In my recent adventures with balcony gardening, I have discovered that the BEST plants for my particular situation are succulents and California Native plants. My balcony faces the West, and the afternoon sun tends to dry out my plants. And so, I have the entire space dedicated to more local plants, alongside some wonderful desert cacti (which thrive in the summertime heat). Most of these plants are drought resistant and low maintenance, not requiring a lot of water, which is always a concern here in California. They also provide nectar and pollen for the hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Even though I am on the second floor of a house, my balcony garden is visited by all three on a regular basis. Not only do I enjoy their visits, but I'm glad that my plants are helping to provide within the local ecosystem. I could spend hours talking and writing about how important bees are and have even written a blog about bees and beekeeping (after encountering a swarm on my way to work one day).
If you would like to learn more, we have some amazing books here at San Jose Public Library to get you started on your gardening journey!
Succulents and Cacti Booklist:
The Gardener's Guide to Succulents
Native Plants:
Native Plant Gardening for Birds, Bees & Butterflies
California Native Plants for the Garden
Note: I highly recommend the California Bees and Blooms book. It's a personal favorite of mine!
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