At this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026, one of the most inspiring spaces for us was the Balcony and Container Gardens section. It celebrated the incredible potential of gardening in even the smallest outdoor spaces - from balconies and terraces to tiny patios and window ledges.
Ten first-time designers, mentored by Paul Hervey-Brookes, created imaginative gardens packed with colour, texture, biodiversity and practical ideas for urban living. The message was clear: you do not need a large garden to make a meaningful difference for nature.
At LettsSafari, this idea sits at the heart of everything we do. Small spaces can still become thriving wildlife havens that support pollinators, improve wellbeing and reconnect people with nature.
Balcony and container gardening is about much more than aesthetics. Even a few carefully chosen plants can:
Whether you live in a flat, apartment or home with limited outdoor space, smaller-scale gardening, with a rewilding twist, allows everyone to participate in nature restoration.
Collectively, thousands of small gardens and balconies can have a huge environmental impact.
If you are planning to create a balcony garden, here are a few important things to consider:
Before adding containers, furniture, or water features, check how much weight your balcony can safely hold. Many balconies support approximately 70kg per square metre, but this can vary depending on the building.
Goes without saying - reduces the load on the balcony.
Place heavier containers near structural walls or load-bearing areas for better support and stability.
Different balconies create very different growing conditions:
Choose plants suited to your specific environment.
Fibreglass, resin, recycled plastic and lightweight composite pots can reduce strain on balconies while still looking stylish.
Container gardening is one of the easiest ways to grow plants successfully in compact spaces. Here are some simple ways to make your containers thrive:
Bigger pots retain moisture longer and provide more room for roots to develop, especially in windy or sunny locations.
For sunny balconies, gardens and terraces, consider:
These plants generally require less watering and cope well with heat.
Container plants lose nutrients quickly. During spring and summer, use a liquid feed such as seaweed fertiliser once a week to encourage healthy growth.
Swap plants throughout the year to keep your balcony colourful and interesting across every season.
The Balcony and Container Gardens at Chelsea showed how creative, beautiful and environmentally valuable smaller-space gardening can be. At LettsSafari, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to reconnect with nature - no matter how much space they have available. Whether you have a balcony, terrace, courtyard or simply a few pots outside your door, you can create a thriving green sanctuary for yourself and for wildlife.
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LettsSafari is a nature restoration and rewilding subscription designed to help people reconnect with nature and support biodiversity. Subscribers receive practical tips, inspiration and ideas for creating wildlife-friendly spaces at home, while also helping fund wider rewilding initiatives and habitat restoration projects.
Not at all. LettsSafari is designed for everyone - including people with balconies, terraces, courtyards, patios or even just a few containers outside a front door. Small spaces can still provide valuable habitats for pollinators and wildlife.
Subscribers receive simple, practical guidance on topics such as:
The focus is on accessible, low-pressure gardening that supports biodiversity.
Absolutely. LettsSafari is designed to make gardening and rewilding approachable for everyone, including complete beginners. You do not need specialist knowledge, expensive equipment, or a large outdoor space to get started.
Every subscription helps support wider environmental and rewilding projects. At LettsSafari, we believe that collective action creates meaningful impact. By growing nature at home and supporting larger restoration efforts, subscribers become part of a growing movement helping biodiversity recover across the UK.
