Living in a city presents a number of difficulties when you want to have a garden. Small spaces, concrete slabs and busy lifestyles all make gardening a challenge. However, having an urban garden is possible when you have a clear idea in mind about what you want and what you need to do.
Oftentimes, the biggest challenge in creating an urban garden is not any of the things mentioned above. More often than not, it’s imagination that hinders city dwellers from making the most of their metropolitan spaces.
When planning an urban garden design, certain things need to be kept in mind. With such a small space to work on, you need to be careful with every little detail to make your garden come together. Here are some ideas that you can incorporate in your urban garden design:
1. Make a rough sketch of your garden. The best way to plan for your garden design is to see it on paper. This will help you visualize your garden and will also allow you to plan your space more effectively.
2. Create an optical illusion. To make small spaces appear larger, use mirrors in your urban garden design. Weather-resistant mirrors are perfect for outdoor use and can be positioned in a sunny area in the garden to reflect light to shadier areas.
3. Paint your garden happy. Light colored walls and fences open up garden space. They also make your plants stand out more.
4. Hide unpleasant views. Your neighbor’s wall, busy street and other unpleasant views can be altered with the use of small trellis. A trellis can also double as a hanging or climbing post for some of your plants.
5. Research about your plants. Some plants thrive when mixed with other plants, while others need a space of their own. There are those that thrive in sunlight and there are some that prefer partial shade. Knowing how your plants behave will help them grow more favorably. This is particularly applicable to herbs and vegetables, but may likewise be relevant to other plants.
6. Plant strategically. You need to ensure that your plants get enough sunlight as required, so you need to plant strategically. But other than that, you need to know where exactly to place your plants to achieve cohesion in your garden. This also allows provision for putting other landscaping materials in your garden.
7. Use space saving planters. With such small garden space, you cannot place all your plants on the ground. Containers and raised beds help in stretching out your garden space and allow you to accommodate more plants in a tiny space. Use planters which you can hang or place on different areas in your garden.
Creating an urban garden is not as hard as it seems. With some planning, you can achieve the desired urban garden design that you are aiming for. Keep in mind that when planning a small garden, less is more so as not to end up with a cluttered garden space.
