Gardens In The Sky

A well-designed balcony garden can be a place to gather with friends, grow plants or just enjoy the high life

- Karen Booth

It will hardly come as a revelation that we Aussies love spending time outdoors, especially in our at-home alfresco spaces. For some that will mean a family-sized backyard, but for many others the reality is more likely to be a courtyard at the rear of a townhouse or a balcony flowing from the living area of an apartment.

With high-rise outdoor living and gardening in mind, many new apartment buildings are being designed with better-oriented balconies and built-in shading or privacy screening. While there are some exceptions, apartment balconies and terraces tend to be of modest size, so you need to make the most of the space you have and ensure your “garden in the sky” is as inviting as possible.

Space, or the lack of it, isn’t the only prime design consideration. “There’s a lot to consider when designing a balcony garden,” says Steve Warner, landscape designer and founder of OUTHOUSE design. “Issues include wind direction and micro climate as well as how to take advantage of sightlines and maximise privacy. In the process, you have to be respectful and not block the views or sightlines of neighbouring balconies.”

FIRST THINGS FIRST

According to Steve, among other things, you need to look at the weight capacity of the space and the thickness and live load capability of the slab. “You also need to be aware of any specific strata rules or Building Code of Australia compliance issues, such as not covering the air-conditioning unit,” he adds. “Then there are safety concerns, such as complying with any offsets from the balustrade to ensure you don’t create footholds that would facilitate a breach of the barrier height.”