Plants on the terrace and balcony create a natural, relaxed atmosphere. But not all plants are suitable for growing in containers. Find out below which plants you can plant on your terrace and which location requirements need to be taken into account.
What can I plant on my terrace?
To beautifully plant your terrace, choose flowers, climbing plants, fruit or vegetable plants and exotic plants that are suitable for the location. Consider sun exposure and hardiness when selecting plants for optimal results.
What to plant on the terrace?
A terrace can be green, flowery or planted with fruit or vegetables. The following are available:
- Flowers
- Green trees
- climbing plants
- Fruits and vegetables
- Herbs
- exotic plants such as olive trees, citrus trees or similar
The most beautiful flowers for the terrace
Most flowering ornamental plants thrive in containers. However, it is important that you take the location requirements into account. You should never grow shade-loving begonias or balloon flowers on a south-facing balcony. These would burn in the midday sun. Otherwise, the sun-hungry lantana on the north balcony would wither away. Therefore, the orientation of the terrace is crucial for plant selection. Another interesting consideration is winter hardiness. Well-hardy potted plants can spend the winter on the terrace or balcony. However, potted plants should always be protected, for example by wrapping the pot in jute (€14.00 on Amazon) or another heat-insulating material. The following is a list of the most beautiful patio flowers with their flower color, sun requirement and winter hardiness.
| Name | Botanical name | Flower color | Location Requirements | hardy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balloon flowers | Platycodon grandiflorus | Violet to bluish, white | Shady to partially shaded | Yes |
| Begonia | Begonia | White, orange, yellow, red, pink etc. | Shadow | No |
| Blue Fan Flower | Scaevola aemula | Violet | Sunny to partial shade | No |
| Blue Daisy | Brachyscome iberidifolia | Blue to violet | Sunny to partially shaded | No |
| Brazilian Guava | Acca sellowiana | Pink-white with red stamp | Full sunny | Not likely |
| Dahlia | Dahlia | Pink, red, orange etc. | Sunny to partial shade | No |
| Dipladenia | Mandevilla | Red, pink, white etc. | Sunny | No |
| Real jasmine | Jasminum | White | Sunny | No |
| Elfspur | Diascia | White, pink, purple | Full sunny | Most varieties not |
| Vervain | Verbena | Violet to bluish | Sunny to partially shaded | No |
| Hardworking Lieschen | Impatiens walleriana | White, red, violet, pink etc. | Shady to partially shaded | No |
| Fuchsias | Fuchsia | Purple, pink, red | Shady to partially shaded | Depending on the variety, probably no |
| Geranium (pelargonium) | Pelargonium | Pink, white, violet, red etc. | Sunny | There are winter-hardy varieties |
| Hammerbush | Cestrum | White, orange, pink, red, violet etc. | Sunny | No |
| hydrangeas | Hydrangea | Blue, pink, red, white etc. | Can cope with all locations | Mostly yes |
| Hussar Button | Sanvitalia procumbens | Yellow | Sunny to partially shaded | Annual |
| Cape basket | Osteospermum | Many different colors | Sunny | No |
| Fullflower | Polygala | Violet to bluish | Full sunny | No |
| Liver Balm | Ageratum houstonianum | Bluish, pink, violet | Full sunny | Annual |
| True to men | Lobelia erinus | Blue, white, pink | Sunny to partially shaded | Annual |
| Petunia | Petunia | Pink, purple and other colors | Sunny to partially shaded | No |
| Purslane frogs | Portulaca grandiflora | Many different colors | Sunny | No |
| Magnificent Piers | Astilbe | White, pink, red etc. | Shady to partially shaded | Yes |
| Purple Bells | Heuchera | Red, pink | Penumbra | Yes |
| African Lily | Agapanthus | Blueish, white | Sunny to partially shaded | Not likely |
| Snowflake Flower | Chaenostoma cordatum | White | Penumbra | No |
| Marguerite | Argyranthemum frutescens | White, pink | Full sunny | No |
| Vanilla Flower | Heliotropium arborescens | Violet | Sunny to partially shaded | Annual |
| Forest Bellflower | Campanula | Violet or white | Shady to partially shaded | Yes |
| lantana | Lantana camara | White, pink, orange, yellow, mostly multicolored | Sunny | No |
| Magic bells | Calibrachoa | Many different colors | Sunny | Not likely |
| Ornamental tobacco | Nicotiana x sanderae | White, yellow, red, pink | Sunny to partially shaded | No |
| Zinnia | Zinnia elegans | Many different colors | Full sunny | Annual |
Climbing plants on the terrace
With climbing plants on the terrace you can add greenery to white walls or use them as a natural privacy screen or for shading.
| Name | Botanical name | Location | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triplet Flower | Bougainvillea | Full sunny | Beautiful, pink to purple flowers |
| Dipladenia | Mandevilla | Sunny | Sensitive to frost |
| Ivy | Hedera helix | Shady to partially shaded | Strongly rampant, can attack walls, hardy, evergreen |
| Honeysuckle | Lonicera | Partial shade | Evergreen, hardy |
| Bell Vine | Cobaea scandens | Sunny | Fast growing |
| Hops | Humulus | Sunny to partially shaded | hardy |
| Knotweed | Fallopia aubertii | Sunny, partial shade or shady | Gets very large, fast growing, hardy |
| Climbing Spindle | Euonymus fortunei radicans | Partial shade | Hardy, easy to care for |
| climbing trumpet | Campsis radicans | Sunny to partially shaded | Adhesive roots (be careful with masonry!), some varieties are hardy |
| Passionflower | Passiflora | Sunny | Not hardy, very attractive flowers |
| Morning Morning Glory | Ipomoea | Sunny | Sensitive to frost, pretty blue flowers |
| Black-Eyed Susan | Thunbergia alata | Sunny | Not hardy, beautiful, orange flowers |
| Star Jasmine | Trachelospermum | Partly shaded to sunny | Intoxicating scent |
| Clematis | Clematis | Sunny | Strong-growing |
| Wild Wine | Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris | Sunny | Beautiful leaf color in autumn |
Growing fruit and vegetables on the terrace
Deep-rooted plants that need a lot of space are of course not suitable for the terrace, so e.g. raspberries, gooseberries, fruit trees, etc. are out. Strawberries, on the other hand, can be grown very well in balcony boxes. Also salads and all herbs. Vegetables that need a little more space can be planted on a raised bed. Find out more here.
Plants for shady terraces
While most plants thrive in partial shade or sun, the choice of plants for north-facing terraces is significantly limited. In addition to the plants mentioned above that require little sun, ferns and various trees can be grown on the shaded terrace. You can find more ideas for planting on shady terraces in this post.
