Berlin's 'Balcony School' teaches urbanites to grow fruit, vegetables and shade on just nine square metres

A new physical hub for balcony gardeners

On the grounds of the historic Atelier Gardens film and television campus in Berlin-Tempelhof, a unique school is in full swing. Birgit Schattling, who has spent years teaching balcony owners across German-speaking countries how to plant even the tiniest spaces via online courses and congresses, has now added a physical location to her offering. "Here you can feel, see, taste," Schattling says of the new Balcony School, where participants sow, prick out, plant and harvest together all year round.

Learning by doing, together

Participants value the direct, hands-on exchange that a physical course provides. "This is much better than an online course, here I can put my hands in the soil and don't have to sit in a dark little room in front of a screen," says participant Bettina Schäfer. Fellow gardener Bärbel Schäfer, a retiree who also has a garden, says the course gave her new motivation after she had lost the drive to garden. "I didn't even want to deal with it anymore," she says, but the communal gardening at the Balcony School brought back her enthusiasm.

Maximising every square centimetre

In the Balcony School, a wide variety of plants thrive: currants, bellflowers, climbing roses and even apricots. "You learn here that you can also plant shrubs well on balconies," says Elke Schmude, a Berliner attending the course. Fruit trees are also possible, Schattling adds, just not walnuts. Every centimetre is used; alongside classic pots, a sauce boat or a laundry basket serve as planters. Schattling is particularly proud of the so-called climate terrace, a combination of vertical beds and a greened pergola where climbing peas, runner beans, kiwis, passion flowers and grapevines provide shade and yields.

A solution for overheating urban spaces

Schattling sees the climate terrace as an answer to a growing urban problem. "This is the solution for overheated terraces and balconies. From May onwards, south-facing spots often remain unused — people retreat behind blinds into the interior," she explains. Beyond the regular courses, she also offers individual workshops, team afternoons and lectures on the site. On her own nine-square-metre balcony, Schattling grows 120 plants, including shrubs, pushing the concept of balcony gardening to the extreme.

A post-pandemic boom driven by self-sufficiency

Balcony gardening experienced a boom during the coronavirus pandemic because everyone was at home, notes another balcony expert, Bremen-based journalist, podcaster and author Melanie Öhlenbach. Since 2020 she has published five books on the topic, most recently "Climate Heroes on the Balcony." Öhlenbach, who now tends a garden alongside her balcony, observes that many people are now also asking where their food comes from and how it was produced. The desire for self-sufficiency is playing an increasing role, and prices are another reason to grow your own. She stresses the importance of sharing knowledge in person: "Knowledge and skills are lost if you don't share and pass them on with others."