20+ Insider Small Balcony Garden Ideas to Make You Look Like a Pro

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Do you want to create a cool and cozy balcony? Well, we know that small apartment balcony decor can be challenging because of limited space. But don’t worry! We’ve come up with 22 great balcony garden ideas to turn your small balcony into an oasis of tranquility!

The best part is, these ideas won’t break your budget; this means you can enjoy designing without having to worry about money and planning! Sounds cool, isn’t it? So let’s jump in right away!

PSSTTTT!!!! This post may contain affiliate links. Basically, a win-win for you (awesome product) & us (a lil’ coffee fund). ☕️

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1. Plant a Living Vertical Wall

Average Installation Cost:  ₹650–1600 or $100-300 per square foot

Are you looking for a way to implement Pinterest or selfie-spot worthy apartment balcony garden ideas in your space? If yes, vertical gardening is the perfect solution for you! 

You can stack plants on any vertical space using Wood or PVC frames, removable planters and hydroponic systems. Plus, the best part is that the plastic cladding will keep your walls free of mold and damage. Additionally, you can also place in a small water body or bamboo-node waterfall along your vertical garden for a unique, zen-style balcony garden ideas.

Indoor Plants	Pothos (Money Plant), Lipstick Plant, Ferns, Spider Plant, Nerve Plant, etc.
Sun-loving Plants	Asparagus Fern, Cradle Flower, Song of India, Ficus Panda, Hostas, etc.

Quick Tip: Spray a diluted rubbing alcohol or neem oil solution on your vertical garden at least once a month to save it from mealy bugs & fungi.

2. Unique Balcony Garden Ideas with Reading Nooks

Estimated Cost (Concealed Bookshelf):  ₹3,000 – 20,000 or $150 – 1,200 as per the design

Get cozy chairs, loveseats, and bookshelves if you are up for some intimate, reading or closed balcony garden ideas. You can also use a bookshelf door or fabric canopies for extra comfort. Sliding bookshelves under a raised balcony deck can also create a sleek look!

3. Arrange a Worship Place

Estimated Price Range:  ₹5,000 – 40,000 for temples + up to ₹15,000 for a small deck

Thinking about turning your balcony into a private sanctuary for your home? First, start by cleaning it and add spiritual temples, screens, or rugs. Aftereward, you can also add fragrant or blooming plants, garlands and soft lights to help city balcony garden ideas take a spiritual turn!

Below is a tabular list to help you in choosing plants easily:

Sacred Plants	Tulsi, White Sandalwood, Peepal, Bermuda Grass, Neem
Flowering Plants	Jasmine, Marigold, Rose, Hibiscus, Aster, Gardenia, etc.

Moreover, you can also purchase some of our ethnic plastic bead decorations to decorate your balcony temple with typical, traditional accessories!

4. Small Balcony Garden Ideas with a Barbecue!

Average Setup Price:  ₹4,000 – 18,000 or over $500 for a premium charcoal grill

If you love outdoor barbecue like me, then a balcony grill is a perfect fit! You can even add a herb or vegetable garden for mega-fresh ingredients. Below are some plant options: 

Veggies	Cole crops, Beans, Chilies, Peppers, Tomatoes, Squash, etc.
Kitchen Herbs	Curry leaves, Mint, Sweet Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, Carom, etc.

But if outdoor cooking isn’t your style, stick to mini balcony garden ideas with just a dining area or pantry with wicker furniture, potted plants and turf. Additionally, you can even hang some macramé hammocks or recliners to curate your own lazy cozy Sunday hot coffee spot!

5. Canopy-style Small Balcony Garden Ideas

Estimated Cost:  ₹100 – 200 per square foot for awnings and ₹300 – 900 per square foot for a pergola, or over $250 – 3,500 as per the design and area.

Fabric Canopies or Pergolas with hanging planters are obviously one of the best balcony garden ideas for tropical regions like India. You can also add hammocks, hanging baskets or a trellis to your pergola for a boho-chic garden design.

Alternately, you can also curate a colorful textile canopy on it. Trust me, it’ll look so relaxing and vibrant, as if on a tropical vacay!

6. Illuminate the Balcony Space!

Average Lighting Cost:  ₹40–900 or $10 – 300 depending on the brand

This sentiment rings true, as light has the remarkable ability to transform any space. Warm lighting creates a cozy, inviting atmosphere, while cool light lends an urbane feel. Light obviously  affects plant growth too! Warm light helps flowers bloom, while cool light is better suited for herbs.

