Create you own outdoor oasis

A balcony, porch or terrace is an opportunity to create an inviting outdoor garden oasis. Dominika Dratwa recommends that we step outside our comfort zone and create a design that is bold and daring. Forget about replicating what you have indoors. That is yesterday’s advice. "Experiment," says Dratwa, "and maybe you will discover something new about yourself."

Dratwa owns Verde Plant Design which has locations in Winnipeg and Vancouver. Born in Poland, she came to Canada as a child and is a graduate of the fine arts program at the University of Manitoba. Until recently, Dratwa resided in Winnipeg until relocating to Vancouver where she opened her second location. Today her daughter, Zoe, manages Verde Plant Design’s Winnipeg location.

Houseplants are Dratwa’s specialty. When she decorated the front porch of her Winnipeg home, she created a leafy, intimate retreat where she maximized every inch of available space — ceiling, walls and floor — to make it look beautiful. "We really created a magical space. We had a hammock chair and a cosy, comfy seat for two and added plants everywhere." Today Dratwa lives in a condo with a balcony which she has filled with houseplants, comfortable seating, textured fabrics, candles, and lighting. It has a cocoon-like esthetic, she says, which is nurturing and rejuvenating.

If your outdoor garden room needs a change or you want to enhance the mood, Dratwa recommends introducing both plants and decor based on how you use your balcony, front porch or terrace. Is there a table where you like to have breakfast? Do you like to entertain? Do you have comfortable or lounge-type chairs? In addition to thinking about how you use your space or how you would like to use it, establish which direction your outdoor space faces. Track the movement of the sun from early morning to evening and make note as to how many hours of direct sunlight each area of your outdoor space receives. This will help you decide the types of plants that will work best for your space as well as where to arrange your outdoor seating and dining space.

Choose smaller plants for tabletops as well as floor plants that are larger and taller. Creating different heights is an important technique, says Dratwa, because levels in a small space such as a balcony or porch make your design more visually appealing. Hang plants from the ceiling, display plants in plant stands, and arrange a mix of exotic plants in small containers on top of old side tables. The pots you choose are important, too. Dratwa carries a line of pots and recommends using a mix of sizes, colours and textures.

Depending on the size of your outdoor space, a couple of statement plants like a palm or fiddle leaf fig deliver impact. Vertical elements draw the eye upward and help to frame your space or serve as a divider between different seating areas.

Balcony or porch walls can look very stark. Brighten them up with a vining plant such as pothos which has large, thick leaves. "There is a product we sell called Wally Gro Eco Planter which attaches easily to an outside wall," says Dratwa. Made of 100 per cent recycled milk jugs, Wally Gro Eco sells for $35 and holds two to three 10 cm diameter plants or one to two 15 cm diameter plants.

High-light plants such as cacti, Ficus lyrata (fig) or Ficus decora burgundy also known as the rubber plant are suitable for a south or west-facing balcony or porch. Low-light plants such as Zamioculcus (the ZZ plant), orchids, anthurium, sansevieria, and pothos work well for a north exposure. Lemon Lime dracaena prefers bright light but must be protected from direct sunlight or the leaves will scorch.

There are a variety of partition screens available to create privacy or block an unsightly view. Choose products that have been treated with UV inhibitors to minimize fading. Invest in toss cushions made from weather and stain-resistant material for greater durability. For an organic feel, combine soft, comfortable materials such as a woven blanket or throw with repurposed wood furniture accents and reclaimed objects.

To create a sense of warmth, Dratwa uses a bamboo mat or small decorative rug as a floor covering. An old area rug works well, too. "I’m a big fan of lights so I like to have a lot of candles and patio lights. When you are using the balcony at night, lights create mood and showcase your plants in a different way."

Lilian Tankard is a condo owner in St. Boniface. Her spacious balcony measures six metres by 12 metres. Located on the second floor above the condominium parking garage, her balcony has both a south and east orientation. Tankard has created three distinct areas on her balcony. One is a conversation area with a comfortable two-seater sofa, two armchairs, and a coffee table. An outdoor rug adds a splash of colour to the large interlocking patio stones. The conversation area has a view of the architectural beauty of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. There is also a small breakfast nook in a sheltered area of the balcony where Tankard and her husband, John, enjoy having breakfast during the summer.

Half of Tankard’s balcony is shaded by an overhang and the other half is open. Throughout the open area, Tankard has placed tables and chairs for guests when she entertains. Depending on the amount of sunlight, she or her husband or guests can sit wherever its most comfortable in or out of the sun. "Now that the Province is easing some of the COVID-19 restrictions, my husband and I will be able to use our balcony to entertain a few of our friends and still maintain the required physical distance between each other," says Tankard.

The orientation of her balcony also gives Tankard plenty of options to grow a variety of plants. Tankard, who teaches the communications course for the Manitoba Master Gardener program, grows succulents, cacti and calla lilies on her balcony as well as mandevilla vine and tomatoes. She also grows basil which she uses to make homemade pesto.

Tankard displays her succulents in several low-profile bowls in the sunny section of her balcony. She brings her succulents indoors for the winter and places them in front of her floor to ceiling windows which face south. This has allowed her to grow her collection but also allows for the ease of moving her containers indoors and outdoors.

Tankard also overwinters her calla lily bulbs. In fall, she cuts down the foliage, puts the bulbs in a brown paper bag with peat moss and stores them at her daughter’s house in a cool, dark room. In mid-April she pots up the bulbs using a stunning clay pot and when temperatures permit, places the pot on a table on her balcony for a beautiful display.

Spend time cultivating beauty on your balcony, porch, or terrace and then spend time enjoying it.

colleenizacharias@gmail.com