I love gardens. Love them. I have always imagined sitting in a beautiful, overgrown garden behind my rambling house, on an old bench, reading, writing, just daydreaming . . . and then reality set in. I don't have a rambling house. Or old bench. Or overgrown garden. Dang.
Also, I have a black thumb.
Double-dang.
This will not, however, stop me from trying to have a tiny porch-garden at my apartment. As soon as I get my tax return, I'm heading to a garden center and buying a bunch of indiscriminate plants, hoping for the best. In my mind, that's what new plants are: hope for the future.
I certainly hope I don't kill them too quickly.
3 comments:
Try succulents, like Aloe and Cactus, that don't need a lot of water or attention. Blooming Cactus plants are very pretty and you have to work really hard at killing them. Sage is also native to California and will be quite hearty, fragrant, and pretty when in bloom.
You biggest expense won't be the plants; it will be the pots and potting mixes. Plants that are drought-resistant tend to have extensive root systems and will therefore require a larger pot. Buying, transporting, and filling those pots are no small task but once you get the pots established, it will be quite rewarding. The cheapest plants will be Aloes and Cactus because they seem to grow slower and don't require as much space early on (in my experience, anyway).
We're already starting to plan our garden, but our planting focuses on edible plants rather than decorative. You can totally grow tomatoes in a large pot on your deck - I used to grow tomatoes off of my apartment balcony every year. Peppers might do OK as well, although my experience has been mixed (both in the ground and in a pot). Chives are tasty and decorative and don't require a lot of space. Strawberries will grow well but you'll have to stay on top of them or they will take over your entire deck; those runners will grow everywhere!
now that you are in so.cal you should take a trip to roger's garden
http://www.rogersgardens.com/
it will inspire you..and make you swoon.
I'd suggest mints, oreganos, and tarragons for your balcony. They're hardy, edible, and put out nice flowers in late summer.
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