So when in doubt, let your balcony string lights do a round-about!

Caution: Always use certified lights with high weatherproof, waterproof and fire-retardant ratings to prevent electrical hazards.

7. Devise a Slatted Wall

Average Installation Cost:  ₹400–1000 / $6 – 20 per square foot

Ever felt uneasy in your own balcony? Well, you are not alone! Over 30 people from my Pinterest group shared the same last month!

Slatted walls are a total lifesaver in this case! These cool grilled walls give you a privy, semi-open gardening space without blocking the outdoors. And the slats create a regal Scandinavian vibe while protecting balcony goers from the harsh winds and sun.

8. Small Balcony Garden Ideas Using a Private Bar

Estimated Furniture Cost:  ₹20,000–60,000 or over $300 for a Folding Balcony Bar Table

Simple, plant-based balcony garden ideas You can have your own private bar on your balcony, so your party animals don’t have to wait to hit the bars! You can mount a small wine rack against your balcony railing or wall for extra floor space.

Or you can hide the winery against your balcony partition wall to keep your guests entertained all night long!

Quick Tip: Install sound-absorbing foam, mineral wool or fiber panels to avoid disturbing your neighbors.

9. Hang ‘em up!

Average Costing:  ₹60–1,500 or $5 – 40 per plant

Looking for some balcony garden ideas for small spaces? Surprisingly, hanging baskets and planters are your go-to-option! All you need are steel tension rods (or slatted railings) and a bunch of pots. 

Basically, you’ll have to mix and match plants of different colors, textures and leaf designs to make your display stand out. Furthermore, you can even hang high trellis curtains for some privacy!

Below are some colored plants and herbs that you can consider:

Green Plants	Ferns, Spider Plant, Strawberries, Pothos, Susan Vine, Dichondra, Sweet Potato Vine, Creeping Charlie, etc.
Purple Plants	Petunia, Bacopa, Lobelia, Blue Wonder, Purple Shamrock, Pansies, and Sweet Caroline Vine
Red Plants	Verbena, Ivy Geranium, Hanging Fuchsia, Coleus, Chenille, etc.

10. Mini Balcony Garden Ideas with DIY Bird Boxes

Regular Price: Over ₹300 or $10-50 for a ready-made bird-box, and ₹50–500 / $2 – 15 for the seeds

If we’ve learned anything from the pandemic, it’s the importance of living in harmony with nature! So why not transform them in our own DIY bird house?

Grab an old shoebox, cut two holes in it and seal the box with tape. Once it’s dry, pierce some holes and thread to hang it up. Voilà! Your DIY birdhouse is ready to go! 

But that’s not all! You can also pair your birdhouse with vibrant potted plants like Sunflowers, Asters, Dogwoods, Lavender, Marigolds, or Roses to attract butterflies! Or, you can also plant some Milkweed, Dandelions or Bedstraws to breed them further. 

11. Apartment Balcony Garden Ideas with a Foot Bath

Estimated Cost: ₹50,000–1,00,000 or $3,000 for a basic hot tub.

If you’ve ever wanted to soak your feet in a hot tub while enjoying the fresh air and beauty of your balcony garden, then you’ve come to the right place. 

Start by getting an approval from your homeowners’ association or property manager. Next, have the building architect or engineer evaluate the weight and water pressure. Finally, contact your local plumber for the drainage & plant a lot of aromatic plants around. Voilà! Your Turkish balcony ideas are ready! 

12. Floral Balcony Garden Ideas

Rough Cost: ₹30 – 400 for one flowering plant

If you’re looking for the best small balcony garden ideas, you can’t go wrong with a touch of flowering plants and trellises!

Here, you can hang terracotta pot holders and decorative kolam tiles if you want to add an ethnic, pan-Asia touch to your balcony design. Or, you can also paint the wall space a bright yellow or teal color to evoke the picturesque French villas of Pondicherry!

Here’s a list of the best flowering plants and creepers that you can use:

Flowering Plants	Hydrangea, Vervain, Lobelia, Begonia, Geranium, Mandevilla, etc.
Flowering Creepers	Climbing Roses, Star Jasmine, Bougainvillea, Moon flower, Trumpet Vine, Cypress Vine, Rangoon Creeper, etc.

