Life in the city can get pretty stressful, with the pollution, time spent in traffic, the noise, etc. We all feel the need to be closer to nature for a healthy lifestyle. Urban citizens around the world are turning to gardens to engage with the earth and also indulge in some fresh produce. Be it rural or urban spaces, home gardens are not a new concept, but with more people choosing to live in luxury apartments in Chennai, there is an associated space constraint that has to be addressed before enjoying the benefits of a home garden.
Sure apartments come with lawns and garden spaces of their own but they are mostly ornamental and maintained by the association purely for aesthetic purposes. When we say Home garden, we need to think beyond beauty to actually being able to get fresh grown vegetables and fruits from it. Let us look at alternate options to having your own beautiful and bountiful garden in an apartment.
Choose local plants:
Local plants will have adapted to the weather patterns of where you live and will require little maintenance. They can be kept on the balcony. But in doing so you also need to consider factors like how much light the balcony receives, how much protection it offers against wind and rain, and the environment it overlooks, like roads, empty plots, etc.
Mix and Match your plants
Always choose a mix of both perennial and seasonal plants. By doing this you get a green aesthetic throughout the year, but you can also invest in seasonal vegetables that will make their way into your meals. The plants’ presence will keep you energetic and the product will make a healthy alternative to store-bought vegetables and fruits.
Choosing appropriate containers
When potting plants, the containers you get should be aesthetic, the material must be sturdy, and it should have sufficient drainage. Since this is an indoor garden, you can get painted pots or ceramic ones to match them with your décor theme. But any container should have proper drainage, as stagnating water in the plant roots can damage the plant. You can also choose the classic terracotta pots that are porous and will go with any theme.
You don’t want the balcony tiles in your luxury apartments in Chennai to stain from muddy water. So place saucers under the pots to catch the excess water.
Buy soil based on the plants
Since you would be buying different plants, it is best to get their native soils to plant them in to ensure that they adapt to your home garden easily. An all-purpose soil mix might work in a pinch, but some plants need special care and specific nutrients to flourish. Check with the seller or nursery where you bought the plants as to what soil and fertiliser each plant needs, and use them appropriately.
Optimum space utilisation
Balconies in luxury apartments in Chennai are quite spacious, but that being your only outdoor extension, crowding it with plants for a home garden can make it look cramped and dark. You can consider vertical arrangements in addition to horizontal placements. Narrow shelves with lots of space between each slot can help add more plants to your garden without compromising on space. You can use hanging planters for cascading plants that will give them a luxurious aesthetic. A row of pots along the top of the balcony rail with a special extension grill will make your garden look fuller and clear up your floor space.
Automated Watering System
Sometimes you can find yourself away from home for extended time periods. Most plants are usually robust enough to survive 2-3 days without being watered but dry out eventually. You could ask a friendly neighbor to water them for you. But if left with no options, invest in a simple automated watering system. Seek the help of the nursery staff to pick out plants that will survive with minimal care.
Best plants for a vegetable garden
As discussed before, it is beneficial to have a mix of evergreen, flowering, and vegetable plants in the garden of your flats in Chennai. Inevitably we are looking to lead a healthy lifestyle by consuming fresh, organic food.
Green leafy vegetables are the easiest to grow and are packed with essential nutrients. Vegetables like tomatoes, chilies, eggplants, lady’s fingers, broad beans, snake gourd, etc. also grow well in a home garden.
Herbs like mint, coriander, parsley, require little maintenance and you can snip off what you use every day.
Lifestyle housing is a reputed developer with our latest projects, luxury apartments in TNagar, Chennai. Our flats have spacious balconies and a terrace to start a beautiful home garden.
