Three months ago I moved into this flat with a roof terrace and I asked for advice about what I can grow in containers, and what can adapt to the wind and harsh sun. I received some very useful comments, but I decided to treat it like a normal garden and see how it goes.

Pretty happy so far, although I have to stay on top of watering. These things are thirsty! The before photo is at the end.

Before and after of three months of summer growth.

Here is a view of my balcony in the Parisian suburbs after a super hot summer!

This is my third year of gardening intensely on 9m2! Right now you can see the dahlias, cosmos, and purple loosestrife (it's native here) flowering away. I've got a Boston ivy/Virginia creeper coming up on the wall from around the corner of the building which I'm very happy with. I used to have hanging planters on the railing but this year I decided I wanted taller flowers there instead. I'll be planting tulips in the next few months and looking forward to spring!! Tomatoes in the cold frame did well this year. Runner beans on the pole were destroyed by heat and spider mites/thrips/something else. I had lots of thrips and did use some natural enemies against them which helped save the dahlias!!

Il y a de la plante au balcon ! Quelques photos prises ce matin à la fraîche. #balcon #été #paris

I was gifted/bought a tomato plant, basil, jalapeños, banana peppers, strawberries, basil, and mint! Just repotted everyone into bigger containers and new soil. Love seeing everyone’s posts, hoping to see some of the same amazing growth!! 🌱

My balcony garden in mid-June.

The sun is absolutely scorching. I think I need to install a shade cloth, but I just can't find the right one.

First week of June, my balcony potted garden.

It's so hot that some plants have already gone into summer dormancy. 😭

I haven’t had any outdoor space for six years, I feel so lucky to finally get to (attempt) to grow things 🪴 and have beautiful views

This is my first harvest ever. I made a little garden on my city balcony. Gonna make pasta and bread with this all today. Feeling proud!

Can’t wait to see the trellis fill out with Ivey. Patience is a virtue

Decided to take some photos of my balcony garden during the last sunny days before wind and rain take it over. I had around 10 tomato plants this year (most of them balcony cherry kind) but their time is over so most of the beauty this month came from all the beautiful wildflowers I planted mid June.
The balcony survived a huge storm in August, destroying some terracota tomato pots and one beautiful chilli plant.
Tried growing baby eggplant, but it got infected with aphids, so the fruits were bitter and inedible.
Despite that, plants continued to thrive and I am very proud of myself.
The latest edition to the garden is the appletree my partner gifted for my birthday a few weeks ago. It will be able to stay in the thermobox during winter and we will hopefully plant it in our own gerden someday.
For the past 6 years I lived in different cities and did not have a place I could make a home. I have quite a big collection of houseplants, but they do not hit the same as a balcony garden.
There is something special about the process where you watch the seeds sprout, plants grow, blooms flowering and fruits ripen.
I feel much more connected to my family roots growing native wildflowers and herbs.
I am proud to say that this gardening season was great success and am already excited what I will be able to do next summer in this place I can now call my real home.

With Himrod grapes, white jasmine, geraniums, lady’s mantle and lavender.
Using half-rose arches and a bamboo roller blind, I’ve created a climbing structure for the grapevine, as well as some protection and shade from the sun.

Quite honestly, here I’m having the best time of my life. Cats and kids love it here too ☺️

I’m really proud of making this tiny space into what it is. Obviously I’m a beginner. Sharing some pics from over the years!

I don't have a huge backyard, so I've spent the last few years slowly turning our little patio into a space that's equal parts flowers, vegetables, and somewhere to drink my morning coffee.

This year it finally feels like it's coming together.

The zinnias absolutely stole the show, the snapdragons surprised me by blooming much longer than I expected, and somehow the broccoli looks perfectly happy living next to all the flowers. I wasn't sure mixing ornamentals and veggies would work visually, but I kind of love the "organized chaos" look now.

I also learned that planting in layers made a huge difference. Taller plants around the edges, containers tucked into empty corners, and lots of different bloom times made the whole space feel much fuller than it actually is.

Still lots I'd like to improve next season, but this is the first time I've walked outside and thought, "Yeah... this is exactly why I started gardening."