Operation Desert Design

Spring has finally begun! And as this will be our third summer in this apartment, we should really be thinking about making more use of our balcony.

Oh, the balcony. Aka 'the desert'. Blasted by full sun, and windy as heck, only the hardiest of plants (and people) survive there.

But after living with it for so long, and lots of trial-and-error, I think we've come to realise what can and can't survive out there. I'm going to post some before pictures now. Get ready.

The west side. Look how sad it is. So many weeds (if only weeds were pretty! Then there'd be no problem populating the balcony with greenery). And a random collection of pots. The only vegetable that grows out there is shallots, which is great, but there hasn't been much happening in that department since Winter started.

This is our storage box/bench. It's nice, but needs some complimentary items to feel like it's a piece of outdoor furniture rather than a box with random stuff in it. Also, it is very alone in the east corner.

It's not all bad, the Yukka and jade trees do really well out here - which tells me that more hardy succulent and desert-tough plants are the way to go.

So here are some ideas I've been collecting this year:

The Style Files

I like those big pots, and the adirondac-style chairs are cute.

Desire to Inspire

Cane chairs painted bright colours are pretty cool! Not sure the cushions would survive, but if they could be stored in the box when we're done outside, it could work!

Image source unknown, sorry!

I wonder how many planky wood tiles it would take to cover the balcony? Probably a lot. Still, I also like the pot plant border.

Ikea Hacker

This is one of my favourite Ikea hacks. Those chairs look comfy and sturdy.

The Style Files

Deck chairs or directors chairs are always an option, but I fear they would blow away or the fabric would get too damaged . Loving that giant f-off cactus though (oh, and the view!)!

So, can you tell I'm really not a green thumb and need some help in the plant department? And any suggestions for coffee-style tables or additional nice stuff are welcome. As usual, we're aiming for second-hand purchases on the chairs if possible, and you know I'm no stranger to upgrading things with a lick of paint.

I'll post as things progress!