Imagine a sunny morning in your yard or on the terrace, where the smell of flowers mixes with the taste of freshly brewed coffee. A garden or balcony like this is often much more than that – it provides a colorful experience and brings joy and color to your life. A small green oasis brings much more than just aesthetics. Every flower, every plant contributes to a healthier environment, reducing pollution in urban areas.
While you relax in this natural oasis, your garden is actively purifying the air and bringing benefits that you may not notice. By arranging our garden, no matter how big or small it is, we take care not only of our own space, but also of the wider environment, contributing to the reduction of harmful gas emissions.
Whether you have a small terrace or you are one of those lucky people who have the opportunity to grow real urban gardens, the useful tips and tricks that we bring below can help you in your endeavor to turn your living space into just such a green oasis.
Choose the appropriate plants
If you live in an apartment and are a beginner in urban gardening, opt for succulents and cacti first. They require minimal water and care, and thrive in a variety of conditions. Just make sure they get enough sunlight and they’ll thank you.
For those who are a little more ambitious, indoor plants such as dracaena, ficus, philadendron, sanseveria or calathea are also an excellent choice, which beautify any space while not requiring special attention. It is enough to water them regularly and provide enough sunlight, or shade, if a certain plant requires it.
In addition, it is important that the plants receive nutrition, and the choice of plants for living conditions is also influenced by the question of whether they are toxic to children or pets, says Biljana Marinov, graduate engineer in landscape architecture and member of the Association of Landscape Architects of Serbia.
“Many do not know that Dieffenbachia belongs to the group of poisonous plants, so care should be taken that children or animals do not come into contact with it. The same goes for plants that have thorns. That is why we should carefully choose the plants we are going to grow. In order for them to develop and progress in the right way, in addition to regular watering, it is necessary to include feeding, that is, preparations that provide the plants with additional protection and a source of necessary vitamins and minerals. Everything we need, in a way, they also need,” said Biljana Marinov.
Connect with the vertical and think in layers
Living in the city has numerous advantages, as well as disadvantages, and one of them is the lack of space. However, no matter how limited the space is, it is always possible to enrich it with greenery.
If you don’t have as much space for plants as you would like, consider arranging them vertically and in layers. Group the plants by size, put the smaller ones in front of the bigger ones, get hanging pots, arrange the plants in a cascade. In this way, you will not only save space, but you will also get a better aesthetic effect. The environment will look nice and tidy, and each plant will be able to get enough light and care.
Get inspired on different channels
Good ideas are there to be shared, so be happy to donate your knowledge and absorb others’. We can learn a lot about garden care on the Internet, especially on social networks such as Pinterest, or on groups and pages, such as “My Garden – My Imagination”, full of inspiring examples and photos of carefully arranged gardens sent by our fellow citizens.
Also, you probably know someone whose garden is like a fairy tale – let them inspire you by “stealing” a good idea. In turn, you can thank your neighbor, friend, sister, girlfriend, mother and other role models in gardening by entering them in an interesting and very simple Nestle photo contest, about which you can learn more here.
There is never a shorter path from the “field” to the table
You don’t have to grow exclusively indoor and ornamental plants in your urban oasis. You can combine the beautiful and the useful, and dedicate yourself to growing herbs. Rosemary, coriander, basil, oregano, parsley thrive well in home conditions and do not require much additional maintenance. All you need to provide them with are suitable pots, high-quality soil, enough water and regular picking, i.e. pruning with scissors so that they continue to grow unhindered.
Take care of the light and the rest of the space
Place the plants in the part of the room that receives the most sunlight and in which the air circulates freely. If you position them vertically, that is, in a cascade, make sure to measure the space well so that each of the plants can develop undisturbed. Whether you have a balcony, a roof terrace, or even just the right size of window and sills, opt for flowers that can withstand almost all weather conditions. Muscat, begonia, verbena, day and night, velvet – these are just some of the suggestions of flowers with which you will beautify your home and someone else’s view from the outside, and therefore the city.
“Many plants need to be provided with an environment where there is enough humidity in the air. Regular watering goes without saying, but too much watering leads to rot. It is therefore necessary to inquire carefully about the plants we want to nurture and act accordingly. Some plants require light, some shade, more or less water, different climatic conditions. You should also pay attention to the flowering period – so that not all plants bloom at the same time. Also, plants should be pruned and removed withered leaves, and withered flowers from flower stalks, in order for them to grow better. “Pruning should be done with sharp scalpels, always with an oblique cut and in one stroke,” points out Marinov.
Get together
Many buildings in our country have inner courtyards that often remain undecorated. Thanks to connection and cooperation, neighbors can revive common yards or roof terraces so that they become a green oasis for all tenants – a space that everyone will take care of, and which will also provide everyone with the opportunity to enjoy and relax. The contest organized by Nestlé Serbia provides an opportunity for neighbors to join together and submit the best urban gardeners from the neighborhood.
Source: Nestlé
Source: energetskiportal.rs
