Which plants for a zen balcony?

Aesthetic shrubs

The choice of shrubs to plant in large containers or pots will primarily focus on species with a very refined habit, graphic appearance, and simplicity. While it incorporates some elements of a contemporary balcony—in terms of simplicity and minimalism—a zen garden on a balcony will favour cultivars with more twisted and contorted forms, immediately evoking a Japanese atmosphere.

This selection may be limited, but it will be powerfully evocative with an essential Japanese maple or dwarf flowering cherry: slow-growing, they are well-suited for pot cultivation. The Prunus incisa ‘Kojo No Mai’ is a little gem with sinuous wood, perfect for a balcony with its lovely pale pink flowers blooming in mid-spring, and foliage that turns red in autumn. A Prunus glandulosa ‘Rosea Plena’ or a Prunus incisa ‘Paean’ are also beautiful options, less undulating but compact in pots, offering delicate double pink flowers in April.

Among the Japanese maples for pots, the choice is vast, depending on your preference for the laciniate foliage of the dissectum species, or the more classic palmate foliage of Acer palmatum. Besides being very hardy, thus suitable for all regions, you will lean towards compact cultivars and plant them in large pots. An Acer palmatum ‘Mikawa Yatsubusa’, particularly dwarf like a large bonsai, is stunning with its soft green foliage in spring, while an Acer palmatum ‘Ornatum’ with its dentate bronze foliage turning crimson in autumn is a classic.

In this zen spirit, an Edgeworthia chrysantha can perfectly find its place on the balcony, providing infinite grace in winter with its unique white and yellow flowers. Its superb foliage will take over for many months before giving way to a truly poetic bare architectural structure. Also consider the delicate foliage of a Fatsia polycarpa, slender and refined, or that of a dwarf Ginkgo biloba, stunning, such as the variety ‘Troll’ or ‘Gnome’. The sacred bamboos, offering their red fruits in winter, are also beautiful, easy-to-cultivate subjects to consider.

Finally, don’t forget a shrub shaped into a niwaki, a structural element that you will shape into plates like little poetic clouds, to perfect this resolutely zen atmosphere: conifers like Juniperus or Pinus lend themselves beautifully, but also holly, boxwood… Some conifers with unique foliage will also be welcome: dwarf Cryptomerias or a false Japanese cypress ‘Hinoki’. If you don’t feel up to this delicate pruning, a small Laurus nobilis, for example, grown on a stem and shaped into a ball, also brings beautiful graphics. Of course, a bonsai and its glazed pottery can occasionally grace a lovely table or the edge of the balcony, just like a beautiful jade tree…

→ Also discover Alexandra’s tips on the best dwarf maples to grow in pots, Jean-Christophe’s advice on the cultivation of Japanese maples in pots, and Flowering cherries: the most beautiful varieties.

Japanese maple ‘Ornatum’, Prunus incisa ‘Kojo No Mai’, conifer shaped into Niwaki, paperbush… even the contorted hazel: they all thrive on a zen balcony!

Acidic soil plants

The advantage of so-called acid-loving plants is their hardiness and their ability to thrive in shade to partial shade, making them perfect candidates for a wide range of balconies. They are also emblematic of Japanese gardens with their radiant spring flowering, and feature an interesting evergreen foliage configuration for a pleasing visual in all seasons. While Japanese Azaleas with their compact, rounded habit are best suited for a zen balcony, preferably in delicate white or very pale shades, Pieris, Camelias, and Kalmias of smaller size are equally elegant balcony companions!

Consider choosing, for example, the ‘Ivory’ Encore Azalea, capable of blooming multiple times and even in the sun with its charming white flowers, the stunning ‘Schneewittchen’ Azalea, also white, or the ‘Bloombux’ Dwarf Rhododendron in pink for a shaded balcony. You can also opt for the unparalleled delicacy of Kalmia latifolia ‘Elf‘, a dwarf variety of mountain laurel, with superb dark foliage and generous white flowers with pink hues in May. Finally, the subtly variegated foliage of Pieris japonica ‘Little Heath Variegata‘ will bring great softness and purity with its bell-shaped flowers, blooming earlier around March-April. It is also possible to indulge in a beautiful Magnolia stellata in a larger pot on a bigger balcony, such as the cultivar ‘Waterlily’.

