Urban Gardening Tips

I gardened in urban environments most of life- until I moved into the country to my present home. There certainly are some challenges to urban gardening, but I think it was actually more fun because of the restricted spaces.

Did you read about “Ecopolitan” gardening on the previous page?

By accident I learned that there aren’t many obvious resources for new Urban gardeners, but I hope to list some tips and resources here.

You can have a great garden in the city.

What are the challenges to an urban garden?

• Pollution
• Crowding between buildings
• Effect of neighbors choices
• Poor soils
• Small area

How-to solutions to those challenges?

• Choosing pollution-tolerant plants
• Dealing with shade and maximizing available sunshine
• Use of fences and screening plants
• Creating areas of improved soils
• Maximizing space with vertical gardening and wise plant choices

You’ve gathered your tools, and started to improve the soil in the planting areas. Next, decide whether you want additional fences or screening plants. Are there areas that you hate to look at? Traffic noises to mute? Loose dogs or two legged visitors you want to steer away from trampling on your garden? Consider using the age-old solution of a fence or deter their interest with shrub plants. Spiny ones will add further messages ( often necessary). Always look for the designations “dwarf” and “compact”, or “fastigiate” [tall and slender, or narrow], and check height and spread measurements for best choices in small spaces.

Pollution Tolerant Plant List

Trees & Shrubs	Perennials	Grass, Annuals & Vines
Mahonia	Hostas	Festuca
Berberis darwinii	Hellebores	Liriope
Cotoneaster	Eryngium	Sisyrinchium
Juniper	Gypsophila	Lantana
Spirea	Achillea	Vinca rosea
Viburnum	Aquilegia	Dianthus
Chaenomeles	Ceratostigma	Iberis
Crabapple	Coreopsis	Bidens feruifolia
Gingko,	Euphorbia	Marigolds
Hawthorn	Lavandula	Zinnias
Littleleaf Linden	Limonium	Petunias
Maple	Ruta	Nicotiana
Red Oak	Teucrium	Coleus
Sweetgum	Thymus	Virginia Creeper, Boston Ivy
Mugo Pine	Erigeron	Morning Glory vine

In general, plants having hairy surface of leaves trap more dust and are, therefore, damaged more [by air pollution] than the plants with shiny leaf surface.

Some Helpful Links:
Large trees in your urban landscape.
Air Pollution Damage to Plants [PDF]
Prospect & Refuge
City Dirt Blog

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