London


<p>London&#8217;s a fantastic city, but there&#8217;s no denying it&#8217;s short on space. Unless you&#8217;re lucky enough to live in a house with a garden in leafy &#8216;burbs like Hampstead and Richmond, it&#8217;s unlikely you&#8217;ve got a large outside space to maintain, with most Londoners restricted to a small courtyard, balcony or windowsill. </p>



<p>It&#8217;s these small spaces that London-based Isabelle Palmer, author and founder of <a href="https://www.thebalconygardener.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Balcony Gardener</a>, is an expert at transforming into a flourishing oasis. Her work, which has been featured in the<em> Evening Standard</em> and <em>Marie Claire</em>, specialises in sprucing up small urban outdoor spaces like balconies, patios, containers, and roof terraces.</p>



<p>A keen gardener from a young age, Isabelle began by cultivating and transforming her own home&#8217;s balconies while working in PR in the city. Over time she realised there was a demand for her expertise and The Balcony Gardener bloomed. Muddy caught up with her to talk gardening tips and trends. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-w-here-does-your-love-of-small-space-gardening-come-from">W<strong>here does your love of small space gardening come from?</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="683" height="1024" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/240619-CONTAINER-GARDENING-25-Large-683x1024-1-683x1024.jpeg" alt="Isabelle Palmer plants " class="wp-image-12685" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/240619-CONTAINER-GARDENING-25-Large-683x1024-1-683x1024.jpeg 683w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/240619-CONTAINER-GARDENING-25-Large-683x1024-1-200x300.jpeg 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/240619-CONTAINER-GARDENING-25-Large-683x1024-1-768x1151.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/240619-CONTAINER-GARDENING-25-Large-683x1024-1-1024x1536.jpeg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/240619-CONTAINER-GARDENING-25-Large-683x1024-1-1366x2048.jpeg 1366w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/240619-CONTAINER-GARDENING-25-Large-683x1024-1.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure>



<p>I grew up among a family of gardeners, planting my own strawberries in a pot aged four. It&#8217;s a tradition I carried on with my own daughter and&nbsp;she&#8217;s just as excited about growing things as I was, which is a joy to see. The idea of a small garden in a pot always intrigued me as it was my own mini garden that I could tend by myself. My love of container gardening was later reignited, and when I was unable to find stylish, contemporary pieces for my own balcony garden the seed for a company was planted.</p>



<p>I try to blend rustic, romantic urban design with pragmatic, beautiful solutions. For anyone aiming to transform a tiny balcony into a green haven, I offer an easy roadmap to do so.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spill-the-tea-best-blooms-for-starting-a-balcony-garden"><strong>Spill the tea: best blooms for starting a balcony garden?</strong></h2>



<p>Mix evergreens with seasonal colour, so you have interest throughout the year. For<strong> </strong>evergreens I&#8217;d suggest&nbsp;skimmia, heuchera, fatsia japonica, pittasporum,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;dwarf hinoki cypress and jasmine. For your<strong> </strong>seasonal flowers I&#8217;d recommend&nbsp;pansies, violas, cosmos, snapdragons, delphiniums, salvias, sweet peas, verbena and dahlias with a selection of wildflowers to add biodiversity for pollinators.&nbsp;And for<strong> </strong>herb greenery, look at lavender, rosemary, sage, strawberries and fennel, which double as cookery herbs too. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-if-you-could-only-plant-one-thing-in-a-small-space-what-would-it-be-and-why"><strong>If you could only plant one thing in a small space, what would it be and why?</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="567" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/04.10.19_Gardener_BoxPlant_047-1024x567.jpg" alt="Isabelle Palmer " class="wp-image-12684" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/04.10.19_Gardener_BoxPlant_047-1024x567.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/04.10.19_Gardener_BoxPlant_047-300x166.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/04.10.19_Gardener_BoxPlant_047-768x425.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/04.10.19_Gardener_BoxPlant_047.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>I favour&nbsp;evergreen structure&nbsp;because it gives year-round greenery with minimal fuss &#8211; it&#8217;s hardy and does what it says on the tin: ever green. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-balcony-garden-trends-for-this-summer"><strong>What are the balcony garden trends for this summer?</strong></h2>



