How to create an urban indoor garden

Cultivating a garden can be difficult at the best of times, yet finding the space to do so in London can be especially difficult. The majority of people living in the capital do not have ready access to a garden, forced to live in small apartments due to rising property prices.

Many of those who live in London are young professionals, a demographic increasingly interested in gardening. With so much demand for gardening, a growing trend has emerged that is taking the world of urban interior design by storm; indoor gardening.

Indoor gardening involves creating spaces for horticulture enthusiasts to practice their hobby safely and cost effectively – inside their own apartments. Growing an indoor vegetable patch on your balcony or a herb farm on your windowsill is a popular way to keep the green-fingered among us happy.

It can also be incredibly easy way to decorate your home, adding unusual textures and shapes to your interiors. Whether it’s potted plants, terrariums or hanging baskets, vegetation is a great way to decorate the new builds currently going up across the capital. With all this in mind then, let’s take a look at some quick tips on how to make the most of your indoor garden.

1.   Choose your plants well

With the right resources at hand, you’ll be able to grow any type of plant indoors, even bamboo (if your ceilings are high enough!) However, some plants are naturally easier to take care of indoors and you should look to grow these if it is your first time doing so. You may want to choose plants that thrive in similar conditions as well, as varying your home’s temperature and humidity levels across different rooms can quickly become complicated and expensive. Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, oregano, sage and lavender all require a lot of sunlight and dry soil, so grouping them together for your balcony garden is a good idea.

2.   Organise your space

Indoor gardens do not have to take up lots of space. The amount of space you want to allocate to your plants depends on how many you want in the first place, as well as what types you want to cultivate. For example, your indoor garden may consist of a dozen of your favorite succulents that you keep on your windowsill, or perhaps a bench full of potted fruits and vegetables like tomatoes and carrots to supplement your diet.  Whatever you decide, ensure your plants get lots of natural light and water.

3.   Try terrariums and hanging baskets

Terrariums are sealable glass containers that include soil and plants within them, and are a very popular way to bring plants into the home. Self-contained, easy to manage and stunning to look at, terrariums can bring a touch of natural class to a small space. Placing them on a desk or windowsill can brighten up a room and give it an interesting centrepiece. Hanging baskets also make for beautiful decorations and can be placed almost anywhere in a flat, such as from the ceiling or above your dining table.

Key takeaways

Gardening in urban spaces can often be difficult, given the limited access to outdoor space and sometimes poor amount of natural light. Nevertheless, Londoners can adapt by finding creative ways to grow herbs, flowers and vegetables indoors and decorate their home with the beauty of nature.