Creative Gardening For Small Spaces.

You can grow plants and vegetables organically; even in a small place by doing container gardening.

When it comes to what to use for a container when growing an organic container garden you are only limited by your imagination. If you want to stay true to the concept of organic most organic gardeners only use natural containers. They might select containers constructed out of wood or clay. You do not have to be a slave to this concept though.

If the container can hold dirt and can take frequent wettings, it can be used. For example an old pail, wheelbarrow, old blue jeans or even a worn-out shoe could be used for your organic container gardening needs. The only other stipulation to the type of container used, besides holding dirt and being able to get wet is that the container have proper drainage holes.

Most organic plants will not do well if they get too much water. That's why it's important that the container be able to drain properly.If the container doesn't already have holes, you can drill some into the bottom of it.

It is important to put about an inch of broken clay pot pieces or gravel into the bottom of your container. If you want to you may also add leaf mold or pieces of ripped out newspaper on top of the gravel. The reason for using leaf mold is to ensure the soil retains some moisture. The gravel also aids in proper drainage of water from the container.




Don't forget the what type of soil you should use.You should always begin with 100% organic soil. Organic soil is soil which has no man-made chemicals in it. You can purchase organic planting soil from an organic garden supply store.

The biggest disadvantage to having an organic container garden is the lack of subsoil. The soil you choose must be able to hold water and not let your organic plants get wet. One way to ensure your organic plants don't get excessively wet is to use peat moss as an additive to your organic soil.

The best type of soil mixture to provide to your organic container garden plants should have all of the following ingredients: organic soil, compost, composted manure and peat moss.

What type of plants can you plant in the container garden?

You can plant the same plants in a container garden that you can in a regular organic garden. Try Companion planting too!Any of the following plants work well here,beans, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, herbs, or eggplant. This is not an exhaustive list of what can be planted in an organic container garden. They are just a few ideas for you.

One word of caution, the container has to be able to hold whatever plant or vegetable you put into it. A cucumber will still occupy the same amount of space in a container or on your porch as it would growing in the ground.If you start your regular organic garden with organic seeds,which of course you should do. The same applies when growing an organic container garden.

When it comes to pest control and organic container gardeningthe same methods can be used as in a large garden. Pest control in an organic container garden requires much less effort also.Even if you don't have a large yard for an organic garden, you can still grow chemical and pesticide free vegetables and plants in your yard. All you need is an area that receives adequate light,a sheltered area and a container large to hold the organic plant of your choice. Thanks to organic container gardening you can enjoy fresh vegetables year round.

There are so many types of containers now that there is something for everyone. Store bought, plain, fancy, decorated and handmade from just about anything. I have eclectic tastes so I use a wide variety of items like 5-gallon plastic pails, pretty bowls, bags of soil, straw bales, old wheelbarrows, cinder blocks and anything else that looks nice.




Not all homes are fortunate enough to have lawns and backyards to grow in home gardens. This is especially true nowadays when most families live in apartments and condominiums that definitely do not offer space for planting and growing a full garden. These homeowners may try to find satisfaction in having plastic plant decorations but aficionados know all to well that this comes nothing close to the real thing. Fortunately, plant lovers can still fulfill their garden fantasies with container gardening. Most individuals now prefer this type of gardening as they entail easy and uncomplicated maintenance as compared to their lawn counterparts.

Another plan of attack for small spaces is Square Foot Gardening and companion planting. If you don't need or want to move your planters these may be good choices for you.

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The one major advantage of having your garden in containers is mobility. We have at one time or another heard complaints from some gardeners and homeowners wishing that they could have planted a tree that is perhaps obscuring the view somewhere else or have come to realize that positioning the flowering shrub on the left side corner instead of the right would have created a better landscape. With flower gardening, this does not pose a problem. You simply pick up your pot and then set it in a different location in minutes.

Container gardening gives you the option of growing indoor and outdoor plants too. For those plants that are sensitive to weather conditions particularly winter, you can safely shelter them inside during the cold balmy season and then let them out to gather some fresh air as the sun peeks its head in the sky during summer.

The mobility offered by container gardening is a good thing especially if there is a chance of you moving residences. You can easily take your garden with you without the dirt and hassle of digging, transporting and replanting your garden in another location. I for one love the mobility factor because we live in an RV and never know if we are going to move. My husband sometimes has to move for work.

If you are a person who likes to rearrange furniture according to your moods or perchance loves to match up your home arrangements with the season, you will be well pleased with container gardening. Flexibility does not end with your layout but also with the kind of plants and flowers that you have for your home. You can go wild on a selection of colors and species without the worry that they may contradict and go against each other as you always have the option to situate them in another room. In short, there are no limitations so go ahead and indulge yourself.

Have you ever known anyone that collects wine bottles? While there are many beautifully shaped and colorful wine bottles, there does not seem to be many uses for them once the alcohol is consumed. People used the wine bottles as candleholders; the candle wax melting down the sides of the bottles make for a unique indoor decoration. Often people just collect the bottles and add them to their shelves. In this case the bottles are more like dust collectors.

One great idea for empty wine bottles is to use them to create an outdoor garden fountain. Not only will you be creating an uplifting and almost spiritual design, but also you will be helping Mother Earth by recycling what otherwise would be a dumpster contribution. For more information on garden fountains visit http://www.garden-fountains.com/.

The Basics

In order to create a wine bottle garden fountain you must first decide on where you want to dig the hole that will accommodate a minimum of 18 bottles, a spray fountainhead, water pump, a sump, rocks, bricks and some pavers. All of your materials are going to be submerged.




