Balcony and Rooftop Landscaping
With the growing trend towards inner – city living, more people are moving out of the suburbs and into apartments and town houses. This has seen a huge shift in the landscaping industry; instead of courtyards and patios, many landscapers are now working on balconies and rooftop gardens.
Designing balconies and rooftops requires a different approach from landscaping your traditional backyard. This guide will outline the fundamental elements of working with smaller spaces and shows you how to apply them to your balcony or rooftop. From choosing the right pavers for Melbourne’s trend to picking out the best garden screens, you can use our tips to perfect your next landscape!
Landscaping smaller spaces is deceptively difficult. When you have a large area to work with, you can incorporate many ideas without design elements clashing. Smaller areas require greater attention to detail and you’ll have to be attentive when it comes to choosing landscape features.
Here are some basic tips for landscaping small spaces:
- Start off with a colour scheme
- Keep the project scale in mind, right from the start
- Incorporate multi – purpose features
- Keep things simple
Once you’ve followed those guidelines, you can apply them to landscaping balconies and rooftops.
Take these steps when you get started:
- Determine the sun aspects of the area
- Determine whether the balcony requires private and wind screening
- Consider the view you would like to see
- Determine if you need to eliminate external noise
The balcony or rooftop’s sun exposure will determine how you will want to set up plants and screens. For outdoor paving, you’ll want tiles and pavers that won’t be affected by sun or weather. With this in mind, it’s hard to look past natural stone pavers; require very little maintenance and offer a beautiful, timeless look.
Decorative screens are very popular in Australian landscaping, and are the perfect example of the type of multi – purpose features you should look to include on your balconies and rooftops. Besides fitting seamlessly into a variety of designs, screens will also provide shade, keep the wind out and create privacy. Whether you choose wood, timber, glass, stone or metal screens, make sure they’re in tandem with the rest of your landscape. Decorative screens made from Corten Steel are an excellent option, giving any landscape a modern aesthetic and looking great with most hardscape materials and plants.
Because you have a small area to work with on balconies and roofs, you’ll have to incorporate landscape elements that maximize space. For starters, use neutral colours for the decking and walls – this creates the illusion of spaciousness and width.
You have a wide range of options when it comes to decking and flooring your balcony or rooftop garden. Timber decking will give your landscape an earthy and minimalist look. On the other hand, natural stone pavers such as bluestone, travertine and granite are used extensively in Melbourne and always secure choice as stone pavers never seem to age!
Plants are a fantastic choice when selecting features for your balcony or rooftop landscape. They’re welcoming, add character and fit seamlessly into contemporary and traditional designs. Keeping in mind Melbourne’s changeable weather, pick plants that have good wind tolerance. If you don’t have a lot of time for maintenance, you can put them in self-watering pots.
For an even more spectacular effect, we highly recommend using green walls. They’re easy to install and require very little maintenance, but will make your balcony or rooftop garden truly stand out.
A beautifully landscaped balcony or roof top can hugely enhance your property, which you’ll also see reflected in its market value. Plus, you’ll enjoy the benefits of being able to use your outdoor living areas all year around while guests will look forward to relaxing on your stunning balcony.
Don’t just settle for any singular, lifeless colour or design when it comes to selecting pavers for your outdoor entertaining area. Choose pavers with personality similar to your own that still complement the surrounds of your property.
