by
Dawn West, All About Lawns Columnist
For some folks, having a big garden seems almost unavoidable.
They live on acres of land in the country, or at least half acres in
the suburbs. What else are they supposed to do with all that space? But
even if you're a city dweller and space is a bit harder to come by, you
can still get in on the fun. It's all about container gardening, no
yard necessary. Even if you live in the city, you can have a great garden -- just think containers.
Step #1 -- Assess Your Space
You may have roof access, you may
have windowsill access. Take a look around and see what you can come up
with. Even if it's limited, you can work with it.
Step #2 -- Buy Some Pots and Soil
Container gardening is all
about, you guessed it, containers. If you've got a roof, a patio, etc.
you can buy some sizable pots. I once grew corn (among other things) in
pots on my roof; the point being, dream big if you've got the space for
it. If you've got a windowsill, little pots are the order of the day.
Add some great bagged soil, and you're on your way.
Step #3 -- Plant and Care For
If you've got a windowsill to
work with, nothing beats an herb garden. Who can say no to fresh
ingredients for spaghetti sauce, right there, anytime? If you've got
more space, larger flowers, vegetables, or even trees can all make
sense. But even with a fair bit of space, a few small pots devoted to
an herb garden are still a great way to go.
Limit your
container gardening to a small herb garden or expand it into a
full-blown plant extravaganza -- either way, a little more green in
your life will go a long way.
Dawn West B.A. holds a B.A. in English from Harvard University and teaches writing at Oregon State University.
