A 20 sq m entry garden, and the stone trough picked up for 50 yuan adds a lot of charm.

People who grow flowers easily feel happy, because they all love life!

I really like the natural colors and clumsy look of stone. It is just that considering the load-bearing capacity of the balcony, there are still some good stone pieces I do not dare to put out anymore. This year I am planning to go for raw wood. Our city is located in a mountainous area, so with just a little effort, stones, tree stumps, old vines... and so on can all be found by yourself.

Last year I did not put in too much thought, because I was still a beginner at growing flowers, so I first wanted to see whether I could keep it up and take care of the flowers. This year I am planning to make some adjustments, and I believe there will be good results by then.

I got them in the countryside. They were originally used to feed pigs. These stone troughs are made of sandstone, handcrafted by craftsmen, very clumsy. The decorative effect is indeed quite good.

You can go to the countryside to look for stone troughs. When you see one, do not get too excited. Try to ask in a tone that sounds as if you do not care much: Could you give me this thing to keep a few goldfish in for fun? I asked an acquaintance for two, and they all gave them to me very readily. There were also two that I asked strangers for, and unexpectedly the locals were also very straightforward and said: As long as you can drag it away, take it. Later I felt a bit embarrassed, so I bought him a 50 yuan carton of cigarettes, which left him at a loss and made him thank me for quite a while in return. Very simple and honest locals! I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

This tea set matches these flower vessels very well, and the plant combinations are also excellent, especially those stones, which are as profound in mood as a Japanese dry landscape garden, full of Tang style...

For changing the water, I actually use a clumsy method: scoop the fish out, then scoop out the small stones in the stone trough, pour the dirty water onto the flowers as I go, and then pour in clean water.

But what I keep are brocade crucian carp. After more than a year of practice, I found that this kind of fish is too tough. If they are not fed for a few days and the water is changed once every 10 days, they still live very happily.

Some flower friends also gave a good idea: go to the flower and bird market and spend about 20 yuan on a small water pump, make a simple filter, and then there is even less need to worry about changing the water.

Stone troughs: I originally placed 4, but later many flower friends reminded me about the load-bearing issue, so I gave 2 away as a friendly gesture. I also specifically checked online the load-bearing limit of the floor slab. The weight is within the limit, and since our balcony is not cantilevered, there is currently no problem. This year I am planning to adjust it, and keep only one stone trough, over 100 jin, which is just about the weight of one person, so there is even less need to worry.

Actually it is still quite bare. It needs to be constantly enriched. Cleaning does not feel troublesome, because I was already prepared when decorating. For the balcony and entry garden, I used better materials as much as I could, but the structure must be simple, so cleaning is just like cleaning an ordinary room.

I am definitely a person who loves life. I have liked it since I was young, but it was only after moving to a new home in October the year before last that I had the conditions to grow some flowers. You are right. In spring, summer and autumn, drinking tea on the balcony is really enjoyable. Even my 6-year-old daughter likes to keep me company drinking tea on the balcony.