AN APARTMENT DWELLER DESIGNS A GARDEN

Our ground-floor apartment faces the parking lot; however, the screened-in porch lies between our living room window and the outside world. Between the porch and the parking lot (land deemed untouchable for tenants by management), there is a flowering quince mixed with nandina and a wonderful crepe myrtle tree. The only space I have to garden is the porch.

When spring arrived this year, it was time to design a container garden for a small screened porch. I studied pictures of flowers and plants of different colors and textures grouped together, baskets that reached toward the ground with a bountiful array of plants and flowers, and I wanted to do that, too. I saw some prepared containers at garden departments and nurseries and I knew that with a little love and imagination, I could do better.

Some basic design rules:

1. The container or basket plants should have similar needs for water, sun, and other care elements.

2. Mix colors so the small garden containers are interesting and draw the eye. Remember that flowers are not the only interesting things that belong in a garden.

3. Variation of texture is important, so a large container for the ground may have a tall flower, an ivy or creeper elegantly falling over the side, a plant with many flowers and something with fascinating foliage.

4. Placement of finished containers and baskets is as important to your garden as it would be in a painting of a still life. Try to place baskets at different heights. Ground level containers need interesting placement and a variety of heights and materials. Some of the smaller containers can be placed on wire holders, and we purchased a wrought iron three-plant holder that opens up to three stair steps for plant height.

5. Use items of importance to you in your new space. We have two pieces of wood, driftwood from the Outer Banks and a piece of coffee wood, gnarled and oddly shaped, with a wonderful scent of coffee (meant to be a perch for a large pet bird). The wood adds an interesting feel to the garden. It holds up flowers and invokes happy memories. I use statues, squirrels from a childhood collection, outdoor wall-hangings, and a home-made wind chime made of sea shells, all intended to keep interest in the garden. Even our seating is a set of inexpensive lawn chairs we picked up the first time we went to the beach together on our first real vacation. Memories are wonderful spiritual flowers

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