On a fairly large balcony, a Magnolia stellata will bring beautiful elegance in spring. Acid-loving evergreens like a Kalmia, a Pieris (in the middle, here the variety ‘Little Heath Variegata’), and a dwarf rhododendron as well.

Perennials, grasses, bamboos: greenery!

While your balcony will be illuminated in spring by a selection of pure blooms, ensure you also have other effective visuals. Two key words to remember are: refinement and simplicity!
The green provided by bright, evergreen grasses, the grace of Japanese-inspired perennials, and a bamboo chosen for its small size will be invaluable.
Draw from the Japanese imagination and its iconic plants: a pot of delicate Japanese anemones like ‘Dreaming Swan’ is enough to add a touch of pure white. A dwarf bamboo such as Fargesia murieale ‘Simba’ in light green, the Sasa veitchii with cream margins, Shibataea kumasaca, or the dark canes of Fargesia nitida ‘Black Pearl‘, all convey a completely relaxing zen spirit.
Also focus on the linearity of tall, bushy, and lush grasses like an upright Miscanthus, and of course on the two essentials, Hakonechloas and Ophiopogons that thrive in pots. They create light, arching clumps that are visually stunning. Finally, sagina planted in a low stone trough will evoke the reassuring moss and calm of Japanese gardens.

If these plants do not appeal to you, consider the verticality and clean lines of Equisetums (for partial shade), the roundness of Cycas (for sunny spots in mild climates), or the minimalist exoticism of Arums, which are very soothing plants.

Ophiopogons planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’, Equisetum japonicum, dwarf bamboos, Hakonechloa macra

Some design tips for your zen balcony

• You can also, of course, add some fragrant plants to distil relaxing scents, with white flowering: a Choisya ternata ‘Aztec Pearl’ will be perfect trimmed into a ball shape, and a jasmine trained in a mild climate will also bring a lot of finesse.
• In terms of furniture, neutral tones, from white to black, including greige and grey, with matte and natural materials are at the heart of a zen balcony. They infuse softness while also providing a great deal of elegance. The white and black shades, reflecting yin and yang, along with muted tones (mastic, taupe, ivory) are very beautiful and can even be enhanced by a single contrasting element, like a bright red Japanese bridge resonating in a landscape. On the balcony, introduce, for example, a large green planter: it is enough to offer a burst of colour that blends well with the expected sobriety. However, a monochrome set in greyish tones, using concrete for planters or resin for seating, is very soothing to the eye.
• The shapes of pots should preferably be ovoid, or contemporary in style. Mix tall pots and low rounded bowls to accommodate Ophiopogons or small ferns, for example. Your Acers and Prunus will need pots of sufficiently large size (no less than 65 cm in diameter).
• A mulch of white or grey pebbles in your pots is a simple idea to bring the mineral element necessary for the zen atmosphere of the balcony. A trellis made of raw wood or bamboo can be added if you have chosen raw wood furniture, the important thing being the harmony of materials.
• Draw inspiration from Japanese interiors, which are very minimal, and opt for a decorative element without overloading the space: a meditation stool ideal for a small balcony, a Japanese paper ball, a rain chain, an Asian-style lantern… Choose only one beautiful object that inspires you, and showcase it on your balcony. On a larger terrace, align a few beautiful glazed stoneware pots of the same colour on a long, low wooden table.
• Finally, do not forget that watering your potted plants is specific, as the substrate dries out much more quickly under these conditions.

To perfect this zen atmosphere, soft and rounded shapes, muted tones, and a decorative element like a rain chain or a bonsai…