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Concrete and Stone meets Earth and Water

By
Real Estate Agent with None

Walking through the middle of DC towards the convention center- surrounded by concrete and stone, it is hard to imagine anything to do with healthy living while getting blasted in the face with engine exhaust. Then- you turn a corner and find a contained tree surrounded by the brilliant blossoms of hearty plants. Sigh... green is victorious over gray!

Northern Virginia city dwellers can have make their own green space! Everyone can plant in minimal space... it is just a matter oContainer gardeningf taking the time to evaluate the space you have and think about how you can re-use some of your current unexpected planters to make a garden oasis in your urban jungle. For instance, do you have an old tin paint pale in your garage? Rinse it out and add a layer of sand (for drainage) and a layer of good soil and plant some basil or cilantro for cooking. Look in your crawl space. Do you have an old whiskey barrel your grandparents used to store trinkets, or whiskey, in? Line it with a thick gauge plastic, layer with sand and soil and plant some winter vegetables such as kale or lettuce and make a perfectly sized container garden for your front stoop.

There are many unlikely ways to make a garden in the city. Make your day, and probably every passer by's when you create your own container garden. The gardening and healthy living maestros at Organic Gardener have some more great ideas on how to create your perfect container garden. They suggest everything from 3 liter olive oil canisters to abandoned dresser drawers (one of my personal favorites). You will be turning a concrete corner to find your own garden every day.

Comments (2)

David Monsour
Keller Williams Keystone Realty - Gettysburg, PA
ABR - www.realty-insights.com

There sure isn't much green down there.  It would be nice to see more plants and trees and so forth.  I live on 17 acres, but when I travel its nice to see that there is some plant life.

Dec 15, 2009 06:41 AM
John Thomas
E3 Green HOMES - Boulder, CO
EcoBroker, MSEE, MBA

Thanks Adam...great ideas. I think there are many places where flowers can be replaced with edible plants and vegetables. It would make much better use of the soil and water while satisfying a need for food. Many edible plants and vegetables are just as pretty as flowers.

Dec 15, 2009 07:25 AM