A 10 sq m balcony was packed to bursting, the result of a family of three toiling away for most of a year

Friends who come to my home see my balcony and sum it up in two words: "dizzy." Hehe, it really is a bit much. Some were bought by my daughter, some by my husband, but most were collected by me. The three of us have different tastes, so the balcony always feels a bit messy. My daughter says it's "beautifully chaotic."

Last year there were still only a scant dozen or so potted woody plants on the balcony. To block the sun, we sowed morning glories and climbing melons in spring, and as a result the whole family got hooked on growing things.

We started buying seeds, soil, fertilizer, pesticides, and pots, building trellises, installing flower stands and hanging rods, digging soil everywhere, constantly visiting flower markets, browsing forums, and ordering seedlings online. The whole family pitched in and toiled for most of a year, and this is the bounty we harvested: a balcony absolutely full.

Flowers make people obsessed, and flowers make people work hard.

This whole family has gone flower-crazy