Unit, flat and townhouse living comes with it’s challenges. However, you can have a functional and productive garden, connecting you to nature, creating micro climates and filling your kitchen with abundance through container gardening. Stamp your unique style on a balcony, terrace or small garden with containers in various, shapes, styles and materials. If you’re renting, have the added convenience of picking up your garden when it is time to move on.
Plants species to consider
Screening from neighbours, sun and wind can be achieved by planting strategically placed singular pots or ‘walls of shrubs’ in larger pots. Photinia, Murraya, Lilly Pilly varieties including Acmena – Allyn Magic and Syzygium – Resilience along with Chamedorea – Cascade and Golden Cane palms will all meet the brief. Consider deciduous Frangipani for summer shade and winter sun. Malay Dwarf Bamboo will do well in a pot for a long duration and then climbers such as Bougainvillea – Bambino and Trachelospermum – Star Jasmine, to feature on a trellis, are all up to the job of providing you with a stunning container garden display.
The productive garden
Growing your own food is very achievable with a potted garden and can be equally productive as a traditional backyard veggie patch.
Lemon, lime and orange “dwarf” citrus trees, vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans can all be achieved with larger pots. Up cycle rain guttering for a productive green wall of herbs, mint, basil, and parsley or a picking garden of lettuce, rocket and spinach.
Decorate a balcony and soften hard edges by containing multiple plantings of contrasting leaf size, colour and shape with similar water and light needs. Choose succulents surrounding Sanseveria varieties and structural feature plants, Agave, Furcraea and Bromeliads. Enjoy flowers throughout the year from Hippeastrum interspersed with Agapanthus or flowering annuals of Cosmos and Petunia. Consider Begonias, Birds Nest Fern, Ginger, Spathiphylum and Elkhorn for shady situations.
Hanging baskets
Create a trailing curtain that can add colour and scent to outdoor space. Choose from hardy succulents, Mandevilla, Hardenbergia – Purple Coral Pea, Hedera helix – English Ivy & Jasmin (just to name a few) which will all add interest to your area.
With the right aspect, nutrients, and the right amount of water, you can tailor your container garden to your individual needs, budget and style.
Always choose a premium potting mix for your pots to ensure your plants perform at their best and you will reduce the need for watering. In sunny spots consider mulching the top of your pots with decorative pebbles or wood mulch to retain moisture.
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