Today's gardens come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you live in a one-bedroom apartment, a city brownstone, or a suburban manse, you can create a little bit of color inside or outside your window. The key to seeing green: know your environment. Before you head out to your local garden center to purchase a few plants, determine how much sunlight and moisture your space gets. Then, start dreaming about what you want for your particular space. Whether it's an indoor plant, window box, small urban yard, or sprawling lawn, the sky is the limit -- literally! -- for what you can grow.
For the Apartment Dweller
Try: Pretty house plants
What to plant: Easy-to-care for orchids like
Phalaeonopsis When to plant: Year-round
How to plant: Pick a pretty container that matches your decor. For added color, check out local Asian markets for ceramic containers embellished with Japanese-inspired prints. Orchids require good air flow and drainage at the root, so choose a ready-made orchid mix (available at your local garden center) for soil. Place plant in soil and gently pack mix around its base. Set container in medium to low light.
Maintenance: Place the entire container in the sink and let lukewarm water shower just the orchid soil mix (sprinkling the blooms will leave water spots). Make sure the water drains completely; you don't want your orchid to sit in stagnant water. Water at least once a week, depending on your home's environment -- if the orchid seems dried out after four days, move up your watering schedule. Feed your plant with a liquid orchid fertilizer once a week. For more help go to the
American Orchid Society.
For the Small-Steps Taker
Try: A window box herb garden
What to plant: Basil, thyme, chives, rosemary, sage. They require very little upkeep and prefer dry, hot environments -- and will be delicious in your recipes.
When to plant: After the last frost
How to plant: Choose a south-facing window that gets lots at least five hours of sunlight a day. Use a container that weathers well, such as a metal bucket, plasticotta pot, or wooden box with holes in the bottom. Fill box with soiless media (ask your local garden center for recommendations) about 1/2 to 2/3 full. Remove plants from their containers, gently loosen roots, put them in place, and secure with soiless mixture. Add enough mixture to cover roots. Water thoroughly until water drains out of the bottom.
Maintenance: Check daily. If the soil feels dry, add water until it seeps out the bottom. Add fertilizer to your window box on a monthly basis.
For the City Dweller
Try: A small plot out front or in the backyard
What to plant: Trees (think small: redbuds or dwarf Japanese maples) and shrubs (evergreen, rhodendrons). They will stand up to high-traffic areas in a limited environment.
When to plant: Fall
How to plant: Pick something that will thrive in your plot's sun exposure. Dig holes in rich, well-drained soil that are double the size of the root ball of the tree or shrub. This will help the tree live longer. Gently pull roots apart and place in earth. Cover with soil.
Maintenance: While it's not necessary to fertilize a just-planted tree, watering is a must. Continue to water regularly; adding some mulch around the bottom of the trunk will help seal in water.
For the Suburban Adventure-Seeker
Try: A well-manicured lawn bordered by planting beds
What to plant: Bulbs like daffodils and tulips, and ornamental alleum, wisteria, and clematis. You want to have a mixture of bulbs, shrubs, perennials, and vines that thrive in your particular zone.
When to plant: Fall for spring bloom; spring for fall bloom
How to plant: Check out the labels on the seed packets of each plant to determine how far you should dig into the soil. Place seeds into the earth and gently refill hole with soil. Press gently to secure seeds in place.
Maintenance: Water regularly -- set a timer to make a sprinkler come on once a week for an hour.
[Nestperts] Julie Moir Messervey, coauthor of Outside the Not So Big House (Taunton Press 2006); Robin Simmons of the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens; and Carl Gersons, of Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania.
-- Christie Matheson
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