If you live in an apartment, you probably think your gardening options are quite limited. No lawn, no flower bed, no way, right? Wrong.

With some creativity and the right indoor gardening tips, you can transform your living area into an urban gardening sanctuary. Apartment gardening can be just as fun as nurturing an outdoor space; you just need to know how to make it work for you.

Read on to find out the best plants for small apartments in South Africa, tips for small space gardening, and creative ideas for making apartment gardening work for you.

Balcony garden ideas

If you are lucky enough to have a balcony, use the space to grow your own little oasis to enjoy with your morning cup of coffee.

DIY vertical garden for apartments

If the bare wall of your balcony gets good light during the day, it’s the perfect area to attach a trellis so you can grow creeper plants like star jasmine, mandevilla splendens or clematis. Their blooms will elevate the feel of what could otherwise be quite an ordinary space.

Pot your chosen creeper plant in a big enough pot or trough at the base of the trellis, and as it grows, guide it to ‘creep’ along the trellis and create a ‘green wall’.

Creativity with balcony railings

Looking for a bit more privacy in your balcony area?

Strategically positioned planters can take care of that. Use cable ties and metal ‘S’ hooks to hang basket planters along the edge of your balcony railing, prettifying your outdoor sitting area, and creating some coverage.

Here’s more inspiration for gardening in pots.

How to grow a garden without a balcony

This is probably the greatest hurdle that city dwellers face when looking to nurture their green thumb in a high-rise – gardening without a balcony. Good news: there is a range of small space gardening ideas for renters that don’t require a balcony.

Herbs to grow on a windowsill

The easiest way to start experimenting with apartment gardening is with an indoor herb garden.

With some good natural light, whether on a windowsill, shelf or mantel, you can add a pop of green to your space, and save on your groceries, too.

Start growing food indoors with these easy indoor herbs for beginners:

• Parsley
• Rosemary
• Chives
• Mint
• Coriander
• Sage
• Thyme

Plants to grow outside your apartment entrance

Depending on how much sunlight your front door gets (does it face an exterior or interior passage in your building?), you can style a collection of pot plants just outside your apartment to give it that unique touch of style.

Petunias are a great colourful option if your front door gets lots of sun, as are lavender, salvia, gazanias and marigolds.

Star jasmine works as a beautiful shade-seeking creeper plant to add interest to your front door. Another shade-loving option are hydrangeas, if you have enough space for them.

Apartment grow lights and watering tips

Maybe some areas of your apartment don’t get a lot of light for a portion of the day. This can work if you add low-light plants to these areas.

Here are five great choices for low-maintenance apartment plants that thrive in darker indoor conditions:

• Pothos – ideal for your bedroom or bathroom
• Spider plant – ideally positioned high up on a shelf in your apartment
• Snake plant – best for your bedroom, as it is a great air filter
• Peace lily – great added to any area you spend a lot of time in, to help lower stress
• Fern – perfect for a humid area like the bathroom

If you’d like to branch out, investing in some grow lights could open up your options to add more variety to your indoor plant garden.

They come in different styles: some with a stand, others suspended from a shelf above your plants. With modern grow lights, you can toggle between various settings (light brightness, timing, height), to ensure your indoor plants get the best care.

Small-space gardening hacks

Keep these pointers in mind when you’re deciding where to grow your indoor plants in your apartment, to ensure best results:

• South-facing windows are best.
• Use a wicking system (yarn or cotton string between a water source and soil).
• Combine plants with similar needs in one large container (for example, basil with cherry tomatoes).

Ready to grow your apartment garden?

Don’t let apartment living put you off from developing your green thumb and enjoying all the benefits of being a plant parent.

With these apartment gardening ideas, the right tools and accessories, and tips from our expert in-store staff, you’ll be well on your way to being a proud apartment gardener.