Page 10 - LandscapeSAIssue113

Containers

& courtyards

hese days, many of us live in flats and townhouses without
large gardens or open spaces that we can cultivate as our own.
THowever, we shouldn’t let the lack of open space stop us from
creating imaginative and beautiful gardens that can produce food,
encourage birds and bees, and increase biodiversity.

There are many ways to effectively utilize the space you have and
it all starts with good planning and a splash of creativity. Things
to think about when designing your mini-garden or urban space
include: what you want to get out of your garden, which part of your
design space gets sun, at what time of day and for how long (veggies
need six hours of sun daily), as well as whether you require your
garden to be functional or not, for example, to provide privacy or to
provide a shield from strong winds.

Remember, you don’t need lawn or ground space to benefit
from home-grown vegetables and fruits, sweet-smelling flowers,
indigenous shrubs and a variety of habitats for birds and insects.

Designing your Container Courtyard
Follow these straightforward steps to creating an ideal space for
your mini-garden:
1. The best way to understand your space is to draw a simple
picture of the area available for use. Use graph paper and draw
your diagram to scale so that you know exactly what you are
working with.
2. Track the path of the sun from when it rises to when it sets. This
will assist you in the placement of different plants in your mini-
garden. Remember that vegetables need at least six hours of
sunlight every day.
3. Make a note of areas that stay shady throughout the day.
4. Pinpoint areas that may require screening or barriers.
5. Perhaps you have an area that collects rainwater - use this to
your advantage by using that space for your water-loving or
three-drop plants. Rain gardens are an ideal example of using
harvested rainwater.

Space-saving gardens are fun and interesting to design and can
be creative and beautiful. They are also Water Wise and kind to the
environment, and with careful planning a mini-garden can reduce
the amount of water you use. Don’t let a lack of space deter you
from nurturing your green fingers. Remember to be Water Wise!

www.randwater.co.za and click on the Water Wise logo
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON WATER WISE, PLEASE CONTACT US ON: 0860 10 10 60