Give your balcony a makeover for autumn
Autumn is a great time to be outside, and while apartment living may mean you don’t have a backyard garden, there are plenty of ways you can turn your Neutral Bay balcony into an inviting oasis.
How to plan your space
Because you likely only have a small space to work with, it’s important to plan out your balcony first so that it becomes a calming space rather than an overwhelming one. So, the question then becomes – how to design an autumn balcony?
How will you use it? This is probably the most important question you will answer. Do you want to grow seasonal vegetables? Do you want to create a reading nook? Do you want to grow flowers? Do you want to be able to sit and relax with a glass of wine on a Friday after work? Knowing what you want to use the space for will help you design it.
How to make it a practical space? There’s a good chance that the reason you are looking at redesigning your balcony is because you want to make it a practical space to use, so consider what you need to plan for. Seating, gardening area, storage and so on.
What style do you like? There are plenty of styles that you can utilise when designing your balcony and it really comes down to which one speaks to you the most.
Does it flow and connect? In most Neutral Bay homes, the balcony flows off either, or both, the living room/kitchen or the bedroom, so you want the design to connect with the inside of your unit, essentially flowing from one room to another. Think of the balcony as an additional outdoor living space, and how you can make it feel like one large room.
Is it comfortable? Relaxation is the key here, so ensuring you make it a comfortable space to be is important. That may mean thinking about the type of seating, the type of plants you use, and even perhaps having a storage box for blankets and cushions for those cooler nights.
Balcony gardens
If you’ve decided to use your Neutral Bay apartment balcony to grow a garden, you really have two options – fresh produce or flowers/greenery. Of course, you can grow both, but it really just depends on your space.
If you’d like to turn your balcony into a calming green space where you can simply relax, consider native plants such as:
- Brachyscome for a splash of colour
- Correa for autumn blooms
- Banksia to brighten winter
- Birds Nest ferns for greenery
- Lemon myrtle for edible native plants
If produce is more your style, there is plenty you can grow in pots right from your balcony. Soft herbs such as basil and mint, shrubby herbs such as rosemary and sage, lettuce, Asian greens, tomatoes, beans and even potatoes can all be grown in pots, or in the case of potatoes, in potato bags.
Before planting anything, it is essential to consider what type and how much light your balcony gets and match the plants up that suit the environment.
Buying supplies
There’s a good chance you may already have items at home to use, but if you are looking to completely make over your balcony, why not head out to your local homewares and nursery to see what’s available. Some of our favourite locations, in store and online, to buy furnishings include:
Osier Belle – Shop 4/24 Young St, Neutral Bay
OSMEN Outdoor Furniture – Shop 23, Building 1/368 Military Rd, Cremorne
IKEA – 634-726 Princes Hwy, Tempe
Honeysuckle Garden – 500 Military Rd, Mosman
The Plant Society – 0439 282 409
Australian Plants Online – (07) 5451 3506
If you’d love to get more information on growing edible gardens in small spaces, check out the sessions run by Sydney City Farm.
Thinking of selling your Neutral Bay property? Give us a call
Sydney real estate is always popular with buyers. If you’re looking for ways to make your Neutral Bay home appealing to buyers, contact the friendly team at Home Property Agents.
