Cadence - Lucky you having a south/east baconly location. I am in the Okanagan, B.C. I am on a third floor condo too, but I face north east - which is alot more shady and leaves little choices but for shady plants.

The first plant I thought of was the Honeysuckle

They are valued for their pretty flowers, which are sweetly scented, and their decorative fruits, which birds find delectable. The climbing Honeysuckles are suitable for growing over a trellis, arch, or pergola, while the shrubby kind are great for growing in borders and rock gardens, and as hedges. Their trumpet-shaped flowers are borne from late winter or early spring to late summer and range in color from cream and light yellow to vivid scarlet and purplish-rose. They are followed by pretty fruits that may be white, yellow, orange, red, blue, and black.

POTTING:

These plants will live in almost any soil, though they prefer a moist loam enriched with organic matter. They will benefit from being mulched, except with manure, which promotes the growth of foliage at the expense of the flowers.

Their roots should be in shade and most prefer part or even full shade, although some flower best with their heads in full sun. This should be perfect on your balcany if you can have the root base protected from the sun.

The stems of young plants should be shortened to encourage early branching and produce a full, bushy plant. Once this is achieved, pruning should only be done to keep the plants in bounds and to thin them out once there is a lot of old wood. This pruning should be done right after flowering; Honeysuckles that flower in late summer should be pruned in early spring. Shrubby Honeysuckles should have their old flowering shoots thinned out and cut back to within a few inches of the old wood right after flowering.

Another little [annual] plant I thought of for filling bare spots in containers and also for their fabulous scent is alyssum.

The tiny white flower variety seems more hardy than the maulve/purple/blue - just my humble opinion. These tiny florals love sun or partial shade. They multiply fast, so fill in is quick! If you plant them near your sitting area, the fragance is so pleasant....

Imabcgal!
Thank you very much for taking the time to explain all about honeysuckle and how it might work for my balcony. I think it sounds like a great idea. I wonder which one would be best for my balcony - the climbing honeysuckle or the bush? You've gotten me all excited now and I can hardly wait until I get to the garden centre. Is this a good time to purchase one? You said the roots should be in the shade, well that would work because I have a clematis that is growing fine and it like its' roots shaded too. Thank you very much for suggesting a honeysuckle!

Candence ~ You are probably okay to purchase/plant the Honeysuckle vine now but I would plant a honeysuckle about the middle of April in the lower mainland

I plan on purchasing/planting honeysuckle on my deck too but not till end of April in the Okanagan.

I am also going to buy 3 - 2 1/2 gal size Lilac bushes as, read in here on a another discussion you can treat a lilac like a bonsai by pruning and trimming it each year. I think the lilac would give much needed privacy thru the summer and wow that fragrance in the spring! I may pick up a rhododendron for my semi-shaded balcony and that out as dwarfed plant too!

Imabcgal - I went to the nursery this morning to inquire about a honeysuckle vine. Hmmm - she (the clerk) told me that it would attract lots of bees. I'm hesitating a little? Is she correct? Do you have problems with bees?