A balcony garden provides city dwellers with their own green space for relaxation and gardening pleasure. Balcony, terrace and rooftop gardens also add much needed urban plant diversity for insects, including butterflies and bees. With a bit of creativity and planning you can soon have your personal little green oasis.

Balcony gardening, just like any type of landscaping, is best when planned beforehand. Consider the space at hand, the exposure to sun and wind, as well as walls and fences available for hanging baskets and climbing vines. If you lack sunlight, remember light and heat can be reflected from walls and windows.

Combine different container shapes and plant sizes to create depth and dimension. Place taller plants in the back, smaller ones in front. Group plants, but don't overcrowd them.

You can add trellises, a water fountain or hanging baskets between floor containers. Choose light-weight plastic or wooden pots that weigh less than ceramic containers.

When designing your container garden, remember that you also will be looking at your green space garden from indoors.

Many pretty plants do well on balconies. Depending on the space available, choose between flowering annuals and perennials, dwarf shrubs and trees, fruit, vegetables and herbs, miniature roses, evergreens and vines. Groom vines regularly to keep them from growing into your neighbour’s space.

Flowers attract moths, butterflies, bumblebees, bees, and many other insects as they drink the nectar for food and thus help pollinate your plants.

Butterflies love to sit in the warm sun. Provide some sunny spots with rocks in your mini garden to attract these beautiful visitors. A shallow birdbath with rocks provides them with lots of water for drinking and a safe place to land and sun.

Scented flowers attract an array of insects. If your balcony is located on a higher floor, some insects won’t come by as they don’t fly that high. If your balcony located high up, shake any new blossoms gently to pollinate your plants.

Native plants are a great choice for adding biodiversity in your urban garden. They have adapted to the local climate and are known to the local birds and insects, providing them with a superior source of food.

Native plants that attract caterpillars are asters, dogwood, and milkweed. Butterflies like to feed on the nectar of bergamot, milkweed, black eyed Susan, and goldenrods. Black Eyed Susan also attracts hummingbirds. In colder climate zones plant as them an annual.

Exotic passions flowers attract hummingbirds and bees, and the foliage hosts butterflies and caterpillars. Some species can grow in Canada.

Turn your urban balcony into your kitchen garden. Even a small balcony can be a productive garden plot. Herbs give off great scents and create an urban space full of life.

Grow your fresh produce without any herbicides and pesticides. Imagine fresh tomatoes that did not have to travel further than from your balcony to your kitchen counter. Watching the seeds that you plant grow is nourishing and connects you with the food you eat.

With the space restrictions of a balcony, grow only your favourite foods. Tomatoes like 4 - 6 hours of direct sunlight. Salads, peas, and herbs such as mint and parsley are tolerant to shade and grow also in northern exposure.

Cherry tomatoes, carrots, peppers, strawberries, and herbs are all great for container gardening. Container gardens require more water than soil gardens. Water accordingly, and if your balcony gets natural rain your plants will love it.