor ‘Illumination’ is an ideal perennial for hanging in the shade on a balcony! It produces soft, trailing stems that can reach up to 60 cm in length. This variety is characterised by its very bright, bicoloured variegated foliage. The ovate yellow leaves edged in green are evergreen and highly decorative throughout the year. As a bonus, its flowering in April and May consists of solitary five-petalled flowers in a violet-blue colour. The Lesser Periwinkle, which is not prone to diseases, can be planted in all exposures, with a preference for partial shade. Easy to cultivate, it thrives in light, cool soils. In March, cut the stems as needed.
It is often used as a ground cover at the base of trees or to cover a slope, as it spreads very quickly through layering. However, the Vinca minor ‘Illumination’ can also be planted in a pot on a north-facing balcony, either alone or alongside Geranium sanguineum, Cymbalaria muralis, and Canary Ivy.
Vinca minor ‘Illumination’ (photo Spanmaja)
Discover other varieties of Vincas in our range.
Learn all about the planting, growing, and maintaining of Vincas!
Polystichum rigens
Very decorative, Polystichum rigens is a small fern with bright fronds! This beautiful green matures to a darker shade as spring progresses. Its leaflets are regularly dentate, making it very aesthetic. The Holly Fern grows slowly and prefers semi-shaded to shaded locations. Particularly fond of humid environments, the Japanese Polystichum requires soil rich in humus, cool, well-drained, and not too calcareous. Evergreen to semi-evergreen depending on the climate, prune it back to the ground at the beginning of spring. Very hardy, this perennial native to Japan and China is highly resistant to diseases.
The Polystichum rigens fits well on a modern balcony, in a planter with Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’, Campanula poscharskyana, and Saxifraga cortusifolia ‘Shiranami’.
Polystichum rigens
We offer other varieties of Polystichums on our site.
The best practices for planting, growing, and caring for Polystichums can be found in our guide.
Hosta plantaginea ‘Aphrodite’
Native to Asia, Hosta plantaginea ‘Aphrodite’ is valued for its fragrant semi-double white flowers that bloom from August to September. White floral clusters form at the tips of the flower stalks, releasing a sweet orange blossom scent! Its medium green, heart-shaped leaves are broad with well-defined veins. Also known as Plantain Lily or Funkia, Hostas offer an immense collection of diverse varieties. This perennial is often targeted by slugs that relish its foliage. Hardy to temperatures below -15°C, it thrives in the moisture of shade and partial shade, where it will bloom best. Therefore, during very dry summer periods, water its pot regularly.
This Hosta should be planted in a large diameter pot in rich, loamy soil, paired with Geranium phaeum ‘Margaret Wilson’, Digitalis mertonensis, and Hardy Fuchsia ‘Mrs Popple’.
Hosta plantaginea ‘Aphrodite’ (photo left Wikipedia; right Leonara Enking)
Discover other varieties of Hostas on our site.
Planting, growing, and maintaining Hostas, we tell you everything!
Carex morrowii ‘Aureovariegata’
In the category of grasses, Carex morrowii ‘Aureovariegata’ is a great choice for adding colour to your balcony. This Japanese sedge measures 30 cm in all directions and forms a lovely compact clump. Its soft green leaves highlighted with a creamy yellow stripe will be decorative all year round. In spring, around April-May, green-brown spikes will appear on slender stems. Preferring semi-shaded to shaded areas, plant this very hardy perennial in rich soil that is not too calcareous and remains moist in summer. Before the start of spring, simply hand-prune the clump, removing any dead leaves.
Position Carex morrowii ‘Aureovariegata’ at the edge of a large pot surrounded by Astilbe ‘Younique Ruby Red’, subulate Sedge, Begonia ‘Flirt’, and Hepatica.
Carex morrowii ‘Aureovariegata’
Discover our wide range of Carex!
Learn all about planting, growing, and maintaining Carex.
Geranium renardii ‘Zetterlund’
The Geranium renardii is a species named in honour of Charles Claude Renard, a German scientist of French origin, hence its French name Géranium de Renard. It is also known as Crêpe-leaved Geranium, as its round, lobed, grey-green leaves have a crinkled texture on the top. During its flowering period from May to July, this low perennial forms a cushion about thirty centimetres high and 40 cm wide. In autumn, this evergreen displays lovely orange hues. For the variety Geranium renardii ‘Zetterlund’, a beautiful contrast is created with the light mauve flowers intensely veined with darker violet. This Geranium is not very floriferous; however, it attracts bees and butterflies that are fond of its pollen and nectar. With good tolerance to summer drought and winter cold, the Geranium renardii ‘Zetterlund’ thrives in all exposures. Its soil should be dry, poor, and well-drained, as excess moisture may cause it to rot. Calcareous, rocky, and stony soils pose no problem for it. An excellent plant for beginners, its maintenance is easy and only requires pruning of faded stems in autumn.
Plant the Geranium renardii ‘Zetterlund’ in a container with Saxifraga ‘Pixie White’, Pulmonaria ‘Mrs Moon’, Tiarella ‘Morning Star’, and Ophiopogon ‘Hosoba Kokuryu’.
Geranium renardii ‘Zetterlund’
All our species and varieties of hardy geraniums available in our online nursery.
Our tips for planting, growing, and maintaining hardy geraniums.
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