If you’re lucky to have a small outdoor space in your home, like a garden on the ground floor or a balcony on an upper floor, put it to good use by creating a cute pocket garden or a balcony oasis. Spaces like these add so much charm to a home when filled with plants rather than using these precious sqm areas as sampayan space for laundry or as tambakan corner for those things that you’re too lazy to sort out and maybe get rid of.
Watch Pete’s eclectic garden series by clicking on this link. He shares some really helpful tips.
Pocket Gardens on the Ground Floor
It doesn’t really matter how small your space is. Creativity and imagination will get you to create a pocket garden of your dreams.
If you don’t know where to begin, these ideas I found in FB may help you get started.
Here are things to remember when you are designing your pocket garden:
- make a layout that considers easy access to the area
- choose furniture that is right for the space, not too big or too small, and get ones which can withstand rain or shine
- if you want soft furnishings, make sure they are easy and light so you can keep them inside when the rains come
- for a tropical country like ours, have a parasol or a sunshade overhead to provide some shady spots. There are many available that are also anti-UV and durable, which are preferred by garden centers or farms.
- get plants in different heights
- follow the guide for electrical outlets outdoors
- if you want to have vegetables and herbs, think about raised or vertical garden solutions
- think about lighting for those evenings you want to spend outside, just make sure to keep it warm and cozy and safe (opt for waterproof-rated outdoor lights that are energy-efficient)
- have real plants! (a pet peeve is seeing astro turf…but that’s just me so don’t listen to me if you want to lay that down)
- don’t overcrowd the area with plants or furniture, YOU are the star and your comfort is top priority
Outdoor Spaces on the Upper Floors
For areas like balconies or roof terraces, you can use the tips given under pocket gardens. Other considerations are:
- the load limit of the structure—Buildings usually have load capacities that you can ask about from the property management office. Or if you are having the house built, talk to the professionals you hire like architects and contractors to make a specific live load, measured in pounds per square foot (psf).
- a personal preference is to have plants in pots and planters that can be moved around, just in case you want to reconfigure the layout
- privacy is important—In condos, think what structure you can have if your balcony abuts with the neighbors’. I’d go for a plant wall and make use of that vertical space to install foliage.
- choose furniture, lights, and accessories that are not easily blown away, or which you can also bring in easily when typhoons come, for example
- choose your plants wisely, that these are able to withstand too much or too little sun, or too much wind
- if waterproof wooden decking is impractical or expensive for the floor, choose tiles which are easy to clean. If you’re living in Manila or a major city, think of the dust and soot that will be deposited in your balcony. You’d really need to clean often.
Paint Products for Outdoor Spaces
I’ve taken the liberty to get these three color swatches for possible colors you can use for your pocket garden or balcony. These are just my suggestions. I chose light or natural colors because I prefer the plants or furniture to be the focus.
All the products mentioned in the image above are for exteriors:
Boysen KNOxOUT: KNOxOUT is specially formulated to clean the air. With its use use of photocatalytic technology, it uses light energy to break down noxious air pollutants and converts them into harmless substances.
Boysen Wallguard: Wallguard is dirt-resisting exterior paint that has a very high resistance to dirt, dust, smog, and mildew, perfect therefore if your space is located in a high-rise building in a dense city.
Boysen Permacoat Latex: This paint is a 100% acrylic paint with excellent hiding and outstanding durability.
Boysen offers many exterior paint. Start with what feature you want the paint to have and choose. Here is a helpful post that lists the Boysen exterior paints.
Types of Exterior Domestic Spaces
There are many other exterior domestic spaces besides gardens and balconies:
- porch
- terrace
- veranda
- deck
- patio
- atrium
- lanai
If you want to know more about these spaces, just click on this link.
Excited to try out any of the tips outlined in this post? If you are, and you’ve made something great out of your garden space and balcony, send photos to info@myboysen.com.
If you have any questions about the Boysen products mentioned here, just pick up the phone and call (02) 8363-9738 local 417 to 418 during office hours to talk to a technical team for a free consultation. If you prefer to do it in writing, it’s best to send an email to ask@myboysen.com.
