Being high up, balconies and roofs are often more prone to the effects of cold winds than lower levels. Wind can lash plants around and damage them. Drying winds can quickly dry out the soil and give the foliage windburn. Plants may also receive too much sun. Extremely hot sun may not only damage the plants themselves, it can also dry the soil.

If you know that wind or sun is going to be a problem, try to choose plants that will tolerate them. Or provide some sort of protection against the elements.

Rather than trying to block out the wind entirely with solid panels that could look awkward or lead to turbulence as the wind travels over them, filter or slow down the wind with trellis panels. Ready-made wooden ones are generally available up to 1.8m (6ft) in height. When fixing them to the boundary walls or elsewhere make sure that they are really secure. One can only partially screen balconies, of course; perhaps trellis panels at each end would do the trick. Read the rest of this entry »

These are often grouped with shrubs to create contrast in shape, texture and colour. Many perennials will not flower or grow well in containers, so they have to be chosen carefully. Those described here are known from experience to adapt readily to life in containers.

Hardy perennials are best grown in a well-drained soil containing loam, peat and sand, but all-peat soils are also suitable. Best planting time is early spring. Remember that most perennials die down for the winter and then contribute nothing until next summer or perhaps late spring. The dead growth should be cut down to soil

level in the autumn. If grown in their own containers they can then be moved to another part of the garden where hopefully they will be hidden from view. Read the rest of this entry »

It probably comes as a surprise to learn that window boxes have been used for growing plants since Roman times. These were undoubtedly earthenware containers, but since then many other materials have been used for making them. In Medieval Europe, for instance, window boxes were made from wattle or strips of wood woven together, as well as from metal, and again clay, especially terracotta.

Choosing Boxes

Today it is possible to buy window boxes in various materials. Terracotta is still used, and these boxes look very nice, too, especially on older-style properties, including country houses. They often have ornate relief designs. But there is one drawback with terracotta window boxes. Being porous, the soil is inclined to dry out rapidly during warm weather. Read the rest of this entry »