When Frank Rodriguez retired from urban planning at 58, he faced a predicament many of us city dwellers know: he wanted to garden, but his downtown Vancouver condo offered only a modest north-facing balcony on the 12th floor.
“Everyone said it was impossible,” Frank recalls.. “A north-facing balcony featuring just containers? ‘Forget it,’ they said. ‘You need full sun and proper soil.'” Three years later, his balcony produces enough herbs, vegetables, and flowers to supply his kitchen and beautify his entire apartment year-round.
Frank’s success came from embracing his limitations rather than fighting them – something we learn to do better with age. “I realised that a north-facing balcony in Vancouver actually receives beautiful bright light all day – just not that harsh direct sun,” he explains, indicating containers that range from traditional planters to cleverly repurposed storage containers.
Among plants Frank now grows on his balcony are:
- Vegetable and herbs: Spinach ‘Space’, arugula ‘Astro’, lettuce ‘Black Seeded Simpson’ – all love that gentle light
- Herbs: Big flat-leaf parsley ‘Italian Giant’, regular chives, cilantro ‘Slow Bolt’, any mint you can find
- Pretty flowers: Begonias, impatiens and coleus, which look gorgeous without needing to bake in full sun
- Winter hardy: Kale ‘Winterbor’, mache (that’s corn salad), winter lettuce ‘Arctic King’
Where Frank really hit it out of the park was leafy greens. Turns out they actually like steady, gentle light better than getting hammered by direct sun all day. “My spinach puts my sister’s to shame, and she’s got this huge sunny yard in Surrey,” he says, grinning. Same goes for herbs – his flat-leaf parsley keeps going all winter, and his cilantro doesn’t get bitter and bolt when the heat hits.
Frank keeps it simple but he’s thought it through. Light pots that drain well, decent potting soil, and he waters on schedule because containers dry out faster than regular dirt. “It’s all about routine,” he’ll tell you.
His winter gardening particularly impresses visitors. Come January, when most gardens are dead as doornails, Frank’s balcony is still cranking out kale, winter lettuce, and herbs through Vancouver’s wet, mild winters. “Most folks don’t know you can garden here twelve months of the year if you pick the right plants,” he shrugs.
Frank’s advice for apartment gardeners? Keep your expectations reasonable and pick smart. “Don’t waste your time trying to grow tomatoes on a north-facing balcony,” he warns. “But go crazy with stuff that actually wants these conditions. Play the hand you’re dealt.”
What he didn’t expect was how much it would connect him with people. “Neighbours drop by all the time asking questions. I’ve made more friends in three years than in the previous ten,” Frank says. “Something about growing things just draws people in, even way up here in the concrete jungle.”
