Balcony plants: mix of herbs, flowers and vegetables

A balcony is no longer just the place to hang your laundry. It's an extension of your living room, your own piece of nature in the city. The current trend? A 'combined balcony'. Instead of choosing only flowers or only a vegetable garden, we are now massively mixing different types of balcony plants. A combination of fragrant herbs, colourful blooms, and homegrown vegetables not only gives your balcony a lush appearance but is also functional. In this article, we explain how to create the perfect mix and why a slatted balcony with the right planters is the ideal spot for this green explosion.

Why mixing is the new standard

In the past, balconies often featured rows of identical geraniums. While colourful, it lacks the dynamism that a mix of balcony plants offers. By combining plants, you create a small-scale ecosystem. Flowers attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies, which in turn help your strawberries or tomatoes grow. Moreover, the different heights, textures, and scents provide a much more interesting view from your couch.

With a slatted balcony, you have the advantage of optimal light from the sides. This is essential for both vegetables and flowers. The challenge is often the floor space. That's why our Vercony planter is so popular for this mix; because the planter extends outwards through the slats, you maintain walking space on your balcony while still being able to accommodate a wide variety of plants.

The ideal base: The Vercony planter on the ground

For a successful mix of balcony plants, you need a stable planter that offers sufficient volume. Vegetables like small bush tomatoes or bell peppers need deeper roots than a simple violet. Traditional hanging baskets are often too shallow and dry out too quickly.

The Vercony planter stands firmly on the ground. This has three major advantages for your plant mix:

Moisture regulation: A larger planter on the ground retains moisture much more evenly than a hanging basket in the wind.
Load-bearing capacity: A mix of vegetables and flowers can become heavy. On the ground, you never have to worry about the load on your balcony railing.
Natural growth: Climbing vegetables or herbs can use the slats as a trellis directly from the planter.

Step 1: Colourful blooms as eye-catchers

Start your mix with a few strong bloomers. These form the visual base of your balcony. For a slatted balcony, hanging bloomers are beautiful because they can cascade through the slats. Consider:

Petunias or Surfinias: These create a huge sea of colour.

Petunias in the sun in different colours

Lobelia: For a deep blue accent colour that contrasts beautifully with green herbs.

Lobelia flowers

Nasturtium: A dual-purpose plant! The flowers are beautiful and edible in a salad.

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum) flowers

Step 2: Fresh herbs for fragrance and the kitchen

Herbs are the easiest balcony plants to grow. They smell wonderful when you walk past them and often deter unwanted insects. In a mixed planter, the following herbs do exceptionally well:

Rosemary and thyme love a sunny spot and require little water. Place them on the outside of your Vercony planter. Mint is also fantastic, but beware: mint grows very quickly. It's best to bury mint in a small pot inside the large planter to prevent it from overtaking other plants. Chives, with their purple flowers, fit perfectly among ornamental flowers.

Rosemary in the sun as a herb example

Step 3: Compact vegetables for harvesting

You don't need a 20-square-meter vegetable garden to harvest. There are now many types of vegetables specifically bred for pots and planters. For your mix of balcony plants, these are the top picks:

Snack tomatoes: Choose a bush variety. These won't grow too tall and will be laden with fruit.

Baby tomatoes for a vegetable garden on your balcony

Peppers and bell peppers: These plants have beautiful glossy leaves, and the fruits add a cheerful colour to your planter.
Cut-and-come-again lettuce: Instead of growing a head of lettuce, you can choose cut-and-come-again lettuce. You simply snip off a few leaves for your lunch, and the plant continues to grow.

How do you arrange the planter?

When arranging your Vercony planter for the balcony, it's wise to consider the growth habit. Place the tallest plants (such as a tomato plant or a tall rosemary branch) in the middle or against the back. Place the lower herbs and flowers at the front, right at the opening that extends through the slats.

An extra tip: weave the tendrils of nasturtium or a climbing strawberry through the slats. This creates a vertical screen of balcony plants that looks beautiful both from the inside and from the street. This also immediately provides a bit of extra privacy on your balcony.

Caring for your plant mix

Because you're putting different types of plants together, good care is essential. Always use hydro-granules at the bottom of your Vercony balcony planter for drainage. Different plants have different needs, but most herbs and vegetables like

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can you simply put herbs, flowers, and perennials together in one planter?

Yes, you can, as long as the plants have similar sun and water requirements. For example, you can easily combine Mediterranean herbs like thyme and rosemary with sun-loving flowers such as lavender or Spanish marguerites. In our Vercony planter on the balcony floor, different types of plants have plenty of space to develop their roots, allowing for a beautiful and varied mix.

2. Which plant combinations work best on the balcony?

The secret to a beautiful mix lies in playing with heights, colours, and functions. A few popular and proven combinations for your balcony are:

The fragrant summer mix: Combine lavender, French geraniums, and rosemary for a delightful scent and a true holiday feeling.
The gourmet mix: Plant lettuce, chives, tomatoes, and hanging strawberries together for a colourful and edible collection.
The shade mix: Place colourful fuchsias, impatiens, and fresh ferns together on a cooler balcony.

3. How do I prevent fast growers from overgrowing other plants in the planter?

Some plants, like mint or ivy, spread very quickly and can crowd out the roots of other plants. To prevent this, it's best to place vigorously spreading species in the planter with their nursery pot. This way, the roots remain contained, while the leaves and branches above ground still contribute beautifully to the plant mix.

4. How do you properly water a mixed planting in the planter?

Because different plants are in the same potting soil, good drainage is very important. Always ensure that excess irrigation and rainwater can drain away from the bottom of the planter. On hot summer days, preferably water the potting soil around the plants early in the morning, so that each plant gets enough moisture without the leaves and flowers getting wet.

5. How do you keep a mixed balcony plant mix beautiful all summer long?

With a few minutes of maintenance per week, your plant mix will stay fresh and full all season. Regularly snip off faded flowers so that plants continue to produce new buds. During the growing season, give some liquid organic plant food every two weeks and feel free to trim back stems that have grown too long. This will keep the mix beautifully balanced, and you'll enjoy a colourful border on your balcony for months.