Many people give up on gardening when they move into a patio or an apartment, because they think they can’t have a good garden in such a limited space. Don’t be one of them! If you’re passionate about gardening, don’t let a simple thing like limited space stop you. You can have a wonderful garden no matter where you live. Here are 10 creative patio gardening ideas for those who’re looking to start a garden in a limited space:
1. A Mini-Garden in a Shoe Organizer
Even if you’re living in a small apartment that doesn’t have space for containers and pots, there are plenty of options that you can experiment with. Try using an old shoe-organizer to start your own mini-garden. It doesn’t just work, it also looks super cute!
You can plant different herbs for your kitchen here, or you can even have different mixed vegetables such as peas, mini tomatoes, sorrel, etc.
2. Indoor Hanging Baskets
Indoor hanging baskets are great for planting leafy vegetables and herbs; you can even use them to find some flowers that thrive indoors. Not only do they require less space, they’re also easy to move in and out of the balcony as required. Just make sure you don’t place them over the carpet because water may spill out occasionally when you water the plants.
Even if you don’t have a balcony, this is something everyone can use. You can even use baskets that complement your interior, so it looks both elegant and classy.
3. Water-Growing Plants
There are some plants that don’t require dirt to grow … they thrive well in plain ‘ol water! These include lotus and water lilies. These plants can be placed in glass bowls and you can put them indoors. They look great; my mom used to have one on her dining table and everybody loved it.
I am planning to grow one of these for my own home soon.
4. Miniature Herb Garden in a Box
You can do this in a small wooden box, or even an old tub. Depending upon the space you have, you can put the container in your kitchen and plant different herbs in it. Herb gardens are low-maintenance and super easy to grow.
You can start with few basic herbs like mint, basil and thyme. Using fresh herbs in your food gives it a really nice and savory aroma and taste.
You can even paint your gardening container to match the decor in your kitchen so it blends into the surroundings. Neat, right?
5. Vertical Gardening: Pallet Garden
If you don’t have floor space for a garden, no worries. Start a vertical garden! Vertical gardens are both cute and effective. The Life On The Balcony blog has this awesome vertical gardening idea using pallets. It requires a bit of work, but it’s totally worth it. Find instructions on starting your own pallet garden here.
6. Canning Jar Wall Planters
If you’re into canning, you may have some spare canning jars crowding up your cupboards. Use those jars as wall planters to have a neat indoor garden adorning your walls. I learned about this one from the Not JUST a Housewife blog … I fell in love with this one instantly. It just looks so cute! It’s sure to be a favorite among house guests.
While you’re there also check out the indoor modern tree stump planter. I would love to have that in my room ... if I only I could get my hands on a stump ;)
7. Grow Herbs in Galvanised Tubs
You don’t need to buy expensive pots for owning a garden. Carrie at The Vintage Wren started her own backyard garden by using galvanized containers.
You just need to use a hammer and a nail to punch holes into each bucket, so water drains between them, and start planting.
It looks cute, plus it works great.
8. Troughs and Window Boxes
I love window boxes, and although they do require some work setting up, fortunately it’s a one-time effort. Window boxes are great for planting at arm’s reach. You can place these on your patio railings, your balcony or below your windows. Even if you’re living in a congested downtown area, having some of these on your balcony will really brighten your view. And who would say no to the smell of fresh flowers adding to the ambience of your home? You can learn more about these at Inhabitat.
9. Hanging Coconut Shell Garden For Your Balcony
Emptied coconut shells make great hanging planters, and they look really creative hanging out on your balcony. It’s something you don’t see everyday, do you? Try it ... plant some fresh flowers to welcome spring, enrich your balcony with the smell of fresh flowers and give it an exotic touch with the coconut shells.
10. Indoor Countertop Gardens
Countertops are great for having indoor container gardens. I love doing this in my kitchen; this way I always have fresh herbs at arms reach when I need them. You can use some old vases and bowls that you have stopped using, repaint them and use them to start a creative and fun countertop garden.
It’s a good idea to start with low-maintenance plants, so it’s easier to manage.
There’s just so much you can use even in a limited space, both indoors and outdoors. If you’re a passionate gardener, then don’t let trivial details like space stop you. Start gardening today, don’t give up on it! Start experimenting, and find what works for you. Share your ideas with me too, I’d love to learn the tricks you’re using in your indoor garden!
Author
Memuna Umber from YardYum
Memuna is a MBA student who also happens to have a passion for the environment. She brings a lot of marketing experience to the YardYum team.