5 Bountiful Balcony Ideas from the Singapore Garden Festival Contest
These landscape designers show how you can have a pleasing patch of green in a concrete jungle of high-rise homes
At the Singapore Garden Festival 2016, held July 23-31 at Gardens by the Bay, five designers competed with indoor-outdoor designs for city dwellers. The Balcony Gardens competition is intended to show apartment owners that they can grow gardens from their balconies by transforming a 3x3-metre space into a verdant escape.
According to a statement from SGF, “a ‘Balcony Garden’ is defined as a designed living and garden space within a small confined area with plants, relying on appropriate design principles and planting concepts. It represents a personal outdoor space within densely built up surroundings. The display should encourage a cohesive integration of landscape and interior design, and aim at promoting horticultural excellence with a ‘liveable space’ in mind.”
Here are some great green ideas you can replicate in your space, from the five balcony gardens on show:
According to a statement from SGF, “a ‘Balcony Garden’ is defined as a designed living and garden space within a small confined area with plants, relying on appropriate design principles and planting concepts. It represents a personal outdoor space within densely built up surroundings. The display should encourage a cohesive integration of landscape and interior design, and aim at promoting horticultural excellence with a ‘liveable space’ in mind.”
Here are some great green ideas you can replicate in your space, from the five balcony gardens on show:
2. Use shadow boxes as vessels
Gary Nai of Green Craft & Design used white frames in two innovative ways in this balcony garden. In the living area, a rectangular planter box mounted on the wall takes the place of a painting and becomes a living art installation. In the balcony, a square white frame highlights some orchids suspended from the ceiling.
Gary Nai of Green Craft & Design used white frames in two innovative ways in this balcony garden. In the living area, a rectangular planter box mounted on the wall takes the place of a painting and becomes a living art installation. In the balcony, a square white frame highlights some orchids suspended from the ceiling.
3. Build an indoor trellis
Erin Gotangco of Earthscape Concepts didn’t let the enclosed space limit her from bringing plants to a higher level. She suspended a trellis made with plywood strips from the ceiling, and allowed air plants to cascade from it towards a planter box.
Erin Gotangco of Earthscape Concepts didn’t let the enclosed space limit her from bringing plants to a higher level. She suspended a trellis made with plywood strips from the ceiling, and allowed air plants to cascade from it towards a planter box.
4. Bring a classic black-and-white ambience
Lee Meng Kwan from Hua Hng Trading used checkerboard tiles and striped bamboo chick blinds to recreate the look of a traditional black-and-white bungalow in this balcony. A vintage bicycle drives the throwback look home, and doubles as a vessel to hang and rest pots on.
Lee Meng Kwan from Hua Hng Trading used checkerboard tiles and striped bamboo chick blinds to recreate the look of a traditional black-and-white bungalow in this balcony. A vintage bicycle drives the throwback look home, and doubles as a vessel to hang and rest pots on.
5. Go vertical and horizontal (and upside down)
Squares of green and stone enliven this balcony and study area by Anita Lim of Water Concepts & Consultancy. The ceiling installation echoes the stone planter box and timber decking on the floor, and the green panel on the wall. A planter box at one end of the balcony gives potted plants some height to perch on.
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Squares of green and stone enliven this balcony and study area by Anita Lim of Water Concepts & Consultancy. The ceiling installation echoes the stone planter box and timber decking on the floor, and the green panel on the wall. A planter box at one end of the balcony gives potted plants some height to perch on.
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Do you have a balcony garden? Share a photo in the Comments section.
MORE
Browse balcony and deck designs for all sizes
Andy Eng of Nyee Phoe Flower Garden won the Gold and Best of Show medals for his exotic combination of retro-modern living area and lush ‘Chinese garden’. The moon gate frame – a wood and metal structure that replaces balcony doors – is a portal between two very different spaces. The garden, confined to about a one-metre-depth and three-metre-length – typical of cookie-cutter apartments – features a lovely balance of ground vegetation, flowers, vines and creepers. Rocks and pavers complete the harmonious look.