Living here in town has meant needing to be creative with my space, if I wish to garden. It's been a good learning experience, to be sure. And I've had a lot of fun with it!

Any space at all around your home, or on your property, can be used for gardening. The only boundaries you have are those you impose on yourself!

I know! -- We have a very, very small yard. It stretches only about 20' around our house, on three sides. In the back, we have an easement for parking our vehicles. So, the space is absolutely nothing, but for the small walkway at the back porch, leading inside.

Still, I have found it more than possible to enjoy getting my hands in the dirt, just like every other rural gardener. It's, of course, on a smaller scale... but just as rewarding!

At our home, we enjoy a year-round supply of flowers, simply by having several different types of trees and bushes that flower. Our lilac is usually the first to put out pretty, lovely-scented blooms. How nice it is to bring some in and set them in bedrooms, bathrooms or other rooms to make the house "brighten" up!

Underneath the lilac are good shade plants: white Lily of the Valley and Snow On The Mountain carpet the area below.

Once the lilac is through blooming, our Spirea Vanhouttei blossoms and puts out thousands of lovely white flowers. I like to bring these "boughs" in to dress up rooms as well.

Then, just as we're filled with disappointment over those dying flowers, the bush out back (our White Drop Potentilla) begins its beautiful show.

Then, of course, we have the pretty lilies.

My mother-in-law, last year, bought me several pretty Balloon plants. I had a lot of success with them. I put them in a little "nook" near where we buried two of our babies (late miscarriages), along with some Angelique tulips and other bulb flowers. It makes that spot so special.

Last year, we put in some green beans (enough, believe it or not for a few meals!) behind the house in some odd spots. For example, at the side of our small shed.

Our vegetable garden was very small (12'x10'), but it served us well. We had cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchinni, corn, turnips, yellow squash, and sunflowers. All around the decorative fence, we planted peas. So they had a place to climb, as well. Those were tasty!

At the side, near the lilies, we planted pumpkins.

... And in front, we found a nice place to put not only annual flowers, but also our strawberry plants. They make a pretty 3'x7' border. Again, all along the fencing there, we planted peas.

Because we were creative with our plantings, we got a lot out of the space.

Last fall, I planted a pretty purple Mum. I am anxiously waiting to see if it wintered over alright!

I also bought and planted various bulbs underneath some of the trees that border the west side of our house that I am looking forward to, this spring. I wonder how many of the daffodils, hyacinths,  lilies and tulips will come forth?

We have a tiny raised plot near the back of our property that is 5'x9', approximately. I would like to till that up and make use of it. It receives a wonderful amount of sunlight.

All along the border of our parking easement, I have thought to plant a thick row of various daisies. I think that might be a pretty way to dress up that area, so the cement curbing is not so obvious.

If you live in the city, and (like me) long for the country, remember that where you are is a precious provision of the Lord. As the saying goes, "Bloom where you are planted". We are told, in the Bible, to be "content with such things" as we have. This has all been a very difficult thing for me to do. But it's also been a necessary work on my part!

We used to live where the birds chirping were my wake-up call. Deer pranced in our backyard, hummingbirds flitted near our glass sliding-door, and there seemed to be no end to the other different varieties of wildlife we could see just by sneaking a peek through our windows.

The children used to enjoy taking walks along the creek that was just a short pathway from the house, and we all used to go together down the road a ways to pick fat, ripe mulberries and huge blackberries.

When we moved here, it was a rude awakening. The first thing I noticed was the noise. The cars kept me awake when I tried to sleep... and woke me bright and early! The only wildlife we have are squirrels and sparrows. (Although, we did have a groundhog family that made a home underneath our back porch, causing the foundation to cave in... and our porch to ruin!)

I spent a lot of time feeling sad about where we were located. I longed to have a big garden like the one I had once upon a time. 

But, two years ago, I saw the error in my thinking.

I still wish I were out, somewhere quiet and private... but God has placed me here in town, on the intersection of two very busy streets. I cannot change that. But I found I could change my outlook. I could praise God for giving us this large house, and I could have a garden... or several of them, all around our house!

I urge all of you city-dwellers to find ways to be creative with the space you've been granted.

