How often do we want to escape from the city's everyday life, from the monotonous city landscapes ... And how often do you want to walk in your own garden, enjoy a variety of shades and colors of plants and flowers, catch all kinds of overflows and bends of their stems, disconnect from the bustle and just enjoy the silence of plant life.
But, unfortunately, living conditions in modern cities often do not allow us this, we are too attached to a city apartment due to professional activities or we simply do not have our own land. It would seem that only occasional trips to parks and squares can serve as a single outlet, and there are so many times that there is not enough time because of the current rhythm of city life.
Destination of floristics
To help in this situation, phytodesign comes to us on balconies and terraces. This is a very popular trend in floristry. And if you decide to do landscaping on your balconies and terraces, then in this article you will find useful recommendations and certain secrets of this art.
Always remember that picking plants for gardening on their balconies and terraces, you need to be guided not only by your taste, but also take into account the conditions and technology of their cultivation, appearance, timing and duration of flowering. It should also take into account the location of the balcony regarding its orientation to the sides of the world, its illumination during the day, protection from adverse weather conditions: scorching sunlight, strong wind.
Glazed balconies make the conditions of plant maintenance more comfortable: protect from wind, frost in spring and autumn. And to solve the problem of scorching sun and overheating on hot days, you only need to order the blinds. But you should also consider the possibility of airing, given that most plants do not like strong drafts.
It is necessary to choose in advance the plants suitable for your purposes, taking into account the terms of their flowering, shapes and dimensions, to select the color range of flowers and leaves, aroma. This will allow you to choose exactly those plants for your balcony and terraces, which will provide them with flowering and juicy greens from early spring to late autumn.
Using phytodesign on terraces and balconies, one should take into account the principles of competent combination of colors. Following these principles, you can make your composition unforgettable and harmonious. Remember that the base colors are yellow, red and blue, and their combination allows you to get other colors. Some experts recommend using a contrast combination of colors in phytodesign, since this makes the composition more interesting and easy to perceive. Others are adherents of a combination of harmonious colors in the composition.
The choice of plants depending on the illumination
Here are some plants that are suitable for growing on balconies located on the sunny side. Annuals: astra, petunia, alissum, calendula, portulacus, snapdragon, ageratum, salvia, nemesina, verbena, cloves, zinnia, phlox, small-chrysanthemum, etc. Two-year-old daisies and pansies.
If your windows are in the penumbra, then use in the phytodesign on the balconies such annuals as marigolds, ageratum, lobelia, balsamin, reseda, petunia, etc. Viola flowers in semi-shade are larger than in the sun.
In conditions of complete shade, mimulus and nasturtium will feel good. Good flowering in such conditions in the tuberous begonia, fuchsia.
To hardy and unpretentious plants, which steadfastly resist winds and bad weather conditions, pests and diseases include marigolds, morning glory, sanitalia, petunia, etc.
That plants grown in containers grow well and please you with abundant flowering, do not forget about their watering, spraying, fertilizing, loosening the soil. Cut too long shoots, remove the heads of flowers that have faded, as well as yellowed leaves. Periodically inspect the plants in time to detect undesirable insect pests or disease manifestations.
When growing ampel plants in pendant pots, pay sufficient attention to the strength of the structure. Use light soil and drainage, which will reduce weight.
Replacement of plants in the composition during the year
To always have flowering plants on your balconies and terraces, you need to take care of their replacement and renewal within a year. For example, in the early spring, when the monotonous gray landscapes of the winter city are already terribly bored and cause depressive states, when you so want to please the eye with bright colors, pansies will help us in this. For cold-resistant crops, primroses and daisies are also included.
In the beginning of summer they can be replaced by tuberous begonias, which by this time begins to blossom.
Instead of begonias, which by autumn lose their attractiveness due to lack of heat, you can plant decorative cabbage, the intensity of coloring of the leaves becomes stronger when it gets colder.
In the late autumn, you can use a cold-hard hedge to decorate the balcony. And if your balcony is slightly insulated, then its bright flowers will please you even in winter.
When phytodesign on terraces and balconies, the main role is played by the selection of plants, the ability to profitably present the beauty of planted plants, based on the consistency of the combination of their color and shape. This is how the success of the composition is achieved, and not on the variety and the number of plants used.
Harmony
Harmony of the composition is achieved due to the correct ratio of its individual parts. Tall plants should be located in the center, and to the edge of undersized to achieve symmetry in the compositions.
In asymmetric compositions, tall cultures are planted in the background, displacing them to the edge.
To achieve harmony in color, it is recommended to use all possible shades of the same color. The composition can be composed of three or four species of closely related plants.
It should also take into account the background on which the plants will be presented. Unsuccessful background, which does not match the structure and color combinations of the composition, can do much harm to it. Your composition may simply be lost. And on the contrary, successfully selected background will allow to emphasize the beauty and elegance of the created picture from plants.
Experiment, try new things and have fun with the plants. The live picture you create on your own balcony or terrace will be unique, give a way to your creativity and emphasize your personality.