City Landscaping: A How-To Guide
Introduction
If you have been fascinated by all that can be done with landscaping, it can be really disheartening if you live in a city dwelling with no backyard. We are here with a how-to guide for city landscaping that will ensure that you are included as well.
Whether you have a small patch of grass to call your own or even just a front stoop, we have some incredibly simple yet effective ways to landscape your space in an aesthetically pleasing way.
Vertical Gardening
An Urban Building Covered in Leaves and Greenery - Photo by Jonathan Meyer
Instead of growing horizontally on the ground, why not grow upward?
Vertical gardening is a huge trend in landscaping right now, and for very good reasons! If you have a fence, a wall, or even a pallet to spare, you have got yourself a space for a small gardening.
You can really get creative with this one. Succulents are a great choice, as are flowers and/or vines. There are some important aspects to keep in mind for this type of gardening, however.
Keep in mind that you will need wall space that gets at least six to eight hours of sunlight per day. This allows your plants to thrive without you having to supplement light or move the plants around.
They should also be supported well. The wall/fence/pallet/tower/etc. will have to be able to handle the weight of any potential dirt, water, and plants without bowing or breaking. On top of that, their supporting wall will have to withstand being soaked with water regularly. Using a material like polyethylene cloth creates a vapor barrier along the back of your plants if you are worried about the wall deteriorating.
Lastly, don’t plant your garden too high. You don’t want plants that are difficult and inconvenient to maintain. Keep them within arm’s reach to ensure that you can easily handle them.
Need some more inspiration? Here are some ideas that we absolutely love.
Indoor Gardening
A Lush Indoor Garden - Photo by Capricious Wayfarer
So, let’s say you have absolutely no space outside for any gardening. Never fear—you can always bring plants and flowers indoors to brighten up your home.
There are many different options for low-light plants if you don’t have a particularly sunny apartment or house. Depending on the layout of your home, having a shelf of plants in your bathroom, bedroom, living room, or even kitchen is a great way to decorate and is very easy to maintain.
You can also do a vertical garden inside, just like the ones we talked about previously, right in your home. Stacking a few pallets against the wall, building your own vertical garden, or having vines hanging down from the top of the wall are easy ways to do it without breaking the bank.
Another option that we really like is air plants. These are rootless plants that can be kept in little glass terrariums or in spheres hung from the ceiling. They will give your home a mystical look, like you have homes for fairies inside.
If you have areas of your home that get almost constant sun, succulents like aloe vera, cacti, and spider plants are excellent options too.
Roof Gardens
A Large Urban Rooftop Garden - Image by CocoParisienne on Pixabay
For those of you with no yard to speak of and little space inside to landscape, how about the roof? If you have a roof that you have easy access to, gardening up there can be a breeze as well.
Rooftop gardening can take many different forms. Depending on your rooftop, of course, you can grow trees and tall plants, focus more on flower boxes, put up raised garden beds, have furniture up there for a more laid-back garden, etc. The possibilities are endless!
This trend also has many different benefits going for it. Gardening on your roof can actually help cool your house down, reduce rainwater runoff, and give you the opportunity for fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs all year round.
If you are in an apartment or just have neighbors who also want to garden but don’t know where to start, you could even start a community garden. This allows you to make new friends and form a better community in your area by allowing them to plant and maintain the garden you build together.
Window Boxes
Windows with Flower Boxes Full of Pink Flowers - Photo by Pixabay
If you would like something a little more low-key, window boxes are also an incredibly viable option for small landscaping in a city.
You can fill these with flowers, herbs, vegetables, or other plants that are to your liking. As for the actual box aspect of the project, you can make your own or purchase them online fairly easily.
This is an excellent, cost-effective way to grow new life and brighten up your home without having to put too much work into the process. Nothing is nicer than seeing a beautiful splash of bright colors outside of a window when admiring a home from afar.
Our Final Thoughts
If you loved these ideas and want more tips and tricks for making your city landscaping great, you can also check out our top ideas for landscaping in small places.
We hope you enjoyed our guide! If you are landscaping in a city, let us know which idea you liked the best.
Originally published on July 7, 2018.
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