Look at those seed catalogs that keep coming to your mailbox! They're not just for those in the country. They're for you, too.

God bless you as you find peace and joy in where you've been planted!  

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Shared by jackiebridgen

Urban gardeners could grow food for almost free!
I can't participate, unfortunately as I don't live in the USA so I'd come up agains import restrictions, but I am going to contact Page and ask if she'd like my help!
What I was thinking was - the few seeds you need for your tiny garden are just nothing out of the huge packet we buy for a farm sized garden - so if you were to find 'buddies' - for the price of shipping a small envelope, they could easily spare you a few seeds of this and a few of that - easy enough to look up the growing instructions online - and no wastage of the most part of a packet of seeds!
What do you think? Maybe a bit late for this year, but we could start a seed-buddy list! LOL.
Jackie

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Shared by jackiebridgen

Bloom Where You are Planted!!!

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Shared by Keeblur

Carrie,
Thank you for this post. I kept saying that we couldn't plant anything around here (thinking garden). But after reading this entry and looking at the pictures, I remembered that the owner of the property said we could plant flowers and stuff around the house, to ask him though before planting any trees. Why not plant a few garden items? I think I'll have to do some research to see what would grow where, as part of the area is under a big pecan tree and underneath is only dirt and a few bits of grass. Do you know of anything that grows well in the shade?
You've inspired me to not long for what I can't have, and to do something with what I DO have - and to be thankful for it!
Thank you,
Vicki

~~~~ From Carrie:
We have a lot of trees and shrubs around the house, too, that cause a lot of shade. So... I've learned a *lot* about what grows in "partial sun/shade"!

1. Hostas (there is a wide variety of colors and sizes to choose from! And they flower!) We only have one left (it's at our back walkway - we had three on either side, but only one is left thanks to children going in and out and stepping on them/dragging their riding toys over them!)
2. Lily of the Valley -- You can choose from white or pink and they have such a pretty, delicate scent!
3. Most ferns
4. Snow on the Mountain
5. Cote D'Azur perennial (ground cover... PRETTY pink flowers!)
6) Lilies
7) Geranium - does good in full sun or part/full shade
8) Potentilla (yellow or white flowering bush... can tolerate light shade)
9) Astilbe -- These grow showy and can be bought in so, so many different colors! We planted about three of these last year and I'm anxious to see if they'll come back up!
10) Bleeding heart -- again many colors to choose from!
11) Violas -- we had these last year, and they were so delicate and pretty!
12) Trillium -- Pretty native wildflower!
13) Wood poppy
14) Viginia bluebells
15) Primrose
16)Lobelia -- Late summer bloomer, showy!

Have fun! Check your catalogs for more ideas!

Edited by rellamom on Thursday, March 15, 2007 at 01:51

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Shared by chimicole

Thank you for your encouraging post! We also live in the city, and long for the country....but we have a little garden out back. THis year, I have started my plants indoors, and am planning another smaller garden at the side of my house between the sidewalk and the house. Only about 2 foot wide, but enough for a veggie or two. Maybe my green beans would do well there!

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Shared by Susan

You have that nice trellis where you planted your beans.. If you plant pole beans there next year you'll get a lot more beans as they climb and make lots and lots and lots and lots... lol I couldn't believe how many beans could come off a few plants. Aim for some vertical space use next year!! trellis your cucumbers or plant them by something they can climb on.. There are people finding that tomatoes do well hanging in a pot and just dangling down. Another person did well getting totes and putting gravel in the bottom couple inches then filling with dirt and planting into those for container gardening.. If you want better looking you can build wood boxes... sooo many things you can do!! Best of luck with it all!

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Shared by Tawtenere

Thank you for the encouragement. I know you posted this a while ago, but I just joined so I'm only just reading it now. Do you have any suggestions for what grows well in pots? We live in an apartment, so I don't have even the tiniest plot. Also, is there anything I can plant indoors and do you have any suggestions for how to manage indoor plants since my son will be crawling soon?

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Shared by Anonymous

Hi There, I was wondering how the turnips and pumpkins turned out. We just planted some for the first time ever. Are there any rules of thumb for the turnips? We have clap dirt here in North Carolina and I am concerned. ~MichelleC

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