Everyone Should Have A Garden

There is something almost magical about a well-tended garden. Gardens are usually limited to homes in the suburban and rural areas of our country, but that is not to say that if you live in the city you can not have a garden.

Urban gardening has been gaining a great deal of popularity in cities all across the country. People living in apartment buildings have taken to planting gardens on top of the building. While there is no naturally occurring soil on the rooftops, with a little planning and a lot of hard work, you can create the ideal growing conditions for just about any type of garden.

Rooftop gardens can start out as a few potted plants and eventually grow into a full scale garden that anyone would be proud to call their own. Whether you prefer to plant some very colorful flowers or you want to try your hand at growing vegetables, you will need to know a few basics about gardening.

In order for any plant to grow and flourish it needs several things. It needs a base to grow and root in. It needs nutrients and it needs water. Plants also need sunshine and air to survive and thrive.

To enhance your rooftop paradise, you can place several garden benches throughout the garden where you can sit and contemplate nature's treasures. Putting a couple of patio benches on opposite sides of the garden will allow you to view the flowers and plants from several different perspectives. If the sun is a problem, you might add a picnic table with a big umbrella.

If you are permitted to do a full scale project and create a large configuration of planter boxes scattered all around the roof, you can create a very unique setting. Depending upon the size of the roof, you can strategically place planting boxes so you create a path through the garden. The more turns and twists you can incorporate into your garden design, the more interesting your garden will become.

To further interest in your garden you should try to get a diverse cross-section of native plants and also scatter in some unique specimens that are not normally found in the area you live. Of course, pay attention to the conditions that must be present for the non-native plants to be able to survive.

Once you have planted your garden, you can not just sit back on one of the garden benches and admire your work. If you want your garden to keep looking good, you must take the time to perform regular maintenance. It is really not very difficult if you set up a schedule for times to water, fertilize and weed your rooftop garden.

You do not have to do all the work yourself. Engage some of the other tenants that have an interest in gardening and get them to help. They may have some great ideas to improve the garden and you will probably make a few new friends that share your love of gardening. Urban gardening is just one more way that we can all work together to create a more beautiful world.