Growing spaces: balcony

The abolí of southern flower markets — orange fans, picked daily.

Blue butterfly pea — a light climber that fixes nitrogen and makes blue tea.

A relentless nectar plant — and an invasive that must be kept in a pot.

Flat clusters of small stars that butterflies can actually land on.

Neat glossy shrub with pinwheel white flowers; the easiest good hedge there is.

The garden chrysanthemum of the north-Indian winter, sold by the crate at Diwali.

Bulbs planted in March give heavily scented white spikes through the monsoon.

Opens at four in the afternoon and self-sows itself around the garden.

A monsoon annual of verandah pots, with seed pods children cannot leave alone.

Velvet crested heads that hold colour for weeks, in sun or half shade.