This post is sponsored by First Editions® Plants and SheKnows Media.
Lately I’ve been spending a lot more time outdoors at home. That push to get outside inspired me to finish decorating some of our outdoor spaces, starting with the smaller one so I could make quick progress. Our upstairs balcony felt like an easy win: it’s about 14 feet long and just over 5 feet wide, so the scope was small but meaningful. I wanted a cozy, stylish seating area and a privacy solution for one side of the balcony that would be affordable and effective.
Above you can see the balcony before we got started. It was a blank canvas. For the makeover we added seating I already owned, a new rug, planters, and lots of plants to bring life and softness to the area.
I teamed up with First Editions® Plants to make this happen. Because I’m familiar with their collection from a previous porch project, collaborating again was an easy choice. For this balcony I chose hardy plants with strong leaf coverage so they’d create a full, growing screen for privacy. I used Coppertone™ Distylium in a custom DIY planter box to block the neighbor’s view, Vintage Jade for a large planter in the seating area, and Cobalt-n-Gold™ Hypericum in a smaller concrete planter — the hypericum has started to bloom, which is a lovely bonus.
After arranging the furniture and laying down the rug, we filled in the planters and addressed privacy on the left side with a DIY planter box planted with Coppertone Distylium. Our neighbor’s house is pretty close—maybe twenty feet away—so this solution gives instant coverage and will continue to grow fuller over time. It’s a simple, modern approach that adds green texture and screening without breaking the bank.
Plants are one of my favorite ways to bring life into a small space. They add color, scale, and privacy while staying flexible and budget-friendly. For a balcony this size, focus on a few well-placed planters with bold-leaf varieties that grow dense enough to screen sightlines. Combining pots of different heights helps create a layered look that reads full and intentional.
How to Pick the Right Plants
If you need plants that also provide privacy, some great options from the First Editions® collection include Linebacker, Vintage Jade, and Coppertone. The First Editions® lineup includes well over 125 varieties, so you can find plants that match your climate, light conditions, and aesthetic. While shopping, consider fragrance and bloom time too — I almost picked up Double Mint gardenias for their incredible scent.
Need a little guidance? First Editions® offers tips on creating and maintaining a healthy garden, including plant pairings and care advice based on your site’s needs. When you shop, look for the branded purple pot so you can quickly identify First Editions® plants at local retailers.
Photography by Amelia Lawrence
Do you have an outdoor spot that needs more privacy, or are you planning to refresh your plants this season? Tell me about it in the comments for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card to kickstart your next outdoor project.
Entry Instructions:
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This giveaway is open to U.S. residents age 18 or older (19+ in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be chosen via random draw and notified by e-mail from SheKnows ([email protected]). Winners must respond within two business days or an alternate winner will be selected.
The official rules were posted with the original promotion. The sweepstakes dates and other time-sensitive details applied to the original giveaway.