by Carolyn Noblett

Created on: February 17, 2013   Last Updated: February 18, 2013

Millions of people enjoy apartment living, and many are looking for ways to stay close to nature while also seeking original and creative ideas for a garden. Having an apartment garden can actually be less work than a traditional in-ground garden since there is no tilling and hoeing.

If you do not have a lot of available space, then you might create a windowsill cutting garden. Herbs that are easy to grow indoors include lemongrass, mint and chives. While tomatoes are not herbs, you can still grow them indoors, but do not expect them to have the same flavor as outdoor tomatoes.

A windowsill garden works especially well if you have a west- or south-facing window. If the sunlight is too strong in the summer, you might actually have to provide a sheer curtain to prevent sunlight from burning leaves through the glass. If you do not want to grow food, you could put some lovely trailing vines and cuttings in water or soil.

Philodendron, begonia, and wandering Jew are a few plants that grow easily in water. Vines will grow up for you and you can grow them on a small trellis or tack them around your window. Another plant to keep in your windowsill garden is the aloe vera plant. It is great to have in the kitchen to use for burns.

A bottle garden allows you to grow vertically and use all of the light from the window. Growing vertically means you can plant more than you could if you only use the windowsill. You can grow a variety of plants with a bottle garden, and bottle gardening is a good way to recycle some of those used soda or water bottles.

String gardens might be fun to try. You can check out how to do that here. You will want to make sure that water from sphagnum moss does not drip on your floor or carpet, so they need to be looked after carefully. These could be hung anywhere you have decent light and moved if needed.

If you have lots of room and good light, or a balcony, you have more choices and you may be able to expand your garden to include more of the plants you love. Pallet garden designs are easy to create but may be a challenge to get in place.

Growing plants in containers means carrying soil to your apartment or balcony. Add to this hand tools you will need for container gardening and a place to store things when they are not in use. Large containers may be difficult to move and set up, but once they are ready, you can plant an entire herb garden in one container, or you can use multiple mixed or matched containers. You can also plant an entire vegetable garden or an oasis of potted plants.

By starting simple, and after learning the ins and outs of apartment gardening, you may find you have enriched your life and possibly your dinner table. Give your garden water, plenty of sunshine and good soil and you are on your way to a stunning display of your creativity.

Learn more about this author, Carolyn Noblett.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.