Meguin,

how is your garden coming? I am new to balcony gardening, but am a longtime gardener (mostly vegetables). I don't know about the wind conditions, but your balcony sounds like a great spot for herbs and some salad veggies. You can easily grow herbs in pots or one big pot (this is great because the added volume will hold and retain water better) Rosemary, parsley, sage and thyme would be great together. If you plant mint, plant it by itself because it will spread and takeover(a shallow bowl type pot works well). it also wants to stay a little wetter than the other herbs. Most herbs are perennials and if you have a sunny window, you can even bring them inside in the winter to enjoy all year long.

You can also grow a luttuce bowl for your rabbits (and you). A mesclun mix is always fun, flavorful and colorful. You can just pick the outside leaves as they mature and keep it going.

I would guess any berries would each require their own pot, starting with just a few inches larger than thier original nursery container.

Since it is windy, I'd avoid or limit hanging pots. To start your pots, use a good potting soil. Regular soil will be too dense for the pots. Make sure they all have good drainage. Lay a coffee filter over the bottom of the empty pot (to slow water and hold in the soil). Pebbles or even packing peanuts are good for the first layer (1-2 inches) to give the water something to run through. Then add your soil. Most transplants will get buried flush (not deeper than they are in their current pots), so just set them evenly around your pot, and fill in around them with more soil. Press it in lightly, then water thoroughly and fill any spots where the soil has settled. (You can check this periodically too to see if there are any low spots. Plan to water daily since you are getting a lot of sun.

I hope you have fun and decide to expand into some veggies for you. Tomatoes and eggplants would be very happy in your sunny conditions (try dwarf varieties). You'll love them.

Using the same potting technique, experiment with flowers that make you happy - it's amazing how a splash of color can make you smile.