The balcony needs a good one, and not just in spring and summerWind and privacy protection. Even in the winter months, certain hardy balcony plants are perfect for the container garden. We list several flowers, trees and ornamental grasses that don't mind snow, wind and frost and are pleasing to the eye all year round.
Which balcony plants are hardy?
Which plants are actually hardy? Winter-hardy refers to those plants that are adapted to the climatic conditions in Central and Northern Europe and do not need overwintering. These include both native species and othersPlants in hardiness zone 7. The hardy balcony plants offer many advantages: They do not take up space in the apartment, but can remain outside. The evergreen species offer privacy and wind protection and the hardy flowers and foliage perennials also look great.
Balcony plants that are hardy and perennial
It would be best if the balcony plants were not only hardy but also perennial. This eliminates the need for the laborious replanting of pots, flower pots and balcony boxes.
Balcony plants that are hardy and perennial:
- The snow heather is available in several colors. It not only scores with a long flowering period from October to March, but is also easy to care for and very robust.
- The mock berry provides the container garden with attractive foliage andbeautiful red berries. Its leaves turn bronze in autumn, making it a real eye-catcher on the balcony all year round.
- The cotoneaster is a perennial evergreen plant. It is extremely robust and can easily survive the winter as long as the location suits it.
- Veronika: The Blue Dwarf variety is a hybrid that blooms from June to October.
All listed plants have one thing in common: they are planted in autumn (October-November). The maximum growth height can vary greatly depending on the species and variety, but most remain fairly compact and are ideal for container gardens.
Easy-care, winter-hardy balcony plants
Easy-care balcony plants are every hobby gardener's dream. There are several plants that really don't require much care and get through the winter without any problems. These are, for example:
- No other plant is as versatile as the hosta: its large leaves and beautiful flowers make it a popular alternative to evergreen trees. Depending on the variety, the planting time and the size of the perennial can vary greatly.
- The real Christmas rose is a true winter classic. The perennial begins to produce large white flowers in December, just before Christmas.
- The cranberry bears its fruit in September. However, their harvest period extends until November. The fruits of most varieties are edible and are considered true immune system boosters. Cranberries are self-pollinating plants that require little care.
Hardy balcony plants as privacy screens
Evergreen balcony plants are also perfect as privacy screens.
- The sugarloaf spruce (dwarf conifer) reaches a maximum height of 130 cm and is ideal as a privacy screen. The tree has fine, green needles. It thrives in both full sun and partial shade and feels at home both in the garden and on the balcony.
- The dwarf spruce grows to a maximum height of 1.50 meters. It can be perfectly combined with roses and foliage perennials. The dwarf spruce has a compact growth and prefers a sunny or shady location.
- The silver-blue balcony cypress is an evergreen hedge plant that grows to a maximum height of 1.50 meters. Although it comes from the Mediterranean region, the silver-blue cypress also feels at home on the balcony at home.
Many people wonder whether bamboo is also a winter-hardy balcony plant. Ultimately, it is one of the tall balcony plants that you cannot simply bring into the house. This is because the exotic plant has established itself in this country as an alternative to hedge plants. In fact, there are some varieties of bamboo that can withstand temperatures as low as -25° Celsius. These are mainly the varieties “Phyllostachys”. However, most bamboo varieties are only partially hardy. So you can overwinter your bamboo in a pot on the balcony, but you should protect it from frost and cold.
Evergreen balcony plants for the container garden
Even if you don't need a privacy screen for your balcony, you can integrate evergreen plants in pots into the balcony garden. Their evergreen foliage will brighten up the outdoor area even on dreary and cold autumn days. The following three evergreen balcony plants are ideal for the container garden:
- The Teddy petting tree of life is a perennial plant that grows very slowly. In winter its foliage turns a warm bronze shade. It is therefore perfect as an eye-catcher on the balcony.
- The evergreen honeysuckle provides food for birds and butterflies in summer. The climbing plant has no adhesive roots and is therefore suitable for planting on balconies and facades.
- The evergreen viburnum is a beautiful winter plant. With its height of 170 cm and its long flowering period from November to April, it is a real eye-catcher.
Hardy balcony plants for sunny and shady locations
In order for a plant to feel comfortable on your balcony, it is not just its degree of winter hardiness that plays a role. The location is also very important.
Hardy balcony plants for the south side:
- Snow heather, cranberry, silver-blue balcony cypress
Hardy balcony plants for sunny west-facing balconies:
- Mockberry, cotoneaster, dwarf spruce, teddy bear arborvitae, evergreen viburnum
Hardy balcony plants for shady and semi-shady north and east balconies:
- Hostas, real Christmas rose, evergreen honeysuckle
Hardy balcony plants for boxes
There are many hardy balcony plants, but most thrive best in containers. But there are also compact plants that feel comfortable in balcony boxes. These are, for example:
- The bud heather reaches a height of almost 25 cm. The plant produces many small, fiery red buds that are guaranteed to attract attention.
- The bell heather is the perfect autumn plant. It can be beautifully showcased with other autumn-flowering plants.
- The Japanese flower skimmia Rubella forms reddish-brown buds in October, which add color accents to the balcony until April.
The hardy balcony plants offer many advantages: They do not need winter quarters, require little care and, when watered regularly, are rewarded with green foliage, wonderful flowers or, in some cases, delicious fruits.
You will find nice suggestions on how you can plant your pots for the winterin this article.
