Planning a balcony garden on three budgets

When people ask us to plan a balcony garden, the first question is usually the budget. Here is what three common budgets buy, at our current prices, for a typical balcony of 6 by 4 feet.

Around ₹5,000 is a good start for a small, shaded balcony. A snake plant at ₹799, three pothos and two ZZ plants in 6 inch pots at about ₹350 each, the succulent pair at ₹650, a set of terracotta pots at ₹1,150 and a repotting kit at ₹549 come to about ₹4,900. You do the potting yourself on a Sunday morning.

Around ₹15,000 suits a balcony with some sun. Add a monstera at ₹1,450, two medium palms, a hanging basket with ferns, a railing planter with herbs like basil and mint, and a few flowering plants such as periwinkle and hibiscus. Include delivery, potting and our ₹499 visit, which is adjusted against your order. Around ₹40,000 covers a larger, fully planned balcony: a fiddle-leaf fig at ₹2,200, large ceramic planters, a simple drip-watering kit on a timer, pebble trays, a vertical planter on the wall, and a gardener’s visit every month for the first three months to prune, feed and check for pests.

Whatever the budget, the most money is usually saved by choosing plants that suit your light, because replacing failed plants adds up quickly. Spend on good pots and soil first, then add plants slowly over a few months as you learn what grows well on your balcony.