Small space Oasis
Hey Everyone!
As you read through my post, I am hoping and wishing that you and your loved ones are all fit & fine.
The most difficult area to work with is the balcony or small space container gardening, due to the various limitations it comes with it. Container gardening needs most work, nutrients, sunlight, water, and care. And if you go wrong or any one of these missing, it's always an end game for the plants & eventually many lose their interest in gardening.
Well, today I have someone who does the container gardening with full swag.
So let's hear directly from my dear friend " Saiguri "who have brightened her balcony with beautiful, gorgeous, colorful, flowers as well as attractive pots.
Like many of us, even she juggles & gets distracted by millions of "to- do-activities" in a day & yet manages to somehow to fit those things we always wanted to do in those "ME Time".Over to Saiguri in her own words!
Hello,/ Khurumjari to all the wonderful readers!
My name is Sainguri, hailing from the land of gems ie the state of Manipur ,where most of the region is surrounded by blue mountains, rugged pictures hills and narrow valleys covered with short and tall grasses, trees to name few like Oak, Teak, Bamboo, Cane, Rubber Coffee, Tea can be easily spotted . And now since many years in the cozy cultural capital of Maharashtra ie city of Pune. Proudly love to be called as Punekar!
I am always drawn towards gardening and nature, besides being a stress buster, the beautiful flowers are always a bonus.
It was Mom who was an avid gardener and my cousin sister, who used to make lovely flowers patches when I was young, they inspired me and in turn how gardening became my hobby.
Back in Manipur we always have homegrown veggies from our garden. Coming from a place where nature was such an impactful part of our life and now living in an urban space where growing space is limited, you have to inturn only stick to container gardening.
I am happy with the limited space I own due to the lack of time, it helps myself focusing and nourishing the plant that is already own. At the very top, you see in my 1st image my hanging baskets overlooking the green patch of trees.
It's sad to see how Pune is drastically changing from green space city to slowly emerging as a concrete jungle.
The hanging basket above with Petunia Flowers gives much- needed privacy, as well as a pop up instant colors. They are very easy to grow.
It all started as a small hobby from a few flowers & I’m almost a hoarder now. Its absolutely true, gardening is such an addiction and I am happy this addiction have a good impact on me and surroundings. My hubby is not into gardening but is quite supportive of me. The important role he plays is to have to make sure I don’t overdo it.
I mostly have perennials & have tried my hands on veggies too, but due to lack of sunlight, I couldn’t have bountiful harvest so I gave up... I have some herbs, few cactus, succulents & slowly increasing number of Indoor plants.
The one plant I gave up on is Eryngium foetidum, which is wild cilantro. I must have tried many times planting by various methods, from seedlings, mature plants, roots... etc.. nothing works for me.
Being a working woman, I would like to mention the commute time in Pune from workplace to home have shrunk my gardening time, so it is only through internet and Facebook gardening groups that I could learn more interesting information about plants and their nature of growth.
I indulge in seasonal flowers which last from 3-6 months... I’d say it’s still worth than spending on cut flowers which last just a week.
Due to the working schedule both at work and home, at times I repot the plants till late at night
My plants are in the balcony and window ledges & I keep the tray underneath to hold on the leaking excess water, which in turn keeps the space clean and tidy.
Nursery:-
My go-to the nursery is mainly Jagtap garden center near magarpatta (Pune). I usually buy plants and flowers which are plentiful in my area which can be grown easily . I don’t usually long for the exotic ones from abroad.
Watering rituals :-
Each plant needs water differently and it also depends on the media used and climate. I water them in the morning and sometimes in the evening.
Compost:-
I had previously tried creating my own compost from the kitchen waste but eventually gave up and now buy different kinds of soil and media from local nurseries, I mix cocopeat for almost everything. For cactus and succulents, I mix cactus soil instead of directly using the soil from the store. I have recently started with dried manure and bonemeal from dorabjees and keeping the faith they will turn out good.
Techniques / Tips:-
**It’s best to limit the number of plants so you can spend more time on their maintenance. *Houseplants do need to be cleaned often to make them thrive. And the water just once or twice a week, as per the plant requirement.
*Hard to kill plants are ZZ plant, sansevieria, monstera, philodendrons.
*In my city, jasmine, hibiscus, Bougainville, roses are easy maintenance plants.
I love colors in my garden & most of the time I go with bright colors. Pinks, Orange, Peach, Yellows, Reds which are eye-catching & gives an instant uplift to any space.
Below images :-
The INDOOR plants give an instant beautification to any nooks-corners & Table - Tops.
The only secret to keep your Indoor plants alive is to learn how to, how much and when to
water.
As mentioned before as much I love plants, I love shopping for beautiful pots & containers they can go into.
Garden therapy is what we all need in our lives! It definitely creates a sense of calmness to your mind.
As and when it rains, my indoor plants also gets a chance to be outside.
I love having frequent tiny visitors ( as below) that the garden attract.
Even from a distance the bright colored flowers are so pretty to look at .
VINCA FLOWER is a show stealer and gives long lasting impression without too much care.
Dahlia (below pic ):-
Hydrangeas in full bloom.
Few Succuents & cactus
My Absolute Pride - My Jade !
Space Utilization in a small space is definitely challenging & but not impossible. To all the gardeners at heart, I would definitely encourage you to get started with whatever space you have and slowly your magic !
Below Image :- New borns quite comfy in my balcony.
My blooms got a make over & a permanent home.
Thanks to all the readers and especially my friends & family who always motivate and shower compliments. Hope y'all enjoyed the tour through posts and pictures. And hoping it will encourage someone out there to start their own garden.
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Thank you Saiguri, for sharing your beautiful garden with all of us. Wishing you more power to work your way out to bring in more beauty all around you.
