A balcony is no longer just a place to hang 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, colorful bloomers, 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 colorful, this lacks the dynamism that a mix of balcony plants offers. By combining plants, you create a small-scale ecosystem. Flowers attract pollinators like 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 incidence 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 foundation: The Vercony planter on the ground

For a successful mix of balcony plants, you need a planter that is stable and 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 directly as a climbing frame from the planter.

Step 1: Colorful bloomers 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 fall outwards through the slats. Consider:

• Petunias or Surfinias: These create a sea of color.

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

• Nasturtium: A double-duty plant! The flowers are beautiful and edible in a salad.

Step 2: Fresh herbs for scent and the kitchen

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

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 be careful: mint grows very quickly. It's best to bury mint in a small pot inside the large planter to prevent it from overwhelming other plants. Chives, with their purple flowers, fit perfectly among the ornamental flowers.

Step 3: Compact vegetables for harvesting

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

• Snack tomatoes: Choose a bush variety. These don't grow too tall and are full of fruit.

• Peppers and bell peppers: These plants have beautiful glossy leaves, and the fruits add a cheerful color to your planter.
• Loose-leaf lettuce: Instead of growing a head of lettuce, you can choose loose-leaf lettuce. You just snip off a few leaves for your lunch, and the plant continues to grow.

How to arrange the planter?

When arranging your Vercony planter, it's smart to consider the growth habit. Place the tallest plants (like a tomato plant or a tall rosemary branch) in the middle or against the back. Place the lower herbs and flowers at the front, precisely 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.

Care for your plant mix

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