Taking a trip to your local garden center is a great way to get ideas for your own backyard. But if you are renting an apartment or condo, you might be looking for inspiration to dress up your patio, porch or balcony. From hanging planters to functional compost bins, there are plenty of ways to spruce up your exterior and earn your green thumb.
Tending to your lawn and garden doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. In fact, there are several landscaping ideas that you can start and finish in just one day!
Here are 7 easy gardening and landscaping ideas for your yard, porch or balcony.
If you’re looking for a sleek and sophisticated way to display your plants, herbs or vegetables, consider a raised garden. A raised garden bed is exactly what it sounds like – an elevated place to grow your favorite plants.
There are many design options for creating a raised garden bed, such as constructing an array of boxes with different heights. You can even stain the wood to help it stand out in your backyard!
But a raised garden bed offers more than just beauty. There are many benefits to planting on an elevated surface, including:
- Less weeds.
- Better drainage.
- Less likely to experience damage from animals.
Hanging planters can take any environment to the next level. You can place them anywhere with a viable surface, such as a wall, a ceiling, a garden stake, a wooden post or even off the side of your house.
Most hanging planters are composed of two pieces: the pot and the hanger. However, there are dozens of different styles and textures to choose from. For example, decorative macrame planters are popular because you can place your own pots inside.
Hanging planters also work with any plant of your choice. Some of the best options are vines or plants with long stems because they are easy to see over the side of the pot. Just be sure to hang the planter in an area that experiences the right amount of sunlight for the plant!
If you are tight on space or are looking for gardening ideas for your terrace, patio, porch or balcony, a vertical garden could be your best option. This type of gardening technique makes the most of small areas, allowing plants and flowers to grow upward rather than outward.
Your local garden center likely has all the supplies you need to create your own vertical garden. There are a handful of ways to construct your own.
For example, you could use an old wooden ladder as the base. For the planters, simply attach wooden boxes to each step. You could even stack several crates together to create a tall vertical garden! If you’re a DIY-er or are handy with tools, the possibilities are endless.
A garden wall happens when hanging planters meet a vertical garden concept. To create one, all you need to do is choose a wall that you want to use as a backdrop. This works best on a balcony or patio against the side of the house. Then, the design concept is completely up to you.
If you have a bunch of indoor planters lying around in your closet, you could attach them all to the wall in a pattern that you like. If you prefer doing less construction, opt for a hanging pocket organizer; you can typically find these on Amazon. Each pocket should be big enough for you to plant the flowers or plants of your choice.
If you’re looking for function and aesthetic, a potager garden is your solution. The word “potager” is a French term for “kitchen garden;” the French have been intermingling herbs, fruits, vegetables and flowers for years with great success.
A potager garden is ideal for anyone interested in harvesting their own food in a sleek and beautiful environment. These types of gardens work best in larger spaces that allow for many different types of plants.
You can design your own potager garden in any way you like. For example, you could create a simple walking path down the center of your yard and several garden beds on both sides. Or, you could design your potager garden so that your walking paths intersect at various points. The goal is to be able to harvest your crops in an easy way.
Do live in an apartment or condominium complex with rooftop access? If so, a roof garden is one of the coolest and most unique ways to grow your own herbs, flowers and plants! Before you start your own roof garden, however, make sure you have permission to do so. Some complexes may not allow tenants to access the roof of the building.
To create your own roof garden, you will need planters, boxes or another type of container that can be filled with soil. You can plant blooming flowers, herbs, vegetables or anything else that works in your environment. Be sure to choose plants that work in sunny environments, since most rooftops experience full sun exposure during summer months.
If you don’t have a lawn and garden to work with, flower boxes are great alternatives for displaying your flowers. You can attach these boxes to your balcony, porch, windowsill or any other ledge that works.
Flower boxes are great for planting seedlings because of where they can be placed; if your balcony faces the sun, your flowers will bloom in no time! Its elevated design also protects your crops from pesky insects and animals.
You can typically find flower boxes at a garden center or any outdoor retail store. If you want to make your own, you may be able to find blueprints online by doing a quick search. Depending on your design, you may need the following materials:
- Wood
- Sandpaper
- Concrete screws
- Wood screws
- Nails
- Drill and drill bits
- Clamps
- Wood stain or paint