If you want to make your balcony garden colourful, you often opt for annual flowers. Perennial shrubs are a sustainable but equally colourful option. Here we present some plants that you can use to create colourful accents - even on a small balcony.
On a balcony, there are fixed dimensions and therefore some limits to the variety of shrubs. But even when space is limited, colourful perennials are a great addition to the balcony (garden). If you have a large garden, that's even better! Colourful perennials are not only pretty, the native shrubs can also serve as a wind stopper for you and other plants. They also provide valuable food for small animals, birds and insects.
Some plant portraits:
Shadbush / Snowy mespilus / Serviceberry
The shadbush belongs to the genus Amelanchier, which comprises around 25 species. The snowy mespilus or serviceberry Amelanchier ovalis grows wild here on rocky slopes and can be found at altitudes of up to 2,000 metres above sea level. In addition to this, the juneberry Amelanchier lamarckii is also very popular. The blueberry-sized, red fruits of the umbrella-shaped shrub are eaten by both humans and birds. They can be used to make confit or enrich your muesli. The flavour is reminiscent of blueberries with a hint of marzipan.
Care/cultivation:
In a sunny to semi-shady location, plant in spring or autumn
Flowering:
Many white flowers, from April to June
Harvest:
July
Colours:
The leaves are copper-orange in spring, green in summer and turn bright red in autumn.
Cornelian cherry / cornel cherry / Herlitze
The Cornelian cherry Cornus mas is also known as the wild cherry tree, yellow dogwood, Herlitze or in Swiss German as "Tierlibaum". The shrub was originally native to the Caucasus and migrated to Central Europe after the ice ages. Cornelian cherry is a great choice for the natural garden. It has a fine, branched root system and is ideal for stabilising the ground on embankments. The dark red fruits ripen in late summer and can be used to make jellies or liqueurs. As a native early spring bloomer, it opens its small, yellow flowers at the beginning of March, which are loved by insects.
Cultivation:
In a pot or on a bank, in a sunny - semi-shady position
Flowering:
From March, small yellow flowers
Special features:
The dogwood genus comprises more than 50 species
Colours:
The first yellow inflorescences can be seen as early as February, the fruits are ripe in late summer (yellow to dark red) The leaves are green, in autumn the foliage turns orange-yellow.
Aronia / Black chokeberry
Ever heard of chokeberries? Originally from North America, the black chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa is an eye-catcher all year round thanks to its pretty white flowers and magnificent red autumn colours. Thanks to its vitamin-rich fruit, it is becoming increasingly popular - with humans and birds alike. The flowers are also loved by insects.
Cultivation:
In a pot in a sunny - semi-shady position, wind and frost resistant
Flowering:
In May and June, small white flowers in umbrella panicles approx. ten centimetres wide
Care:
Undemanding, chokeberry is very adaptable.
Colours:
Green with white flowers in spring, black berries in late summer and orange-red foliage in autumn.
Black cherry plum
The black cherry plum Prunus Cerasifera ‘woodii’ or ‘Crimons Pointe’ belongs to the cherry plum family. The tree was already known to the Celts and is said to have been introduced by the Romans. This shrub really comes into its own next to trees and shrubs with light green foliage. Birds love the shrub as a hiding place, bees and insects as a source of food. The roundish, 3 cm large plums are edible and have a sweet and sour flavour. It is slightly reminiscent of the flavour of mirabelle plums and the fruit can also be used as such.
Cultivation:
In a pot in a sunny - semi-shady position, it is wind and frost resistant
Flowering:
In April - May, pretty pink flowers
Care:
Bright and warm location with plenty of direct sunlight, easy to care for
Colours:
In spring with pink flowers, in late summer with small plums, the leaves are intense black-red in spring and autumn
Black Lace @Rachilli, Unsplash
Black Lace Elder
The flowers of the black elder Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’ produce round, black fruits in August. Both flowers and berries can be easily processed (elderflower syrup or jelly), but are also a welcome source of food for hungry birds and insects. Elderberries are rich in vitamin A, as well as potassium and vitamin C. The black elderberry is resistant to urban climates and does not require much care.
Cultivation:
In a pot in a sunny - semi-shady position, is wind and frost resistant
Flowering:
In May/June, white-pink flowers
Care:
Can be pruned if necessary, not difficult to care for
Colours:
In spring with white-pink flowers, leaves green-red at first, deep dark red in autumn
Fragrant olive
In Greek, ‘osme’ means fragrance and ‘anthos’ means flower. And the fragrant olive osmanthus - you may have guessed it already - smells really, really sweet and intense when in bloom. At first glance, this evergreen shrub is not noticeable, but when it is in bloom, you can smell its fruity-sweet fragrance from several metres away. No wonder, insects also find it a real treat. A fragrant flower on the balcony also provides wind and privacy protection. It is a good substitute for boxwood.
Cultivation:
In a pot in a sunny to semi-shady position in nutrient-rich, well-drained soil
Flowering:
Small white flowers, wonderfully fragrant, from April to May
Care:
Easy to care for, tolerates pruning well, spring planting recommended, protect young specimens with a fleece in winter
Colours:
Evergreen leaves, wonderfully fragrant white flowers
Bring the edible garden into your home!
With our service, you can create a garden anywhere in various planters without the need for a traditional bed. At VEG and the City, we plan, plant and maintain urban gardens for private individuals, schools, companies, museums, co-operatives and cities - according to the needs of the location. We prioritise biodiversity and environmental protection. That's why we use organically produced Swiss plants and seeds and peat-free, organic substrates wherever possible. We only use organic products and beneficial organisms for plant protection.
Do you have any questions or have you had a project in mind for a long time? We will be happy to advise you without obligation and provide you with a quote for your dream garden.
Contact
T 044 508 54 92
foodscaping@vegandthecity.ch
Visit us at stall G 23/24 in hall 4.
