I haven't got a garden but gave my balcony a makeover thanks to bargains from B&M – a £4 buy was great for adding colour

The Sun

09-05-2025

A MOTHER has revealed that she hasn't got a garden, so decided to give her balcony a mega makeover.
Victoria Wright, who is better known as 'Vickaboox' online, nabbed a haul of bargain buys from B&M to add colour and style to her outside space.
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The 29-year-old content creator, who has a baby boy called Christopher, not only used £10 bamboo to add privacy to her balcony, but she also found a £4 buy that bought colour to the patio area too.
Showing off her balcony transformation online, the mum-of-one who lives in a flat, explained: 'I have mum guilt because it's 25 degrees and I don't have a garden - but what I do have is my boyfriend's bank card, free will and B&M.
'No garden, no problem - I will just create a rooftop pool party on the balcony.'
After heading to B&M and stocking up on purse-friendly finds, Victoria gave her balcony a 'good clean and clear out'.
She recognised: 'You may find hoovering, mopping, scrubbing, sweeping, a bit excessive, but we are lucky enough to live amongst Airbnbs - I have had to clean up vomit and we'll say, bags of paracetamol off my balcony before, so every time the baby plays outside, obviously we have to give it a good scrub.'
As well as buying bamboo for just £10 to add privacy to the balcony, Victoria used cable ties to secure it in place, which she got for only £3.
As well as this, she picked up wind spinners which were only £4 a pack and instantly added colour to the space.
She also nabbed a paddling pool for £12, which she described as 'super cute.'
To finish off the balcony and really add to the 'pool party' vibes, Victoria bought a bubble machine for £8, which she described as 'the best bubble machine ever.'
What was once a very neglected space has since been given a total new look ready for summer - and we think it's incredibly impressive considering it was done on a tight budget.
I don't have a garden so made a 10p paddling pool on my balcony - it was brilliant but my downstairs neighbours will never forgive me
Showing off her gorgeous balcony, the influencer beamed: 'This was the finished result and I can confirm that Chrissy absolutely loved it.'
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ vickaboox, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as at the time of writing, it had quickly amassed 128,900 views, 12,000 likes and 54 comments.
8 must-have plants to brighten up your garden
Nick Hamilton owner of Barnsdale Gardens has shared his favourite plants and flowers you should consider adding to your garden, borders and pots.
Tricyrtis
A spectacular plant that gives a real exotic feel to any garden with its orchid-like, spotted flowers giving the impression that this plant should be tender but it is 'as tough as old boots!'.
Penstemon
I love this plants genus of because most will flower all summer and autumn. They'll grow in sun or semi-shade in a well drained soil and produce a non-stop display of tubular flowers in an array of colours and colour combination to suit all tastes.
Luzula sylvatica 'Marginata'
With the evergreen leaves edged with yellow it's great asset is that it
will grow in sun or shade in any type of soil and is great as groundcover in the hardest spot to fill - dry shade.
Eryngium x zabelii 'Big Blue'
A stunning, nectar-rich plant that will feed the beneficial insects in your
garden. Leave the flowerheads once they have turned brown because they look stunning with winter frost and snow, extending the plant's interest period.
Sarcococca hookeriana 'Winter Gem'
If you need winter scent then look no further than this compact, evergreen shrub. The scent is stunning and the evergreen leaves create an excellent backdrop for the summer flowers.
Cornus sanguinea 'Anny's Winter Orange'
A dwarf version of 'Midwinter Fire' the very colourful stems create a stunning winter display, particularly on sunny days.
Rosa 'Noisette Carnee'
A very well-behaved climbing rose that is perfect for training over an arch, pergola or gazebo. The small, 'noisette' flowers are blush-pink and produce the most amazing clove scent constantly from June to November.
Sanguisorba hakusanensis 'Lilac Squirrel'
I've never seen a squirrel with a drooping, shaggy lilac tail, but this variety will give your garden an unusual and different look throughout summer. It does need a moisture retentive soil but will grow in sun or semi-shade.
Social media users beam
Social media users were impressed with Victoria's balcony makeover and many eagerly raced to the comments to express this.
One person said: 'Aww it looks fab you've given me inspiration.
"I have a small courtyard garden and always thought it was too small for anything but love this.'
How to save money at B&M
Shoppers have saved hundreds of pounds a year by using B&M's scanner app.
The scanner lets you see if an item's price is cheaper than advertised on the shop floor label.
Products that are typically discounted are seasonal items and old stock that B&M is trying to shift.
The app is free to download off the B&M Stores mobile app via Google Play or the Apple App Store.
According to one ex-B&M manager, you'll want to visit your local branch at 10am on a Wednesday too.
Here's how you can join the B&M bargain hunt:
Download the B&M app for free on any smartphone with an App Store or Google Play.
Once you've installed it on your device, click on the option labelled "more" on the bottom, right-hand side of the app home page.
You'll then find an option that says "barcode scanner". Click on this and you'll open a camera screen.
Use the camera to hover over the barcode of the product you wish to check.
If the price comes up as lower, take it to the cash desk and it will automatically scan at the lower price.
You don't need to sign up to the B&M app to use the barcode scanner.
Another added: 'This is an amazing idea.'
A third commented: 'Looks lovely.'
At the same time, someone else penned: '*Redoes entire balcony after watching this.*'