Balcony planting

Hi, I'm looking for some advice on transforming my balcony. In my new student house I have a small balcony area which I would like to do up with a couple of plants. Ideally, I would like a small potted plant for the table and a bigger pot for the floor. These need to be relatively easy to manage, and won't suffer when I go away on short breaks back home, and it would be great if they weren't generally too expensive (being as student!). They obviously need to stay reasonably small! Ideally, they should stay looking pretty the whole year round too! Can you help? Thanks! xx

 

Hi Sophie, welcome to GC.
It's the 'all year round' factor that limits your choice.
But I have had a varigated laurel (aucuba) in a large tub for around ten years.
The leaves are always cheerful and the female version produces red berries if a male one is local (that's a long shot on a balcony!)
Not sure how much light your balcony gets.. But it can handle shade.
This one was £3.99 and 30cm high and it's taken ten years to reach 5ft.
It could be kept smaller with regular trimming..(mine provides privacy into our conservatory)
For a table plant i would pot up violas for winter, and begonias for summer.
Others will have their favourites.