Small places call for big ideas.
That’s particularly true in Brooklyn, New York, which offers a great quality of life, but pretty minimal outdoor living space.
The good news is that small-space gardening can bring you all of the joy of a large yard, with a fraction of the work. It’s just a question of knowing what to plant—and how to do it.
Container Gardening Ideas
Container gardening is pretty much exactly what it sounds like—growing plants in containers.
But creativity comes into play when you decide what to grow and what to grow it in. You can choose from colorful ceramic planters, galvanized steel containers, traditional clay pots, or really anything at all that will hold dirt.
As for what you put in those planters, it’s entirely up to you. You can grow tomatoes, pepper, parsley, petunias, daisies, lemon verbena—or really anything that catches your interest.
Window Boxes
If all you have is a window, you can still have a garden. Sure, you could grow flowers, but if this is your only patch of dirt, why not try growing something you can use?
Consider planting herbs like basil, mint, or rosemary. The basil can be used for a Caprese salad, rosemary can be used to flavor cooked potatoes, and the mint can keep your mojitos flowing all summer.
Vertical Gardening
When you don’t have a lot of space to spread out, the only alternative is to go up, which is where vertical gardening comes into play.
There are many different forms of vertical gardening, including using trellises, hanging plants, or even training plants to grow on a privacy screen.
Vertical gardens add a sense of height and depth to any space. They also allow air to circulate freely, which can result in healthier plants.
Many plants thrive on a trellis, including clematis, sweet peas, petunias, ivy, climbing roses, cucumbers, and even miniature pumpkins.
Fire Escape Gardens
Fire escapes were first mandated in New York city in 1867—and they ceased to be required in 1968, thanks largely to indoor sprinklers. If you’re lucky enough to have one now, you ought to consider using it.
There are, however, a few special considerations to keep in mind when planting on a fire escape.
But with a little bit of care—and a little bit of sunshine—you can enjoy fresh flowers, herbs, or even something as exotic as a Meyer lemon tree or shrub, as long as you have a sunny spot indoors for it during the cooler months.
3 Garden Stores Near Brooklyn
It’s not always the easiest to find flowers, vegetables, or herbs in New York City. Here are three places to get your garden started.
• Chelsea Garden Center has two Brooklyn Garden Center locations where you’ll find nursery stock, containers, pottery, house plants, and garden furniture. In business since 1984, this garden center has both the plants and the expertise needed to steer your project in the right direction.
• King County Nurseries, Inc. is a 20,000-square-foot nursery that offers just about anything you could want, including help with roof-top gardens. Even better, they offer free parking—and they deliver.
• Dragonetti Garden Center has been in business since 1965 and offers everything from landscape design to floral arrangements for your next big event.
About StorageMart
If you live in Brooklyn, chances are you’re short on space. You may be able to make things work, but what happens when you don’t have enough room for all your gardening tools and equipment? At StorageMart, we offer self storage units that can be rented on a month-by-month basis. Need more info? Check out our storage unit guide or rent a unit online today.