A picturesque garden can greatly enhance a home’s aesthetic appeal. However, it can be a challenge to find the time or space to build and maintain a large garden. If you have limited space available, you can still enjoy a small personal garden. Whether your primary interest is in growing flowering plants, aromatic herbs or fresh vegetables, it takes only a small amount of time and effort to get started.
Indoors or outdoors?
As your first step to starting a small garden, you must decide whether to plant indoors or outdoors. Many flowers and herbs can be suitable for both, but some of the most delicate plants need to stay inside.
Indoor options
- A simple herb garden in a kitchen window might be a good choice for a novice gardener. With just a small planter, you can produce a bounty of herbs that will bring freshness and flavor to meals. In addition, the herbs will be a visually appealing addition to your kitchen. There are kits readily available online that provide the pots or containers, seeds, and detailed instructions about how to let your herb garden flourish. A quick search on your favorite search engine should result in many different options for you.
- Another indoor option is to grow plants in decorative containers. Just about any sunny spot in your home could be the perfect place for a flower pot that adds vitality and color to a room. You can even hang these containers from the ceiling to create a truly special look. A trip to the hardware store or online search is all this takes. Just grab a hanging flower pot rope or chain, and hooks with wall anchors – make sure they are rated to hold above the amount of weight you want to hang! Any customer service representative at the hardware store should be able to help you out. If you want something fancier, or custom, try the local gardening store or nursery.
Outdoor options
- It’s still possible to create a beautiful garden with limited outdoor space. Again, containers play a key role. Along walkways and in little corners, plants and even small trees can bring new life to an otherwise dull space.
- For the more serious gardener, a raised bed exponentially increases your planting options. A raised bed is usually 1 or 2 feet deep and framed with four beams of wood.
- A raised bed that’s 4 feet by 4 feet is large enough to create a beautiful ornamental garden that’s layered with plants of varying colors and heights. While these mini-gardens require a bit more work than a window box, you’ll still be able to keep your plants healthy with just an hour or two of maintenance per week. A raised bed of this size can also support a surprising array of home-grown vegetables. Often referred to as “square foot gardening,” this approach can be used to grow fresh vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, lettuce, beans, carrots, onions and garlic.
A well-manicured indoor or outdoor garden can bring some joy to your home. Not only will the end result look fantastic, but there is a true satisfaction that is derived from watching your garden grow. It’s good for the home, and good for the spirit. So, try it out!
Craftmark Homes has proudly served the Washington, D.C. area for over 27 years. If you’re interested in scheduling a consultation, or gathering more information about our floor plans and other options, please don’t hesitate to contact us, and one of our friendly, knowledgeable associates will be in touch to discuss your needs.