The wine bottles need to be turned upside down so that the bottoms are at the top. You want to find traditional wine bottles in a variety of colors, as their bottoms are concave. The dipped bottoms catch the water as it sprays from the fountainhead and create magical, tiny, colorful pools. The reflection from the tiny pools that this creates in the sunlight is spectacular and inspiring.

Your water fountain will be circular as the bottles dictate an automatic circle design when put together. Start with a six-bottle core and then each ring after that will double your need for wine bottles (i.e.: six for the core, 12 for the second ring and if you desire a larger garden fountain you will need 24 bottles for the third ring). The first six bottles are strapped around the rainwater pipe held together with waterproof tape. Be careful when handling the bottles, as the sheer weight of them will make them difficult to carry. Use goggles or protective eyewear when working with glass. For other water fountain ideas and inspirations go to the Garden Fountains site here http://www.garden-fountains.com/.

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You want to cover the hole with plastic sheeting to ensure proper drainage. You will then fill the plastic lined hole with bricks to hold the bottles in place, the submersible water pump, armored piping to channel the wiring under the lawn or pavers and small cobblestones and gravel to arrange around the bottles, serving as more support. The spray nozzle fountainhead will obviously rise above in the center. After you arrange some larger, decorative rocks atop the fountain to hide all the hardware, you will finally add the pavers to hold everything in place and hide the plastic sheeting. You will want to consult with a home and garden center expert if you have any questions about the specifics on setting up your wine bottle garden fountain. You may also do some research online for specific instructions as well as thumb through any fountain project literature.

Delightful Sight

Indeed, the combination of colorful wine bottles, decorative, smooth, river rock and cement pavers is a magical sight. Wine bottle garden water fountains lend themselves well to many different themed gardens. It is a definitely conversational piece as you can talk about how you were able to collect each wine bottle and how you are proud of your recycling efforts. Wine bottle spray water fountains are beautiful and eco-friendly.

Make the most of a small garden with careful planning and a few, simple garden design tricks.

The trick to getting the best from a small garden is planning. Before you begin, you need to narrow your wish-list to your top priorities. In a bigger garden, for example, you might have a barbecue area; in a small garden, you may have to settle for a space for a portable barbecue and devise a storage plan when it's not in use. Small family gardens are hardest to plan as you'll need to find room for a play area. We asked garden designer Katrina Wells of Earth Designs to come up with three different designs. Our tip is to choose light-reflecting colours and add details you'd find indoors, such as mirrors, to increase the sense of space. As for budget, we've suggested where you can make savings. All you have to do is choose the right plan for you.




Low maintenance in a small garden

Creating a two-level garden linked by steps and flanked by split-level pools fed with waterfalls gives the space more interest. The design is bordered by raised flowerbeds and built-in bench seating, which can seat more guests than garden chairs. A colourful buddleia is an ideal standard plant for this kind of garden; easy to care for, it will attract lots of bees and butterflies when it flowers.

Will it take much looking after?

Raised beds can be much easier to look after than borders and you won't need to get on all fours to tend them. The rest of this garden is given over to paving, which will only need an occasional sweep.

Are there any space-stretching tricks I can use?

An attractive standard plant, urn or statuette at the end of the garden will provide a focal point and draw the eye to the garden's furthest part, tricking you into seeing it as larger than it is. Benches with lift-up lids give more storage. If you need a play area for children, swap tiles for decking in the lower part of the garden and sink a hidden sandpit beneath a section of it. ?




How can I cut costs?

Raised beds look great, but will cost money to install, so you could opt for ground-level planting. Small gardens are more interesting if you add extras, like water features, but you could replace these with more borders and swap decorative paving for gravel or decking.

Small family garden

Strong shapes such as circles (arranged diagonally) will make a small garden appear wider and longer. At the heart of this garden is an open grassy circle (to give kids room to run about), while the smaller paved circles are used as seating/dining areas. Stepping stones lead to a tucked-away play area. Children will also love the shape of the allium plant, or ornamental onion. It flowers in early summer, likes most soils and is easy to care for.

Will it take much looking after?

The lawn will need cutting once a week in the summer, and if you go for low-maintenance plants, such as hebes, you'll only need to give it a quick tidy.

Are there any space-stretching tricks I can use?

Paint walls and fences white to make space appear bigger, keep planting in borders low to make the garden seem wider, and go for a low-level chest storage unit instead of a tall shed.

How can I cut costs?

This is not an expensive garden to create, but you can cut down on planting by making the central grassed area larger, or by stretching it into an oval to fill more of the borders.

Small secluded garden

Want seclusion? Then this is the garden for you. All walls/fences have trellis panels fixed to their fronts and tops so that climbers can be trained up to hide the space from onlookers. The wide S-shaped path is cobbled for a relaxed feel, so make sure you choose a table and chairs with chunky legs to avoid wobble. Go for low-maintenance exotics, which provide year-round interest, and place large plants, such as tree ferns and a windmill palm, in the borders, so that the shed can't be seen from indoors and the bench is hidden from neighbouring houses. Passionflowers grow quickly, but won't damage fences or brickwork if given supports, such as a trellis, to cling to.

Will it take much looking after? Once planted, this garden will look after itself -- aside from the odd pruning of climbers, such as clematis, and the addition of some bright summer blooms, like lilies or poppies.




How can I cut costs?

There's an urn water feature here, but you could replace this with an eye-catching plant, such as zebra grass. Swap the patio cobbles for gravel, which is cheaper to buy and easier to lay.

About the Author

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