Transform your tiny garden into a lush haven with these creative tips
[July 01, 2025]
By JESSICA DAMIANO
When I was a kid, my aunt and uncle grew tomatoes in plastic buckets
lined up like soldiers on the cement patio in their tiny Queens, New
York, backyard.
They also grew dozens of vegetables in their 10-by-10 foot (3-by-3
meter) patch of soil and installed a pergola they made from green metal
fence posts above a picnic table. While it provided much-needed shade,
it more importantly supported grapevines that produced enough fruit for
their annual homemade vintage.
Space — or the lack of it — doesn’t have to stand between you and a
fruitful garden. You just have to be creative.
Start by looking up
Vertical space is a horizontally challenged gardener’s best friend.
String up a trellis, hang baskets or attach planters to a fence or wall.
You might be surprised at how much you can grow when you consider the
third dimension. Vines, herbs and even strawberries are content climbers
or danglers.
Create visual interest by strategically grouping containers in clusters
of odd numbers rather than lining them up in straight rows or placing
them all separately. Try staggering their heights by perching them on
decorative pedestals, overturned crates or stone slabs to draw the eye
up and out.
Compact and colorful crops
Of course, size matters. If your space is limited, seek out compact or
dwarf varieties of your favorite plants. They’ve been bred to thrive in
tight spaces, and many are prolific producers of flowers, fruits or
vegetables. These days, it’s easy to grow roses, blueberries, tomatoes,
peppers — even apple and fig trees — in containers.
[to top of second column]
|
This July 29, 2024, image provided by Jessica Damiano shows a squash
plant growing vertically on a trellis on Long Island, N.Y. (Jessica
Damiano via AP)
 And don’t sleep on plants that
multitask as both beautiful ornamentals and nutritious crops. I’ve
grown amaranth, cherry tomatoes and rainbow chard in my perennial
beds. Other edibles with attractive foliage or flowers like chives,
fancy lettuces and sage would be equally at home among my
coneflowers, zinnias and roses. And sweet potatoes make a nice
ground cover or trailing vine in a mixed container.
Make the most of a single vegetable bed
If you have a small, designated bed for vegetables, you can maximize
your yield by planting a succession of crops throughout the season.
Start by planting early-maturing plants like peas, beets, kale and
lettuces. Then, after harvesting, replace them with warm-season
crops, such as tomatoes, peppers, summer squash and beans. As they
fade and fall approaches, use the space for another round of
cool-season plants.
Even a narrow strip or window box can feel lush if you plant it in
layers. Place tall, upright plants in the back, midsized growers in
the middle, and low bloomers in front to create visual depth that
can help transform even a balcony or front stoop into your own
personal nature retreat.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
