Tokyo Balcony Garden

In the bustling metropolis of Tokyo, I often find myself regularly wanting to get out of city and into the countryside for a break. The fresh air, the greenery, the flowers, and just nature in general. This led to the idea of a top picks list for a small balcony garden in Tokyo / Kanto for the end of winter, and heading into spring.

We’ve selected an assortment of plants that are already flowering, or just about to, to bring some of that nature to your own little balcony in Tokyo / Kanto, because there’s nothing quite like opening your curtains to a lush, green, outdoor garden, interspersed with splashes of colour.

The general information included for each plant:

• planting period
• blooming period
• watering
• sunlight
• ease of care

Here are two flowering plants, two herbs, and two flowering (smallish) trees to get you started.

Hyacinth (ヒヤシンス pronounced ‘he-ashinsu’ not ‘high-ashinsu’)

The Hyacinth (hyacinthus genus) is a purple/blue flowering plant that you will commonly see flowering at large DIY stores and also nurseries/florists in Kanto around the end of winter. They generally flower from February to April, and if planting them yourself from the bulb (from September to November), be sure to wear gloves as they are poisonous and can cause mild skin irritation on direct contact. They are great for beginners as they are a strong plant that don’t need a lot of attention or water, although they do enjoy a sunny spot.

Grape Hyacinth / Bluebells / Bluebonnets (ムスカリ)

The Grape Hyacinth is a different genus of plant (muscari) but is sometimes confused with the Hyacinth, as the flowers are of a similar colour and configuration, but the flowers resemble small bells, which is how it earned its commonly referred to names of Bluebells, and Bluebonnets. The flowers bloom from March to April, and if planting yourself, the period is September to October. They also don’t require much attention just as the Hyacinth, but with the added benefits of being quite resistant to insects, and that they will spring up and bloom on their own year after year.

Thyme (タイム)

Thyme is the first herb on this list. It’s quite strong during cold winters and loves direct sunlight. Aside from its never ending list of uses in cooking, it also has flowers that bloom from April to June, and in October. The flowers come in white, pink, purple, and even red. Planting periods are March to April, and September to October. It also doesn’t need a lot of attention, nor is it very thirsty. Even during winter, as long as the temperature gets above zero, and also heading into spring, is when you’ll see new leaves sprout. It’s a good one to grow as a companion plant for strawberries and cabbage (as well as other fruits and veggies), as it does a great job of repelling insects.

Rosemary (ローズマリー)

Another highly useful herb for cooking is Rosemary. It’s another easy one to take care of that doesn’t need a lot of water. This one doesn’t mind direct sunlight but is also happy with indirect light, but be sure to plant this one on its own as it doesn’t play well with others.

Rosemary, like Thyme, is a flowering herb that blooms all the way from February to October, and planting periods are from March to May, and from September to October.

Evergreen Ash / Himalayan Ash (シマトネリコ)

The first tree on the list is an evergreen which is great for balconies in Tokyo, as it provides lovely coverage all year round, but being a tree, it may be a good idea to buy a fully grown one, or enquire in-store about the height before purchasing, as they can grow anywhere from 50cm up to 3 metres. It blooms with an abundance of small white flowers from March to April, and if planting yourself, March to June and September to October are the times to do so. Evergreen Ash, or Himalayan Ash, is a little pickier about its conditions but nothing that a little bit of time and effort won’t provide.

1. It needs fertiliser. The periods to fertilise are the same as its planting periods, March to June, and September to October. ‘Hyponex’ is a liquid fertiliser that works well, and is readily available in home stores and even some supermarkets.
2. It’s a guzzler, and needs to be kept moist. If the soil gets dry, it may drop its leaves. If you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor garden, rainwater generally provides enough moisture.
3. The leaves can yellow in direct sunlight so it prefers indirect sunlight.

Indian Mallow / Velvetleaf (アブチロン)

To round out the list, our final one is Indian Mallow, or Velvetleaf. Another tree that is great for green, leafy, balcony coverage, it has pretty yellow/orange coloured flowers, and like the Evergreen Ash, is a little picky. Its flowers bloom from March to September, and as long as the temperature is above 10˚C, they’ll even bloom in winter as they’re quite resistant to cold weather. Its planting period is from May to June, and September to October, and this one also needs fertiliser from May to September. It also loves plenty of water and direct sunlight.

We hope this list of tried and tested ‘balcony plants’ helps get you started with your Tokyo / Kanto balcony garden. You will find them in florists and DIY stores in Tokyo as they are all rather common. Please be sure to comment below if you have any information you’d like us to add to the list. We’d be more than happy to oblige.

Researched by Anet Bourbon and written by Roger Hapsburg. Featured Photo by Artur Aleksanian on Unsplash.