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I am nominating myself as I am the only person in my block on a main road that has a balcony with a colourful display. Both flowers and tomatoes along with flowers loved by bees and pollinators. Especially cornflowers.
I moved into my VERY small studio flat during the lockdown period and was very pleasantly surprised to find it came with an up to then unused outside space. Due to lockdown restrictions and a lot of time on my hands, I began to create what I call ‘my urban garden‘ nearly entirely out of recycled / rescued plants, pots, tables, shoe racks, skateboards, bathroom sinks etc. I am particularly proud of the results two years later, as I had absolutely no experience in either gardening or upcycling. Last year I harvested my first own blackberries, potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes and beans. Thank you for considering my application
It feels strange nominating myself – really I am nominating my small balcony, which is a special outdoor but sheltered space for me, my family and friends to enjoy.
My balcony is 6’ by 4’ (1.2m x 1.8m), and although south facing, is mostly in the shade of a large plane tree from around midday onwards.
My two cats have eaten so many of my plants, that I have to be very careful about what to choose and where to plant them.
I love colour, but have found it challenging to find colourful plants which thrive in shade. Consequently I feel compromised on what can be planted and chosen to make the balcony visually interesting in other ways too, accommodating materials picked up on walks, like sticks and stones, items found on the streets and from my home, like my now grown up children’s red hula hoop. I reuse and recycle as much as I can, and I think my balcony epitomises this. It is a work in motion, as I try out different plantings to see what works.
It is a 3D collage of materials and plants, juxtaposed in a way I find attractive and for all year round visual interest. The samurai ceramic head which I made over 25 years ago, has at long last been planted up with ivy, It will find a home on an outside wall eventually, but for now he sits well on the concrete.