Note: Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

13. Use the Macramé Small Balcony Garden Ideas!

Cost of Macramé Hammocks: ₹5,000–13,000 or $50-300, depending on the size

Elevate your outdoor space with Macramé, the art of knotting decorative patterns using fibers. While planters and dream catchers are popular Macramé pieces, you can create a cozy Scandinavian retreat by using Macramé swings, hammocks, and rugs. 

14. Flaunt the Mandala!

Estimated Cost: Large & intricate mandala pieces usually start from ₹7,000 or $200

The beautiful circular designs of mandala art have become a worldwide trend!

If you are an artist, you can add a touch of beauty to your home by sketching a circular graph with ethnic designs on your balcony walls. 

If you are not an artist, hire a mandala artist or purchase some of our mandala and lippan frames to decorate your home. You can also add Indian-style seating, rugs and plants to give your home a cultural setting.

15. Recycle ’em up!

Estimated Value: Literally free of cost!

If you want to live more sustainably and breathe more life into your household ‘rubbish’, try these DIY apartment balcony garden ideas:

• Paint old bottles and containers into unique planters for your balcony or patio. 
• Use bicycle tires and spokes to build an industrial-chic railing. 
• Turn large tires into stools, and arrange broken pots into charming rock gardens. 
• Sew leftover fabric into a colorful patchwork curtain for your balcony entrance. 
• Convert an old, unused aquarium tank into a balcony terrarium

16. Devise Faux Rock Garden Ideas!

Estimated Value: ₹200–2,000 / $50-100 for faux, acrylic rocks!

Raised rock gardens are a great way to add a touch of Japanese balcony garden ideas to your space. All you have to do is place a weed barrier, landscape sheet, and stacked rocks on the floor. Then, plant succulents and cacti or grasses in the gaps.

You can also add a rocky texture by using faux acrylic rocks on screws or brackets. Or, you can also opt for a low maintenance option with stone veneers or wallpaper.

17. Opt for Broken Tile Art

Rough Cost: Almost Free!

If you’re looking for a way to decorate your balcony garden sustainably, you can create your very own broken tile art. All you have to do is collect 5-6 colored tiles, smash them together with a hammer, lay them out as you like, and add colored grout to fill in the gaps.

18. Invest in a Comic-Themed Wall

Estimated Price: Over ₹2,000 for a comic wallpaper

Were you into Archie’s or Garfield when you were a teenager? Surprisingly, you can still relive those memories right on your balcony! How you ask?

Just put up some comic posters, panels, or even get a full-wall comic wallpaper. And to complete the perfect nostalgic hangout spot for us 90s kids, add some teal or pink furniture.

19. Don’t be Afraid to Go Monochrome!

Remember the green lady of Brooklyn who made headlines for sporting it all green? Well, you can too!

First, select a dominant colour such as black, red, blue, or white for your furniture and accessories. Next, incorporate cool geometric patterns, checks, or stripes for more visual interest. You can also add some metallic gold or silver accents or railings to amp the luxury!

 20. Drape the Curtains

Accessorize your space with pastel or vibrant curtains. Private balconies are often overlooked, but don’t worry! 

Install a dream curtain, and set up a basic grid of beams and stanchions to carve out your private space! If you’re looking for a more exotic look, pair matching flower pots with matching couches for a royal Italian daisy look!

21. Curate a Meditation Area

If you’re into chill vibes and getting your Zen on, a meditation balcony is the bomb. Throw in some cosy lights, Indian seats, aromatic plants, and a spot for incense sticks. And finally, don’t forget to add acoustic mineral wool panels on the balcony parapet to help you concentrate!

22. Balcony Garden Ideas for Growing Food

Average Cost: Around ₹2,000 for one composter

If you’re a foodie, you’ve probably heard of growing your own vegetables, herbs, and spices on your balcony. Well, balcony gardens are indeed a great way to grow your own food with no pesticides or chemicals. 

You can also use the plant material from your balcony garden to make fertilizer for future crops. It’s like having an endless supply of delicious food!

Conclusion

As we’ve seen, you don’t have to break the bank to turn your balcony into an oasis. You can reuse things you already own, paint walls, or use tile art as per your preferred balcony garden ideas. Finally, if you’re looking to add nature, you can choose from vertical garden ideas, rocks, or trellises!

And if you need more inspiration or questions on ‘Balcony Floor Tiles,’ or ‘Balcony Design‘ in general, I’ll be happy to help! But if you are confused in selecting an idea for yourself, contact our expert designers now!

External Resources

• How to Grow Vegetables in Your Backyard or Balcony? 
• Balcony, Terrace, and Patio Gardening by Margaret Davis