If you live in the midst of the crowded city and have a little roof or balcony area, you have a perfect place to design and build a garden where most never get to grow. These areas present a unique challenge for landscaping ideas because they are liable to be in the path of every wind that blows, and scorched by sun. Still, you can design some screening to block the wind as well as make some shade for sun protection.

The first thing you need to do when you plan a garden like this is to study how the building is built. See if you can find out what type of materials the roof is made of. And if it's a balcony, the materials and how it's constructed. A balcony can be a small space. If it will have to hold a lot of potted plants, containers, and other elements, it should be able to support the weight. When designing and building small gardens on balconies or roofs, the roof has to be water tight so that there are no leaks. Also, a good system for drainage is important to help channel excess water away. There also needs to be safe access to the roof if it is to be easily enjoyed.

Around your roof or balcony garden there is always the possibility of poles or wires. These can be masked or hidden with a little thoughtful planting. Taller container plants can also screen your neighbor's view and form a green barrier while smaller pots full of flowers will add some color. Be careful to not overcrowd the little bit of space that you have to work with when working with small gardens, patios, and courtyards. Make sure there is room for somewhere to sit - and a pleasant view deserves to be framed rather than annihilated by a rooftop jungle.

It's often best practice to use long light weight wood planters rather than a lot of small pots as it will spread the weight of the load out over more area. Remember to add some soil moistening and retaining products to your soil mixture. These types of products will help cut back with maintenance needs as plants in a soil mix with these products in it require less daily water. If the roof can't hold much weight, another consideration for plants is hydroponics. Hydroponically grown plants only need nutrient liquid and a light base so the pots with plants don't weigh near as much as dirt filled pots.

You may also consider raising a small worm colony in your balcony or roof garden. This can produce some rich organic soil for your plants while also cutting back on your garbage and waste.

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