<p>Grasses in concrete pots add movement and simplicity. Muted, pastel palettes and textured foliage, think dark heucheras with purple and green tones to add contrast. Drought-tolerant plants are more popular than ever as temperatures continue to rise. Edibles as ornamental plants is a big trend, as is growing from seed and plant-swapping communities. Finally, cottage-core and romantic gardens will be big again this summer. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-any-top-tips-on-how-to-instantly-brighten-a-small-space"><strong>Any top tips on how to instantly brighten a small space?</strong></h2>



<p>Treat your balcony as an extension of the indoor space &#8211; use consistent colour palettes, like painting your plant pots to match your interiors. Use no more than three flower colours to avoid clutter if you&#8217;re not sure.&nbsp;Add top-dressing (pebbles, gravel) to bare soil for a polished, cohesive look. It also helps with water retention.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-would-you-add-to-a-balcony-garden-besides-plants"><strong>What would you add to a balcony garden besides plants?</strong></h2>



<p>Comfortable furniture and soft furnishings&nbsp;to create an outdoor room aesthetic.&nbsp;A small&nbsp;pond or water feature with moving water to evoke the senses. And decorative accessories like outdoor&nbsp;rugs, vertical plants and structured planters. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-herb-gardens-what-are-your-top-five-amp-how-do-we-keep-them-alive"><strong>Herb gardens: What are your top five &amp; how do we keep them alive?</strong></h2>



<p>My top five herbs would be thyme, chives, rosemary, parsley, salad-mix herbs. They&#8217;ll flourish if you water them in the morning (only when soil’s dry to the knuckle). I use large containers with good drainage and top-dressing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-if-you-re-not-green-fingered-can-you-still-create-an-urban-oasis">If you&#8217;re not green-fingered can you still create an urban oasis?</h2>



<p>Absolutely! Anyone can do it &#8211; no “green fingers” needed. The trick is to start small and build confidence and use hardy perennial plants and evergreens. Or, if you&#8217;re a bit more confident, grow from seed!&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="878" height="1024" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/04.10.19_Gardener_Incid_016-Large-878x1024-1-878x1024.jpeg" alt="Isabelle Palmer " class="wp-image-12683" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/04.10.19_Gardener_Incid_016-Large-878x1024-1-878x1024.jpeg 878w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/04.10.19_Gardener_Incid_016-Large-878x1024-1-257x300.jpeg 257w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/04.10.19_Gardener_Incid_016-Large-878x1024-1-768x895.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/04.10.19_Gardener_Incid_016-Large-878x1024-1-1317x1536.jpeg 1317w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/07/04.10.19_Gardener_Incid_016-Large-878x1024-1.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 878px) 100vw, 878px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-talk-us-through-your-own-balcony-garden">Talk us through your own balcony garden</h2>



<p>My London balconies are a productive &#8216;working&#8217; space with herbs, vegetables, wisteria and weeping willow. It&#8217;s a decorative extension of my living room, with ornamental plants along with a splash of seasonal colour. I relish soft, comfortable seating with a glorious view, my laptop often accompanying me!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-are-balcony-gardens-so-important-to-you">Why are balcony gardens so important to you?</h2>



<p>They offer&nbsp;calm, sanctuary and food for the soul&nbsp;in a hectic life, however small the space. There’s a&nbsp;meditative, creative joy&nbsp;in planting and nurturing &#8211; a moment of relief stepping outside the door.&nbsp;Practically, they allow you to express design, grow food, create instant beauty &#8211; all from minimal space.&nbsp;</p>



<p>To book a consultation with Isabelle contact <a href="https://www.thebalconygardener.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Balcony Gardener</a>. Or buy her latest book <em><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Container-Gardening-Handbook-Beginners-Growing/dp/1784887951/ref=asc_df_1784887951?mcid=91d363ca53723e1694cefab0f949b2be&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1&amp;hvocijid=10085002677132643735-1784887951-&amp;hvexpln=74&amp;tag=googshopuk-21&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=696285193871&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=10085002677132643735&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=m&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=1006963&amp;hvtargid=pla-2281435176618&amp;psc=1&amp;gad_source=1#customerReviews" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Container Gardening Handbook: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Flowers in Pots</a></em>. </p>


Muddy meets: Isabelle Palmer reveals her balcony garden tips for spring

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