Your First Garden or Balcony? Here’s What You Can Grow All Year
Having your own outdoor space — even a tiny one — is one of the biggest joys of moving into a new home. Whether you’ve bought a shared ownership property, rented your first flat with a balcony, or finally gained your own patch of patio, it doesn’t take much to turn it into something green, fresh and full of life. And the good news is that you can grow more than you might think, whatever the size.
For people with very small spaces or balconies, herbs are the easiest place to start. They grow happily in pots, smell amazing and are useful in the kitchen. Rosemary, mint and thyme stay green all year, and basil and coriander are great in warmer months. A sunny windowsill works just as well if your balcony is sheltered. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has plenty of easy herb-growing guides, and their advice is simple: good light, regular watering and a pot with drainage is usually all you need. Their website is full of beginner-friendly tips.
If you have a patio, container gardening opens up even more possibilities. Many vegetables, including salad leaves, radishes and cherry tomatoes, thrive in pots. Strawberries also grow well in containers and can fruit from spring into early autumn. Because pots warm up faster than ground soil, you often get earlier harvests too. Growing even a small amount of your own food can help reduce your weekly grocery bill, especially when you choose quick-to-grow crops. It’s a simple way to save money while enjoying something homemade.
For those fortunate enough to have a small garden, raised beds give you a chance to grow throughout the year. They make it easier to keep soil healthy, improve drainage and help you stay organised with what to plant next. Many gardeners grow hardy greens like chard and kale through winter, and in spring you can start planting carrots, beetroot and peas. Raised beds also feel manageable for first-time gardeners because you can start with one small square and expand over time.
If you like colour rather than crops, there are plenty of plants to keep your space bright all year. Hardy flowers such as violas and pansies survive colder months, and in spring you can add geraniums or petunias for instant colour. Even in balconies, seasonal flowers in hanging baskets or window boxes give you the same effect without taking up floor space. Houseplants that enjoy fresh air, including aloe vera and spider plants, can also spend warmer months outdoors before coming back inside for winter.
One important thing to remember, especially for new build residents, is that gardens often need time to settle. Topsoil may still be fresh, and developers usually advise avoiding heavy landscaping or permanent fixtures until the ground has had a chance to bed in. If you’ve moved into a shared ownership home, your lease may also explain what permissions you need before making bigger changes outdoors. Temporary options—like potted plants, grow bags, planters and balcony troughs—are perfect for the first year because they give you flexibility without affecting the structure or appearance of the development.
Growing something of your own, no matter how small, is incredibly rewarding. It adds colour, flavour and a sense of calm to your day, and it doesn’t require a big garden or a big budget. Whether you’re snipping herbs for dinner or watching your first tomatoes ripen, it’s a simple pleasure that fits perfectly into spring.
If having a little outdoor space has inspired you to think about the type of home you want next, you can explore the latest shared ownership homes with balconies, patios and gardens through Love Living Homes. Their most recent developments often include thoughtfully designed outdoor areas that make growing easy, whatever your level of experience.