If you’re one of the many people looking to enjoy the warmer weather by embracing your green fingered side, an urban garden might be the perfect choice for you. Even if you’re limited to a small space, a little creativity is all you need to make the most of a garden you can enjoy, relax in, and even grow your fruit and vegetables from. Whether you’ve rediscovered a love for growing in your garden or you want to explore a new hobby, curating an outside space that you, your family and friends can enjoy all year round is a great way to get outside, and enjoy the sun.
Plan out your space carefully
For gardens being built completely from scratch, it’s important to plan your space carefully to make sure all your plants have the room they need to grow, without overpowering the plant life around them and allowing you space to sow more seeds as and when you want to. You’ll also need to consider what soil will work best for your plot and your plants, how elevated each needs to be, and how much exposure to the wind, sun and rain each will have from your garden.
If you’re really struggling for space, it’s worth looking into different levels of elevation for your plants. Investing in raised beds, hanging planters and smaller pots will help your plants grow healthily, and ensure your garden is as colourful and as aesthetically pleasing to relax in too.
Look out for dangerous weeds
Moving house is a great opportunity to experiment with planting new species, in a brand new space. If you’re taking on a gardening project within an abandoned or uncared for patch of land, a good starting point is to take stock of the plants and soil that might already be hiding within the weeds. It’s crucial that you keep an eye out for any invasive or non-native plants. Weeds like Japanese knotweed might look deceptively pretty as an ornamental part of your flower patch, but can have a devastating impact on your garden, your household and the area around you. If you think you’ve discovered Japanese knotweed on your property, it’s important to act quickly to ensure the invasive species doesn’t spread any further. Environmental specialists like Ebsford Environmental can help you safely detect and permanently remove the weed, while causing as little disruption as possible to your garden.
Consider seasonal planting
Because urban gardens are usually more compact than traditional planting patches, the plants you choose need to work harder to make your space look as beautiful, colourful and blooming as possible. Choosing plants that stay in flower all year round, or those that bloom repeatedly, such as hydrangeas, cone flowers or common geraniums will help you enjoy the colours of your garden for much longer, all without too much extra work for you. If you have a little more room for fruit trees and bushes, crab apples and blueberries flower prettily until they produce tasty fruit treats for you to enjoy, too.
Make the most of your garden’s quirks
If you’re beginning to sow seeds on a balcony, enclosed space or wall garden, you’re likely to enjoy unique qualities that make your garden stand out. If your space gets sun all day long, or your patch is sheltered from the wind, it’s worth looking into the kinds of plants that thrive under different conditions from the usual Great British weather. Ensuring you make the most of your space, whether that’s through utilizing your walls, trellises or fences, will help you grow a space that is entirely your own.