Flower Boxes & Balcony Boxes

With a little skill and planning, the balcony and terrace can be transformed into a green oasis

Balcony boxes and flower boxes are the suitable flower pots for balconies and terraces. Even in the smallest of spaces, planters allow for many design options.

If you want to green a balcony, you should make sure that the balcony boxes attached to the balcony railing are not too large and have only a low dead weight. In addition, the flower boxes should be equipped with water storage.

The ideal material for balcony boxes is light, thin-walled but at the same time robust plastic. It is advisable to purchase a complete set consisting of a planter, plant insert, watering set and matching holder.

At fleur amis, the ideal material for balcony boxes is lighter, thinner-walled but at the same time robust plastic.

At fleur ami you will find complete sets that combine functionality with visually appealing design. The shapely balcony boxes have a textured surface in an attractive wicker look.

Plant boxes for the terrace can be somewhat larger and heavier. Glass-fibre-reinforced plastic has proven itself as a material for flower boxes. Plant boxes with a concrete look are also very popular. Made of fibreglass-reinforced natural cement, these planters not only look totally cool, they are also weatherproof, robust and relatively light. Take a look around at fleur ami at your leisure, here you will find all the stylish planters.

Other commonly used materials for flower boxes are wood, polyrattan and stainless steel. There really is something to suit everyone's taste.

Wooden flower boxes have a natural charm. Flower boxes made of polyrattan look tasteful and are also extremely weather-resistant. Planters made of hardy stainless steel look noble and elegant.

Large selection of shapes and colours for balcony and flower boxes

Balcony and flower boxes are mostly square, elongated planter boxes. Some, more suitable for patio areas, are also square.

To ensure that a balcony box does not offer too much of an attack surface even in strong winds, it must not be too high. A height of about 20 cm is ideal.

The length of the balcony box depends primarily on the length of the balcony. It is better to take two longer balcony boxes than four short ones. After all, to ensure the growth of the plants, a certain volume of soil and thus a sufficient length is required. A length of approx. 50 cm to 80 cm is ideal. Lushly planted balcony boxes over 80 cm long could become too heavy and come loose from the support.

Flower boxes are used without a holder and are therefore allowed to be a little longer and higher. On average, the length of a flower box is 100 cm.

But the length and height depend ultimately on the type of use. A herb planter box on the windowsill in the kitchen may of course not be as long and not as high as a flower box that serves as a patio border.

As dark planters heat up more easily and allow water to evaporate more, you should prefer light colours, especially for smaller to medium-sized planters.

Grey or white is often chosen as the colour for flower boxes. If the flower box is large, the planter box may also be darker in colour (e.g. anthracite).

What is the difference between a flower box and a balcony box?

A balcony box is a planter that can be hung on the balcony railing or balustrade with the help of a bracket. There is no more space-saving way to position a sea of flowers on the balcony.

If the holder is missing, it is a flower box. The usually elongated plant box is used, for example, in the indoor area as a flower box on the windowsill and in the outdoor area, as a patio border, on steps in the entrance area or also as an eye-catcher on dull walls.

Guide to the correct planting of balcony boxes?

Let your creativity run wild. When planting your flower box on the balcony, it is important to pay attention to the height and width of the plants. Deep-rooted plants are not suitable for planting in a balcony box because they take up too much space.

There are no fixed rules for planting balcony boxes. You can plant flowers, but also fresh herbs in the balcony box. It all depends on whether you have a preference for colourful flowers or whether you prefer more of a miniature kitchen garden.

Before buying your plants, consider whether the flowers or herbs you are planting the window boxes with need to be in a sunny position or require a shady spot. If in doubt, seek advice on which plants will thrive best on your balcony. This will help you to avoid unnecessary and expensive wrong purchases.

Your plants must be content with a minimum of soil. Therefore, look for high-quality soil. An adequate supply of nutrients should also be ensured. Regular fertilising and an adequate water supply are the basis for your plants to grow and thrive in the flower box in only a limited space.

Before you put your plants in, you should submerge the pot ball in a bucket of water. This ensures that the plants are well supplied with water from the start. Make sure there is about a hand's width between the individual plants. The plants, which are only small at first, will quickly grow larger and otherwise take each other's space.

Use the space available in the balcony box as economically as possible. Hanging plants - e.g. geraniums or fuchsias - look very pretty at the front or back edge of the planter box. In addition, plants growing upright in the middle of the box look very good.

Important: Drainage for flower boxes

Plants do not like waterlogging. Therefore, check whether your planter boxes have drainage holes through which excess water can run off.

First cover the drainage holes, which may have been opened with a pointed knife, with some clay shards. Then fill some blown clay or gravel into the planter box. The layer should be about 3 cm high. Then cover the expanded clay or gravel layer with fleece. Finally, you can fill soil into the planter box. Your planter box is now perfectly prepared for planting.

Tip: It is easier if you have flower boxes with water storage. Then you don't need an additional drainage layer and can start planting right away.