Photo courtesy of Unsplash under Creative Commons Zero License
Summer is just around the corner, which means it’s planting season! Even if you don’t have a yard of your own, you can still grow the garden of your dreams. All it takes is a little creativity and you, too, can have a beautiful garden on your balcony or window sills. Here are a few ideas for bringing a little more beauty to your space.
Think in themes
While it’s tempting to get a wide variety of plants, think about what you want the focus of your garden to be. Too many species can make a space look cluttered instead of cultivated, not to mention they could make maintenance more complicated. Choosing a theme narrows down which plants would work, and allows you to curate a collection. Here are some container garden themes to consider:
--Rustic: think about antiqued planters or rusted cans with a variety of ferns and ivies.
--Contemporary: plant cacti or orchids in cement urns and highlight with succulents and air plants.
--Colorful: pick a palette and plant accordingly. A variety of pink blossoms would look great as the weather warms!
--Clean and cool: focus on succulents that have clean lines and come in a variety of soothing hues.
--Traditional: Remember those window boxes bursting with blooms? For this theme, recreate those scenes with a mix of ivy and blossoming flowers.
Know what grows
Colorado is mostly a Zone 5 environment, meaning that each growing season tends to be fairly long. However, some plants that grow in Zone 3 aren’t hardy in Zone 5, so it’s important to know what to plant to ensure the vitality of your garden. The good news is, all vegetables love Zone 5, so if you want to grow your own food, go right ahead! This guide tells you which plants are hardy in Colorado and what to plant depending on how much sun your space gets.
Organize your space
Now that you have a theme for your container garden, determine how you want to arrange your plants. Do you want to create an authentic, natural feel? Place the taller plants in the back and bring the shorter plants up front to make you feel surrounded. Do you prefer to be more organized in structure? Buy a variety of planters wide enough to hold several different plants--this will keep your garden tidy while creating visual interest. If your apartment or condo has guidelines as to how many planters you can have on your balcony or deck (as we do at VerraWest), not to worry! Use your indoor space accordingly, and you can rotate your plants out onto the balcony as you choose. This allows you to change your display whenever the mood strikes. You can design a container garden to create more privacy, emphasize certain plants over others, or even to encourage pollinators to stop in for a smell.
Now that you’ve picked a theme, figured out what to plant, and organized your garden, you’re on your way to a beautiful container garden this season! For peace of mind, here’s a handy guide on how to care for your potted plants. If you’re interested in living in your own personal oasis, check out VerraWest Apartments. Contact us now to schedule a tour of our budding community!