Balcony and terrace flower gardening in Indian cities

What it is

A typical balcony holds a tulsi, the holy basil, in a place of honour, with a few flowering shrubs in clay or plastic pots: red hibiscus, mogra jasmine, a rose, a bougainvillea trained along the railing. On a roof terrace the collection grows to dozens of pots, grow bags and old paint tins, often with vegetables and a climber or two over a frame. Flowers are picked in the morning for the household shrine, so plants that bloom daily are valued most.

Plants for the seasons

India's seasons decide what works. Across the northern plains the cool months from October to March are the time for annuals raised from seed or bought as seedlings: marigolds, petunias, calendulas, pansies, dianthus and chrysanthemums. Summer needs tough plants such as portulaca, periwinkle, zinnias and the blue butterfly pea. In the humid south and on the coasts, perennials such as ixora, crepe jasmine, hibiscus and desert rose flower much of the year.

How it works

The limits are sun, weight and water. A south or west balcony gets fierce afternoon sun, and a north one may get too little for flowers. Wet soil is heavy, so gardeners use light mixes of soil, compost and coconut fibre, and place big pots over beams or near walls. Pots need drainage holes and trays, and daily watering in summer. In the monsoon the risks are waterlogging and fungus, so pots are raised and thinned out.

How to take part

1. Watch how many hours of direct sun your balcony gets before buying anything.
2. Start with three sturdy plants, such as hibiscus, mogra and periwinkle, in pots at least 30 centimetres wide.
3. Water early in the morning, and feed with compost once a month.
4. Add winter annuals in October in the north, and prune shrubs after the rains.
5. Ask a neighbourhood nursery what does well on your side of the building.

Good manners

• Use trays so that muddy water does not drip onto the flat below.
• Fix railing pots securely. A falling pot can injure someone.
• On a shared terrace, agree with the building society before you add heavy planters.

The flowers

Arabian jasmineA small white jasmine with a strong, sweet scent, treasured in Asia for garlands and ceremoniesMarigoldA group of bright annual and perennial flowers known worldwide as marigoldsRose mossA low, colourful succulent with bright flowers for sunny gardens and containersButterfly peaA climbing herb with vivid blue flowers used for dye, tea and soil improvementPetuniaA South American garden flower with trumpet-shaped blooms in many colours

Also part of it, and being written: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Catharanthus roseus, Bougainvillea.

Sources and further reading

• Container garden on Wikipedia