Sustainable high windy balcony garden?

How would you create a sustainable balcony garden on a high and often windy balcony?

I know, it's specific, that's because I'd like it for myself, but my plants are being overrun with aphids while their enemies like ladybugs, hover flies, and lacewings, don't seem to find their way to the balcony.
I'd like to have a nice green balcony with permanent plants that survive, but that's been a challenge so far.

I was thinking of building some sort of long low narrow planter along the front to keep the plants connected, but it's not very practical and I'm not sure of the benefits.

This is in the Netherlands by the way.

3 comments

long low narrow planter along the front
had this balcony setup just on the sea coast in Finland, not much benefit. In the end, terrace shelves against the wall and planters on the floor are different only in aesthetics. Just had a lot of plants and birds - make sure you have some attractors to those (scatter some food, leave nest building material, place a cat behind the window to be mocked) - still lost plants quite often to elements and larvae.
- Thanks for the advise. This balcony is open only to the front, so birds don't visit often (or they're very sneaky).
  Though I'd like to see birds, currently I really want insects that keep the aphids away. Occasionally I see a bee-shaped creature making a few circles across the balcony but then they leave again. The internet tells me I need to add dille, rosemary, mint, marigold, and other plants to repel the aphids and attract ladybugs. Well, I did all that, and the aphids even destroyed the mint and don't fear the rosemary either, while the ladybugs hardly ever visit unless I add them myself, after which they eventually fly away never to return.
  
  Do you know you can actually buy predatory mites and nematodes to enjoy your aphids? This is what worked in my situation somewhat, although it does not help if the plant is already heavily afflicted. These guys sure will not fly away.