What is innovative gardening?

Innovative gardening is about being creative and smart when gardening and making the best use of the resources already available. So while planning in a clever way, you can create a beautiful garden while minimizing your environmental impact.

In this article, we have compiled some cool ideas to inspire you.

10 best innovative gardening ideas

If you have a small garden and would like to grow vegetables, fruits, herbs or some flowers, don’t get discouraged by the lack of space. Growing crops in limited areas can be achieved with a little bit of creativity and imagination. There are a number of different approaches to follow here, depending on the space and resources available. These are some of our favourites ideas:

1. Unusual plant pots or containers. By using old items or recycled materials we can make a unique garden. Old plastic bottles, unused rainboots, and painted food cans are all great examples of innovative plant containers. Just look around the house and see what you can find, the limit is your imagination.
2. Vertical gardening. It means growing crops above the ground, this term refers to growing plants up supported by an arch, trellis or some other kind of vertical structure. Both in-ground and container gardening can be done vertically, this allows for easier control of weeds, pests and diseases. It is an ideal approach for a small garden.
3. Square foot gardening. This type of gardening means dividing your garden beds up into squares. Typically you will divide the area of your garden beds into 30×30 cm or 40×40 cm squares. Then place the plants into them making sure they have enough room in between.
4. One pot garden. If you only have space for one plant pot, then you should try this innovation, it is really easy to maintain. Just place your preferred herbs and vegetables into the container, fill it with high-quality soil and manure, look them grow and enjoy the crops. Look for companion plants such as marigolds and cherry tomatoes.
5. Shoe organiser garden. If you do not have much space to grow your garden horizontally, go vertical. Those shoe organisers that look like pockets can also be used as plant containers. They are perfect for herbs and you can use them indoors. You can place a few of these shoe organisers together hanging on a wall or fence, fill them with good quality soil and compost, and add your herbs, plants or seeds. This is a great low-cost, space-saving option.
6. Rain gutters garden. By attaching some rain gutters to a fence or wall, you can create a beautiful garden in a small space. There are different materials to choose from, some gutters are made from aluminium, others from PVC pipes. Make sure the gutters are well supported as they will get heavy once soil and water are added to them. Also consider high-quality soil, enough sunlight and good drainage, which is essential for growing healthy plants.
7. Growing dwarf fruit trees. If you love fruit trees but there isn’t much space for a big garden, you should consider the dwarf varieties. There are lots of tree options to choose from: apple, orange, lemon, plum, pear, peach, and avocados. You will need a large plant pot or half wine barrel, high-quality soil enriched with compost
8. Living green walls or plant walls or eco walls. These are vertical structures that can be either freestanding or attached to a wall. Plants in these vertical gardens are grown using hydroponics. They are an ideal solution for urban areas with little space available and they look fabulous.
9. Companion plants. Flowers not only look beautiful but also serve an important role in the garden, attracting beneficial insects and deterring some pests. For example, planting flowers in the same area as your fruit and vegetable plants, will help feed and attract bees, who will cross-pollinate the garden.
10. Composting. This is another great example of innovative gardening. Composting is the process by which organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, decomposes into a valuable fertilizer that you can feed to your vegetable garden. Read this article if you would like to know how to start a compost bin.

Innovative gardening is a great concept that can be applied in different ways. With a bit of imagination and creativity, we should be able to maximize the resources available to create a beautiful garden while taking care of our environment.