Need advice on West Facing Balcony in the Bay Area

11 years ago

I like some help in helping my mom setup a balcony garden. My mom moved from the Northeast to the one hour out from the bay area. She used to live on a single house with a sizable yard, but she now live in a condo with only a balcony. Here's a picture of a similar model.

Here are some stats and HOA restrictions:
* Plant Hardiness zone is 9a to 10a.
* Balcony is roughy 8 ft x 20 ft. This is only a guess.
* Balcony has a roof but is otherwise opened.
* Balcony faces West. I do not know what this translate to in terms of hours of sunlight.
* HOA only allow containers with saucer to prevent water drips. No drip system is allowed. You can only hand water the plants.
* Each plant cannot be over 12 feet in height (I assume this does not include container) and over 24 feet in diameter.

Based on these restriction, how would you select plants? My mom wll be there to water the plant every day, but less maintenance would be better. She would probably like something that flowers, is pretty, and attracts wild life. She does not plan to grow food. She also has a cat, which she does not plan to let out the balcony unless she is there, but perhaps plants that are not poisonous if eaten may be a good idea. She prefer perennials that are not overly fussy.

My thoughts are to use some California natives, but since it's so dry there the plant may have a really long tap root that may be impractical for containers. I am thinking some Succulent plants, but what else?

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Comments (5)

calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
11 years ago
Her west exposure reminds me of a commercial planting in Santa Rosa. The strip of shops faces Farmers lane in Montgomery Village, facing west. A Potato Vine, Solanum jasminoides is planted about every 10 feet along the rail. It is covered with white flowers all summer. It is just starting to bloom right now, stunning! Al
hosenemesis
11 years ago
Ivy geraniums in hanging baskets flower freely and over a long season.

Big pots of echeverias will get flower spikes that attract hummingbirds, and they are pretty easy-care.

Jasmine is easy to grow and will do well in a large pot. It has nice glossy green foliage.
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paulsiu
Original Author
11 years ago
It turns out the patio is facing East. I do like the idea of Geranium, echeverias, and Jasmine, but the HOA may not allow hanging plants.

Question, how much sun do you think the patio will be getting? Does this depend on the area it is on.

Paul
bahia
11 years ago
Post some pictures that people can see, your first wasn't visible for me. East facing will mean morning sun until noon, but may be shadier than that if trees block full sun. I'd suggest pots with succulents in general will be the easiest plant types to care for, and there are so many types.Glazed ceramic pots, or self-watering fiberglass pots may be very practical and require less frequent watering. I have the opposite opinion of the White Potatoe Vine for a balcony; too rampant growing and ugly looking in colder weather. Consider her Sunset zone when selecting succulents, but having a roof overhead helps with protection from winter wet and cold, a combination some succulents don't like.

The Sunset Western Garden Book has an excellent section on good container plant choices. I'd also suggest a nursery visit to a great retail nursery known for their vast selection of containers, such as Flora Grubb Nursery in San Francisco, or Annie's Annuals Nursery in Richmond, California. Aw Pottery off Hwy 880 in Oakland is also a great source for containers.

A consultation on-site with a landscape designer well versed in container gardening might also save you time and money. If you do a search for posts with photos under my name, I'm sure I've posted examples of varied container plantings on here over the years that might get you thinking of possibilities.
Tmnca
11 years ago
Rosemary, lavender and sages will do well, non toxic to cats and low maintenance. My gardens consist mainly of these! With the roof on the balcony it will not get a huge amount of sun, and you wouldn't be able to fit any 12' plants anyway.

I do not recommend letting the cat on the balcony without screening it, though. Cats frequently fall off balconies when they make a mis-step and are seriously injured or die. They can be over-confident, and they can jump up on the railing fast enough the owner can't stop them without making things worse. You can get invisible screens to keep the cat safe and not bother the HOA...

Here is a link that might be useful: High Rise Syndrome - cats