Page 41 - Indulge April/May 2017

Gardeners often focus on the science of their hobby:
how much water and sunlight their plants need and
how to improve soil quality and keep pests at bay. But there
can be a lot of artistry behind the craft as well — from how
you harvest and enjoy flowers to how you convert unused
spaces of your home into a viable indoor edible garden.
Put your creativity to good use this spring season by
gardening with style.
Indoor gardening
For those who don’t have an outdoor garden or yard,
the dream of enjoying your own freshly picked fruits and
vegetables may seem out of reach. However, the nooks
and crannies of your home can be creatively rendered into
productive growing zones. And experts say that nearly all
homes can support indoor gardening.
“Whatever the size of your home, there will be a selection
of edible plants you can grow indoors, as long as you have
some natural daylight filtering in,” says Zia Allaway, author
of “Indoor Edible Garden: Creative Ways to Grow Herbs,
Fruit and Vegetables in Your Home.” “The areas where
plants will grow can be windowsills, beneath a skylight or
even in a dark, unlit area if you install grow lights.”
In “Indoor Edible Garden,” a highly visual guide full of
practical tips and stylish ideas, Allaway offers step-by-step
directions for everything from creating suspended shelves
and hanging jars for growing herbs to mounting edible
orchids onto bark and displaying them on walls. She points
out that those embarking on indoor gardening should first
evaluate the level of time they can commit.
“Just remember that unlike other projects in the home,
such as decorating and cooking, all gardening projects
require some aftercare. So, if you have a busy schedule,
choose crops that will tolerate less watering and feeding.”
Flower Arranging
While your flower garden is likely a beautiful work of art
in and of itself, you can spread the joy by harvesting your
flora and bringing the beauty indoors. Floral arrangements
add vitality to any interior space.
“For me, every arrangement starts with the container.
Think about what mood or style you want to evoke, and
remember, anything can be a container as long as it can
be made watertight,” says Rachel Siegfried,” author of
“The Flower Book: Natural Flower Arrangements for Your
Home,” which explores 60 flowers, bloom-by-bloom in
portraiture, including quick-reference profiles and tips.
Siegfried recommends that, when selecting flowers
for your arrangement, pay attention to shapes, textures
and colors to achieve good balance. Start with a primary
focal flower and build out with a couple of secondary
focals, a final flourish and foliage.
For her part, she relies on instinct. “I get a ‘buzz’
when I find a good combination,” she says.
Gardening tips for beginners
Novice gardeners may not know where to begin
when it comes to planting their first vegetable gardens,
and such gardeners can benefit by starting small. You
may want to begin by growing plants in containers so
they are more manageable and can be moved as you
discover which areas of your property provide the best
growing conditions.
Begin with one or two types of vegetables.
Tomatoes, cucumbers and certain squashes are popular
starter plants, as they are relatively hardy. Select only
a few plants so you are not overwhelmed with the level
of care required to maintain your garden.
Some gardeners prefer to start plants from
seeds, but this will require more time and a greater
commitment with regard to maintenance and planting.
When just starting out, experiment with small plants that
are established and already have a good root system.
Consult with your local gardening center for more
suggestions, such as which soil amendments to use.
Plants may require a certain soil pH that can be
adjusted for optimal plant growth.
Check for pests. Speak with a local gardening
professional to determine if there are any local pests
to look out for and how to recognize and remove
these pets from gardens. Pests may hibernate in the
soil over the winter, and such unwelcome visitors can
make it difficult for gardens to thrive come spring
and summer.
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