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Getting the Urban Look

Getting the Urban Look

4th September 2017

Contemporary style urban gardens are a low maintenance solution that gives a smart look to small or medium size inner city spaces.   Geometric lines, muted colour plains and communal seating are central to this scheme.

The age of the urban gardener is here and it’s reaching every balcony, roof top and window sill in the UK. Statistically gardens in Britain are shrinking as people give more space to driveways and new homes are built with smaller outdoor spaces, but for many it doesn’t stop them increasing their floral footprint.

The health benefits of being close to nature are well known but it can be hard to achieve if you live in an urban area so we’ve compiled some handy hints and tips on what you can do with your space.

Balcony Gardening: if you live in an apartment building with a balcony then you can create a high rise oasis by introducing planters to your space. Choose brightly coloured plastic planters; these can overhang the edge of the balcony or sit in tiers on the wall to give you extra planting space.

Urban Farming: Herbs and salads can flourish in small spaces and can produce a high yield. Herbs like Rosemary, Thyme and Oregano can all survive in relatively challenging environments, weathering sun and drought, also coping reasonably in the wind. Mix in Horticultural Potting Grit to maintain drainage and help stop plants become flooded.

Indoor Gardening: If you don’t have any outdoor space indoor gardening can improve air quality, increase mental wellbeing and can reportedly lower the risk of respiratory disorders. From Palms to Pentas, Begonias to Bougainvillea there are wealth of plants out there to choose from.

Use Pot Topping Pebbles: topping planters with pebbles and gravels can increase water retention and help supress weeds but most importantly they look great. Our Urban Living Collection features four different types of pebble that each have a distinct colouring that can work in a variety of spaces. Alternatively using smaller grades of slate, chippings and bark can be just as effective.

Super Succulents: Creating a micro garden for your work space using succulents can increase concentration and can bring grace and elegance to your office. Build a succulent garden using any style of terrarium. Keep the soil base shallow for good drainage, many succulents do not need a soil base and smaller aggregates like Alpine Ice can support growth.


Wide Open Spaces: If you have a small outdoor area then use a variety of vertical planes in different colours to create the illusion of depth and space. Using monochrome colour schemes such as blankets of Charcoal Slate 20mm can make your space look much larger and provide a sea of texture.

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