If you live in an urban apartment and find yourself longing for the smells and feeling of a garden, you may have considered making transforming your balcony into a green space. Green balconies provide extra privacy, increased oxygen and an instant connection to mother nature.

As you plan for your outdoor space, keep basic design principles in mind, do your research and always measure before you buy. We hope these green balcony design ideas for an apartment have inspired you to think about the possibilities for your own space.

If you plan to create your own corner of bliss, a personal, peaceful oasis, we’ve put together a few thoughts to get you started. Here are eight creative green balcony design ideas for an apartment:

1. Start with a design plan

Every green balcony design starts with a clear vision and a solid plan. As you formulate ideas for your green balcony, try to think of your space as a blank canvas.

You may want to add planters, potted plants, hanging baskets or shelves for your greenery. You may be interested in new seating, a new table, new flooring or perhaps even a water feature. Be sure to measure your space and sketch out your ideas before buying your first plants.

2. Think about plant health

While a balcony can provide plenty of sun and protection from the wind, you will need to think carefully your plant selection according to the location of your apartment, the size of your space and the amount of sun you receive.

Some plants do better than others in high winds, for example. Do your research, based on your sun location, your wind exposure, your plant preferences and the overall size of your balcony.

3. Go big with your balcony design

As you map out your favourite plants and colours, start with a handful of larger plants to act as visual anchors. You could have a long, horizontal anchor in the way of something like a boxwood shrub. If you prefer taller fixtures, you could choose a bamboo plant or a larger palm.

You might like a circular, full shape—perhaps potted natural grasses. Whichever your preference, start with the large plants you know you want to feature, before filling in the space around them.

4. Add seating and a horizontal surface

Once you have your favourite large plants in mind, create space in your green balcony plan for relaxation. Build in comfortable seating for at least two, as well as a table or horizontal surface to hold anything from a cup of coffee to a family meal.

Planning for seating in the early stages of your green balcony will help you decide the amount of room you have left for plants or other features.

5. Do your research with balcony design ideas

When it comes to colour, planning for a small space means using careful thought. Unless you prefer the natural look of an English garden, you probably want to avoid using colours that clash with one another or create an unintended atmosphere.

Once you settle on your preferred colours, you need to make sure the plants are suitable for balcony living. Some recommended flowering plants for balconies include impatiens, pansies, petunias, begonias and morning glory.

6. Consider adding potted herbs

Once you have your large plants in place and have chosen colour preferences for your flowering plants, think about adding edible greenery. Herbs such as sage, parsley, basil, rosemary and lavender can be grown in small pots.

If you have a bit more room, you may want to add cherry tomatoes, climbing beans, salad leaves or dwarf cucumbers.

7. Use vertical space

Once you have your green balcony floor plan ready to go, think about whether or not you want to make use of your balcony’s vertical space. A number of products—from trellis planter holders to stacked potted planters—exist to help you make the most of every square foot.

Get creative with vertical planter holders, hanging gardens and more—just make sure they are all part of your overall plan. The last thing you want for your garden oasis is to have it feel cluttered or crowded.

8. Remember your balcony flooring

Of course, no space is complete without comfortable flooring. When it comes to your balcony, you might have once assumed that you could throw down an outdoor carpet and call it quits.

Thankfully, there are plenty of stylish and modern balcony flooring options. From cedar or plastic tiles to grass tile inserts, these flooring options designed specifically for balcony use. Be sure to explore these easy-to-clean options that can bring a whole new level of warmth and sophistication to your green apartment balcony.

Apartment balconies have been completely re-envisioned over the last decade. Once a place to barbeque and perhaps place a rickety backyard table, they have become a canvas for so much more—a true extension of your apartment’s square footage.