Urban Gardening: Green Without The Green

Got a green thumb but don’t have the green space? You don’t have to live on a farm or have acres of yard in order to add some green to your scene. Here’s how to go green without the green:

Contain Yourself: Bring the garden to you with indoor plants and window boxes that surround you in green without taking up any outdoor real estate. Container gardens can be used to grow your favorite plants and trees…and even a whole garden of vegetables. Check out Garden Guides for tips on growing veggies indoors.

Scratch It Out: Grow flowers in your sidewalk! Take a fork and loosen up the soil on an infrequently traveled sidewalk. Sprinkle in a few flower seeds (alyssum flowers are a good choice), water, and check back often. You’ll be able to enjoy your blooming sidewalk all summer long!

Raise The Roof: Take your garden to a higher place…the roof. Rooftop gardens are taking the urban landscape by storm, allowing apartment and condo residents to take back unused (and ugly) spaces and transform them into something beautiful, useful, and green. Click here for more info on city rooftop gardens.

Bring In The Birds: If plants aren’t your thing,  add some nature to your life by attracting birds to your little corner of the planet. Hang a bird feeder on a tree outside your window, on your fire escape, or near your front door. Check out Cornell University’s Project Feeder Watch for info about feeders, bird food, and backyard birds.

Read more from Jenn at her blog, The Green Parent and join her in the Green Parents Forum to share ideas, ask questions, offer advice, or just rant and rave about going green!

Original post for 5 Minutes For Going Green.

One Response to Urban Gardening: Green Without The Green
  1. Beth (Coming Up for Air)
    September 15, 2008 | 9:25 am

    Great post Jenn! I’m actually doing this this winter….my husband is putting in a window “greenhouse” at my kitchen sink window and I’m growing herbs there!

    I think it’s so important for people to know that you don’t have to have a huge yard, or a yard at all for that matter, to have a garden!