How to design and green a long and narrow balcony?

Imagine what you want to do with your balcony

A balcony is a great opportunity as it represents an additional room that allows you to enjoy the sun and the outdoor atmosphere. First and foremost, consider what you want to do with this unique space. Do you envision yourself surrounded by plants, hidden from the neighbours, soaking up the sun, greenery, and reading in your deckchair? Or do you imagine your balcony as a friendly relaxation area for enjoying drinks and chatting with friends in the evening coolness among the plants? Would you prefer to transform your balcony into a small private garden, growing your favourite flowers and contributing to the biodiversity of your city? Or perhaps you plan to set it up as a vegetable garden to grow your tomatoes and herbs? Once you have decided what you will do with your balcony, you can determine which furniture and plants to include.

Have an idea of the available space

When it comes to long and narrow balconies, it’s essential to choose furniture and plants that don’t take up much width. Therefore, it’s important to measure your balcony and determine the maximum length and width of the furniture and pots you will place there. Keep in mind that for a balcony to be pleasant, it should remain airy and have enough empty space for you to move around easily, without bumping into plants or furniture. Indeed, the more cluttered a balcony is with objects, the less inviting it becomes. It’s better to select essential furniture and accessories, keeping possible measurements in mind. There are also tips for when space is limited, such as opting for lightweight, folding furniture. This allows you to easily clear space if you wish to transform your balcony for dining or lounging on a deckchair.

Opt for small-sized furniture and maximise the space

Choosing your balcony style

Do you dream of a very colourful and cheerful balcony, or rather a calming space with soft, neutral tones and materials? Between bright-coloured aluminium tables and chairs and lightweight wooden armchairs, you have plenty of options to design your outdoor space as you envision it. Zen style, all in wood with decking on the floor, sun loungers, and teak furniture, candles, and small LED fairy lights. Bohemian style with cheerful splashes of colour everywhere, an outdoor rug or a soft-touch carpet, and lanterns hanging from the railings or walls. Many accessories can add style to your balcony: solar lights or illuminated pots to gently light up your evenings under the stars, a coffee table surrounded by floor cushions for enjoying the sun with your children, a sun lounger corner with a fountain to relax to the sound of water. It’s up to you to choose the decor that will give your balcony that extra soul!

Balcony in light colours adorned with modern decorative objects

Make use of vertical surfaces

On a narrow balcony, vertical surfaces, such as walls and railings, can be used to add a touch of nature or decoration without taking up too much floor space. On the railings, you can install hanging planters, which are very practical for placing your flowers or aromatic plants. You can also lean narrow pots against the railings, stacked vertically, with trellises, and place climbing plants: clematis, passionflower, vine, climbing hydrangea, ivy, … which will adorn your balcony with a touch of nature and serve as a privacy screen. The same goes for the walls, where climbing plants or even a green wall can be placed by hanging pots one above the other.

Make the most of the angles

To save space, you can make the most of the corners at the end of your balcony. This is where you can place the bulkiest furniture as it will obstruct the passage less. In this lovely corner, fit in a small sofa bought as is or made by your own hands with pallets and cushions. Alternatively, set up your small vegetable garden, sized appropriately for the corner, where you can quietly grow your lettuces and cherry tomatoes. If you opt for a raised planter, that’s even better as you won’t need to bend down to tend to your plants, and the bottom shelf can be used to store your gardening tools. You can also choose to create your dining nook in this lovely corner with a beautiful table and chairs adorned with plush cushions and accessories to your taste.

Grow potted plants

To choose the plants that will brighten up your balcony, of course, prefer plants suitable for pot cultivation. Here again, a whole universe is open to you. The only downside is that for certain plants, it is important to consider the exposure of your balcony when selecting them. If you wish to create a collection of herbs, parsley, chives, thyme, rosemary, coriander, and more will fill your balcony with fragrance. You can also opt for a lovely flowering balcony, and why not a fragrant one? You can choose pinks, climbing roses, jasmines, wisterias, honeysuckles, sweet peas, akebias… If you prefer a vegetable garden, salads, cherry tomatoes, chives, and parsley will be your faithful companions during your gardening afternoons.

Discover all our ideas for plants to grow on your balcony and our tips for creating a small vegetable patch!