Gardening for City Slickers: Landscape Ideas for Small Spaces

One of the things I remember best about my apartment in Brooklyn was how well the people who owned our building-a conservative Jewish couple who kept the Sabbath weekly-also kept up the flowers in front of our brick row house. Hydrangeas, big globes of blue and purple, growing neatly behind a cast iron grate.

I know I was impressed enough to find out all about hydrangeas, and learned that the blossom color is influenced by the soil they are grown in. Soil in Brooklyn produced blue-ish flowers; soil in my native Midwest produced white flowers, evidently.

I also learned that small spaces can be used to make a big impact when it comes to a garden.

One thing that should be pointed out, that most city types already know, is that the smaller the space, the more attention that can be paid to detail. And virtually any kind of plant can be grown in a small space, as long as you pay attention to the scale and balance. Because more than likely, you will be planting around your residence, the building's character and features come into enhanced focus.

View Your Garden Design Holistically

To create a cohesive garden design that enhances your residence, realistically, you won't have the option of planting as many different plants as you may want. I think one of the reasons the blue hydrangeas worked so well in front of my Brooklyn address was their color contrast against the light yellow bricks of our building, and their height enhanced the look of the entryway.

Some elements to consider:

1. Color and the statement you want to make with it. Cool colors create a more spacious look; warm colors close a space, but can offer a warm, inviting tone. Too many colors won't work well in a small space and will seem cacophonous, so pick a theme and stick with it.

2. Scale, just as an artist or designer would. Maybe one series of plants is your background element, adding height, and the plants in front of those are out there to add a splash of color and variance in shape. Making a sketch of the plants you choose and their placement can help enormously before you go about the planting.

3. Locale. Some plants need more sunlight than others, and won't grow well on a shady street. You'll need to choose plants that offer a combination of beauty and hardiness, adapted to the environment you plan to put them in.

Front Door Gardens

The space in front of your abode is probably crying out for a garden of its own. The architectural elements of a building can be greatly enhanced by even a few carefully placed green or flowering plants, making your residence look inviting and well cared for.

Stone ledges look beautiful with large stone planters chosen to either match the existing stone or to compliment it. Flowing, flowering plants are especially suited to these kinds of containers, as are bunching flowers like begonias or hydrangeas. Multiple plantings of various flowers, as long as they work within a color scheme, can also work.

Front yard/front door beds, though usually fairly small in front of city buildings, can be used effectively for plantings. Flowering bushes and other larger plants, such as hostas, ferns, and larger flowers, do much to make a house or building seem settled and part of the larger environment. They act as an anchor, making the house more approachable and more attractive from a visual standpoint as well as from other sensory perceptions.

Window boxes are wonderful to dress up ledges or windows. They take eye up-and flowers-especially traditional ones like marigolds and pansies-look quaint and charming when planted in window boxes. You might also consider planting grasses, or flowering herbs, which can be both beautiful and useful to the urban gardener.

The best thing about planters is that they are highly versatile, and can be placed on steps or landings, if no other options are available to you. Some common and easy to grow container plants are geraniums (which do well in winter, too, if placed in a sunny window inside), tulips, cactus or succulents, or small trees like ficus. They easily accommodate almost any small space gardening situation.

Fire Escape Gardens

I remember walking through neighborhoods in different cities-before I was a city dweller myself-and thinking these were the epitome of urban cool. I still do-they are a testimony to the creativity and ingeniousness of those who have to make do with the space they have. Plus-there is just something visually beautiful about the look of exuberant green foliage against urban architecture.

Some things to think about before starting a fire escape garden:

1. Permanent or seasonal plants? This is probably the largest issue when considering an outdoor fire escape garden in a apartment. Do you have a place in your apartment for perennial plants or those that are considered traditional house plants when the weather turns cold? Do you have the time it takes for growing and maintenance of annuals? These are just things to think about, in consideration of your lifestyle and commitment to the project, in advance.

2. Space allowance. In some buildings, it isn't permissible to block a fire escape stairwell. This is something to ask about in advance, or you may find yourself with a garden that has no home!

3. Consider trees. Just like for those lucky enough to have a roof top garden, trees on a fire escape garden add shade and ambiance if you are planning to use your fire escape as an mini outdoor retreat or small sitting area. Smaller plants can be maintained in boxes or containers around a couple larger trees planted in pots, adding to the variety and creating a good visual variance of scale.

Vegetable and Fruit Gardening in the City

Vegetable gardens traditionally have been located in separate areas from ornamental gardens, but the small spaces most people have to deal when considering a city garden make this notion virtually impossible. The concept has all but become obsolete in mainstream gardening, anyhow. Now, vegetables, fruits and herbs are grown right alongside flowers and other plants, and can be just as attractive.

Some good plants city gardeners might consider (though it is up to you), are herbs like basil, oregano, chives, and other plants that can be harvested easily and are simple to grow. These look great planted in window boxes either indoors or outdoors, and like to be planted next to each other. Other options might include small zucchini (always prolific), tomatoes, leaf lettuces, fruit trees like orange or lemon, that add shade and beauty as well as are harvestable.