A balcony is no longer just a place to hang laundry. It's an extension of your living room, your own little piece of nature in the city. The current trend? A "combined balcony." Instead of opting for just flowers or a vegetable garden, we're now mixing and matching balcony plants en masse. A combination of fragrant herbs, colorful blooms, and homegrown vegetables not only gives your balcony a lush look but is also functional. In this article, we'll explain how to create the perfect mix and why a railed balcony with the right containers 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, it lacks the dynamism offered by a mix of balcony plants . 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 create a much more interesting view from your sofa.

With a railed balcony, you benefit from optimal light from the sides. This is essential for both vegetables and flowers. The challenge is often floor space. That's why our Vercony planter is so popular for this mix; because the planter extends through the rails, 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 container with sufficient volume. Vegetables like small bush tomatoes or bell peppers need deeper roots than a simple pansy. Traditional hanging baskets are often too shallow and dry out too quickly.

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

• Moisture regulation: A larger container on the ground retains moisture much more evenly than a hanging container in the wind.
• Load-bearing capacity: A mix of vegetables and flowers can get 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 bars as a trellis directly from the box.

Step 1: Colorful bloomers as an eye-catcher

Start your mix with a few strong bloomers. These will form the visual foundation of your balcony. For a baluster balcony, hanging bloomers are beautiful because they can cascade down the balusters. Consider:

• Petunias or Surfinias: These provide an enormous sea of ​​color.
• Lobelia: For a deep blue accent color that contrasts beautifully with green herbs.
• Nasturtium: A plant with a dual role! The flowers are beautiful and edible in a salad.

Step 2: Fresh herbs for the aroma and the kitchen

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

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

Step 3: Compact vegetables for harvest

You don't need a 20-square-meter vegetable garden to harvest. These days, there are many varieties of vegetables specifically grown for pots and containers. These are the best for your balcony plant mix:

• Cherry tomatoes: Choose a bush variety. These don't grow too tall and are covered in berries.
• Peppers and bell peppers: These plants have beautiful glossy leaves and the fruits add a cheerful color to your container.
• Lettuce: Instead of growing a head of lettuce, you can choose to grow lettuce. You simply snip off a few leaves for your lunch, and the plant simply keeps growing.

How do you divide the container?

When arranging your Vercony planter, it's wise to consider its growth habit. Place the tallest plants (such as a tomato plant or a tall rosemary branch) in the center or toward the back. Place the shorter herbs and flowers at the front, right by the opening that protrudes through the bars.

A bonus tip: weave the tendrils of a nasturtium or a climbing strawberry through the railings. This creates a vertical screen of balcony plants that looks beautiful both from inside and outside. This also instantly adds a touch of privacy to your balcony.

Caring for your plant mix

Because you're planting different types of plants together, proper care is essential. Always use hydroponic clays at the bottom of your Vercony container for drainage. Different plants have different needs, but most herbs and vegetables thrive in different conditions.