by Janet Grischy

Any loft or apartment can include a space for plants. All they need is light, water, and attention to their growing requirements. Whether a garden is outdoors, by windows, or under lights, there are many options for bringing nature into an urban home. Here are some ideas for creating your own city garden.

Patios and Balconies

Patios, decks, and even fire escapes are fine places for plants, if they are planted thoughtfully. The amount of light they will get is the first consideration, because sun-loving plants will not do well in shade.

Sunny spaces can be charmingly naive, with old-fashioned flowers like geraniums, sunflowers, and daisies. These plants grow happily in pots or planters, need minimum care, and bloom abundantly. Geraniums covered with a layer of mulch can live through winter, but sunflowers and most kinds of daisies are annuals, replanted every spring. Put glass fishing-floats among the flowers for modern interest, or quirky found objects.

Another option for a sunny spot is an herb garden. Herbs are hardy and easy care. They look handsome, smell beautiful, and can be useful in the kitchen. Choices include Greek oregano, golden or lemon thyme, spiky lavender, and tall ferny dill.

A shady space can become a small woodland. Many varieties of moss work as groundcover. Some hardy ferns can tolerate conditions outdoors. Trees in a woodland garden should really be shrubs, unless the patio is huge. A small tree might make a focal point, or might be the whole garden.

Dwarf Japanese maples provide beautiful color in every season, and intricate leaf form. Another good choice is a spring-blooming miniature quince or a non-fruiting dwarf cherry.

Be sure to plan for seating and lighting. A small storage unit is a good idea too. Alternatively, seating and storage can stay inside, with a comfortable view of the garden.

Window gardens

Another place to grow plants is near a window. Window gardens soften views, and can even quiet city noise. Indoor gardens stay green through winter and their care is relatively quick and simple.

Traditional plants for window gardens include spider plant and string of pearls. Amaryllis and certain orchids will grow happily near a window too, along with countless easy-care varieties of variegated ivy.

Grow lights are not necessary, but some window gardeners conceal them near their plants, on timers set to give them long sunny days.

Light gardens

Adding plant lights can make it possible to grow plants almost anywhere in a loft or apartment. The best sites, though, might be the kitchen, the bath, or a shallow alcove. All sorts of plants grow well under lights.

Cactus thrives indoors. These plants prefer relatively low humidity, as humans do, and can be grouped to suit the most contemporary taste. Some have dramatic spines, while others are ornamented only with soft white fuzz. They come in a wide price range, from thousands for a specimen plant to pennies for each cactus grown from a packet of mixed seed.

Moisture-loving ferns and some tender orchids, on the other hand, will flourish in the bath. Many ferns are annuals, but perennials varieties do exist, and can form charming permanent arrangements. Put a plant bowl on the end of a counter, with miniature ferns and a few pebbles. Or, grow an orchid high in a corner, where you can appreciate its gnarled form when it is not in bloom.

Anyone can start a garden in a loft or apartment. Planning and creating a space for plants is a fascinating challenge, and watching them grow and thrive is a fantastic reward.