Container Gardening - or I have the small yard blues

When we sold our home, we got almost everything we wanted in our new home, except the yard of my dreams. Our old home had almost an acre of land and raised beds, tiered levels where I could plant almost everything I loved.

We moved in November, so the small yard was really not an issue until this spring, when I realized that no longer was I going to be spending weeks in the gardens, cutting down perennials, weeding and planning my summer garden. So after a day of despair (gardening is therapy to me), I got busy planning what I could do with the space I had, in the most efficient and captivating way.

We purchased a grow light system and used it in our basement to grow vegetables from seed. My husband set a timer for it to come on and off for several hours a day. I examined the containers that I had for planting some of my favorite plants. One (or two) had to hold a honeysuckle.

My antique wash tub has always been a favorite of mine, I easily filled it with a large hanging basket of bright colors and added an old wash board for a special touch. I began to dig holes through the rocks in the yard to plant a peony and some pansies.

An old bird bath was utilized by drilling holes in the bottom and adding a few flowers and succulents – along with a sweet bluebird and some sea shells.

Years ago I purchased a metal window box style planter at a garage sale. I lined it with coco fiber and dirt and filled it with annuals and a pineapple mint, that I love for the fragrance.

My old rusty leaky watering can I filled with million bells and hung at an angle.

For some early vegetables, I took some planters that were at the house when we purchased and planted lettuce and snow peas. After a slow start (late snows etc.) they took off and are on target for their crop in a couple weeks.

So I realized after it doesn't matter what size your yard, you can plant, you can grow, and no weed is safe from a gardener with a small yard.

Written by Tanjla of the Etsy shop rhinestonesrock

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