Many people think that they can’t garden because they live in the middle of a city. These people haven’t heard of urban gardening – the practice of growing plants in an urban environment. Not only is this a fun hobby but it also gives you access to nature’s many mental health benefits.
So, if you want to get into urban gardening, where should you start? Below, we’ll share five urban gardening ideas to help you transform your environment.
- Go vertical
One of the easiest ways to add plants in your urban environment is to make better use of vertical space, either indoors or in your garden. Housing plants vertically increases the amount of space you can use to grow, enhances your air quality, and can even offer insulation.
Try growing plants on floating shelves, up walls, or on trellises outside. You’ll enjoy a greener and more open environment as a result.
- Create a rooftop garden
If you have a rooftop that’s currently not being used for much, you should try creating a rooftop garden. Rooftop gardens offer you a place to relax and add visual interest to an otherwise boring rooftop.
To get started, add potted plants, raised beds, or small trees. You can also use solar lights for hassle-free lighting so you can enjoy your rooftop garden during evenings or at night. In the end, you’ll have a beautiful new environment you can’t wait to spend time in.
- Use window spaces
Make the most of your unused window spaces by making a garden at your window. Window gardens bring the outdoors inside, beautify boring windowsills, and can even give you easy access to fresh cooking ingredients.
Grow flowers, herbs, or tiny vegetables in hanging baskets over window spaces. Alternatively, grow them in pots or containers on or around your windowsills. Your windows will soon be your new favourite home feature.
- Build a hydroponics system
Don’t worry if you’d rather not bring soil inside your home. You can always use hydroponics instead. This is a system for growing plants using containers of water instead of soil. Using this method lets you grow plants almost anywhere, all year round.
All you need to build your own simple hydroponic system is a container, an air pump, seeds, and nutrients to feed them. After a few months, you’ll have a lush crop of homegrown plants and much cleaner air quality in your living space.
- Grow a terrarium
Ever heard of terrariums? They’re glass enclosures containing miniature ecosystems of plant life. They let you grow plants in an unusual way and require minimal care once you’ve set them up.