I am a HUGE Studio Ghibli fan.
I’ve also fallen in love with birds and plants as I’ve approached my 30s and because my partner’s mum has like 8000 plants, I genuinely enjoy being surrounded by nature.
There’s something about the world of Studio Ghibli that just… slows you down.
You know?
The way the wind moves through the grass. How a kettle whistles while someone gazes out a window.
And for a lot of us, especially if you live in a noisy city or a tiny apartment, it can feel like you’re so far away from that kind of peace.
Like nature is some luxury only available to people with yards or fancy cottages in the woods.
You don’t need a giant garden to feel that softness.
You can create a Ghibli-inspired space right on your balcony. One that helps you breathe deeper. One that reminds you that your life doesn’t need to be perfect to feel beautiful.
Let’s turn your balcony into a little wonderland—one terracotta pot at a time.
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1. Think wild, not perfect
Ghibli gardens never look curated in the “Instagram way.”
They’re overgrown, wild, and sometimes messy. That’s the magic of it—it feels alive.
Skip the perfectly spaced pots. Let your plants spill over. Add moss between tiles if you can. Let nature do what it does best—grow in its own direction.
Buy a 6-pack of terracotta clay pots with saucers – perfect for letting roots breathe and giving your garden that raw, earthy feel.
2. Add some green friends with character
You don’t need expensive plants to make a space feel enchanted.
Go for things like spider plants, ferns, pothos, and ivy. The kind that hangs, drapes, and waves when the wind hits.
If you’re able to, get a small Japanese maple sapling in a pot. It grows slow, but oh my god, it’s so worth it. You’ll feel like you’re living in Whisper of the Heart.
Get a bundle of hanging pothos vines here – easy to care for and totally gives Spirited Away courtyard vibes.
3. Miniature magic changes everything
You know what brings the Ghibli charm to life? Tiny things. Little bridges. Mushrooms. Totoro hiding behind a plant.
Get creative with what you add. Maybe a tiny bench for fairies (or soot sprites) or a lantern hidden in the corner.
This 5-piece Ghibli Totoro miniature set is adorable and fits inside plant pots or moss trays.
4. Let water do the talking
There’s always water in Ghibli movies.
Ponds, streams, baths. Even in silence, the sound of water makes things feel alive.
Add a small tabletop fountain or just a large bowl with floating petals or pebbles.
Here’s a compact outdoor fountain that fits neatly on most balconies and hums gently like background music.
5. Pick pots with soul
It’s not just the plants—it’s the containers they live in. Choose ones that feel old, earthy, or hand-painted. Clay, stone, or rustic ceramic.
Swap plastic for something that feels a little more Miyazaki.
This hand-painted Totoro plant pot is tiny but adds so much warmth to a windowsill or corner.
6. Add soft light for cozy evenings
In so many Ghibli scenes, twilight is where the magic happens. The lamps glow. The stars show up. You sip tea and just exist.
Add solar-powered fairy lights, soft lanterns, or even a couple candles in glass jars.
Try these solar-powered warm string lights for a glow that feels like magic at dusk.
7. Create corners for stillness
Even if your balcony is small, carve out a little corner where you can sit with tea and do nothing. Add a cushion, a foldable chair, or even a stack of blankets.
Let that corner become your escape—even if it’s 2 feet wide.
This cute wooden floor chair gives you a spot to curl up with a book (or just stare at your plants).
8. Let it change with the seasons
One thing Ghibli teaches us is that time matters.
Things grow, die, and bloom again.
Let your garden change with the weather. Replace flowers, add seasonal plants, let leaves fall, and stay awhile. It doesn’t have to be “clean.” It has to be real.
This seasonal gardening book offers tips on how to love your garden through every phase of the year.
9. Add something just for you
Maybe it’s a wind chime. A journal tucked in a corner. A tray with your favorite mug. Not everything has to be “for the garden.” Some of it should be for you.
Let it reflect who you are. That’s very Ghibli.
Here’s a beautiful Studio Ghibli journal you can use to write your thoughts while sitting in your green sanctuary.
10. Don’t rush it
You’re not building a Pinterest board. You’re building a feeling. Let your garden grow slow. Add to it a little at a time.
It’s okay if it takes months. That’s what makes it yours.
Closing Thoughts
Your little balcony might never be a full-on Ghibli forest, but that’s not the point.
It can still be a place where the wind moves through the leaves.
Where tea tastes better. Where you feel like the main character in your own quiet story.
And that? That’s enough magic for anyone.
