A morning on the balcony with a cup of coffee and the smell of basil is not the same as a morning with just coffee. I realized this by accident when one evening, tired of everything and everyone, I bought myself some mint seedlings. I just needed something that would grow while my head was in chaos. I planted it in an old teapot. The next day it became easier. A week later, the mint put out new leaves.

Since then, my balcony has turned into a real mini-garden. Not because I suddenly became interested in gardening, but because I wanted to have a place where life grows, regardless of everything else. Where you can embrace the greenery with your eyes, breathe in a little silence and just be.

There is nothing cozier than lifting the blinds in the morning and seeing the light fall on the leaves. Lavender and rosemary, thyme and sage - not for the kitchen, but for the mood. And each pot is like a chapter in a story. I bought this one on sale when it seemed that nothing was making me happy. And this one - I brought back from a trip, wrapped in a sweater.

Creating a balcony garden is not about design. It is about care. About the desire to see growth, even if life is stagnant. About morning rituals - pour water, smell a leaf, sit barefoot next to it. The balcony becomes a place of power.

I think we underestimate how much green can give nearby. It is quiet. It does not require likes. It just is. And you suddenly feel how you slow down. How you become softer to yourself.

If you think you need a vacation, maybe you just need a balcony with a couple of pots and a blanket. To sit in the middle of your small garden and feel that even in the noisiest city you can find a place where you can breathe more freely.