Garden Design IdeasGarden Ideas, Photos and Tips for Gardening at Home
Using grow udder , pile , and raised bed , Bethany Bey has create a handsome rooftop garden at her habitation in Chicago , IL . pic by : Bethany Bey
After living in Chicago for about 10 years , Bethany Bey had quit to the opinion that she would n’t have a “ material ” garden until she move into a place with a backyard . The itch to get her hand in the dirt was always in the back of her mind , though , farm up having helped her mum and grandfather tend to their gardens . But in 2020 , when Bethany and her hubby moved into their spot with a rooftop terrace , her mentation change : Even though she did n’t have a backyard , she could put a raise layer up there and grow a few thing . Why not ?
Fast - forward to the nowadays : Using containers , grow bags , and raised seam , Bethany has transform that 340 - square foundation outer space from a rooftop patio into an abundant garden , bust with colorful homegrown flowers and even food .
away from some background gardening cognition , which she get from dabbling in gardening with her mom and grandfather , Bethany is strictly self - taught . Since plant that first raised bed , she has wipe out C of videos and online clause , ever on a quest to determine more about the artistic creation of container gardening . Earlier this twelvemonth , Bethany signed up for an online horticulture Education Department program . “ I require to get a more courtly educational activity to understand the why and how behind what I ’m doing , ” says Bethany .
Fortunately for those who know her or know in her proximity , this warmth is something she volitionally share with others . In summer , when her plants are produce copious amounts of efflorescence , Bethany creates what she call “ pavement redolence , ” which she sets out on the sidewalk in front of her household for passersby to take for free .
She also enjoys get tall plant that peek over the top of the wall around her rooftop garden . “ I like to intend that people walking by might see them peeking over the edge and be revolutionise to spring up something too , ” Bethany articulate . On her Instagram Thomas Nelson Page ( @chicagogardener ) and YouTube TV channel ( ChicagoGardener ) she shares picture , telecasting , and ideas with those abide by her garden journey .
Here , after make the chance to speak with Bethany , we partake in eight tips for anyone who wants a fertile flower garden of their own — in a garden of any size .
1. Pack in Plants
In the raise bed against her patio wall that sits among plantings of zinnias , salvia , and other vibrant blooms , Bethany has several varieties of gomphrena , planted tightly together , putting on a lovely display of light pink and fuchsia . exposure by : Bethany Bey
When space plants , Bethany has find that she can typically plane off a few inches from the recommend aloofness intimate on industrial plant labels . “ Typically , I ’ve found that thing execute just as well , but there are time when I realize I should have follow instructions ! ” says Bethany , who is up for experiment when it comes to gardening .
For the most part , she shares that she is able to put plants nigher together as long as she pays closelipped care to their needs — pruning them if they look like they ’re survive to commence overlap , and staking the ones that take help staying vertical . “ Recently , I planted two undetermined love apple close together and pruned them where they overlapped , ” says Bethany . “ They both did nifty , and their yield did n’t suffer at all .
2. Be Selective About What You Grow
After a few years of tend to this outer space , Bethany knows what develop well here — and she also knows what she like . Here , some of her favorite flush expand : several varieties of zinnias , two character of Supertunia , and pinkish and whiteSuperbena ® Pink Cashmere ™ vervain . Photo by : Bethany Bey
When Bethany first started gardening , her mindset was like to that of many gardener : “ I want to grow everything , ” she says . Over the years , though , Bethany has direct notes on which foods and heyday perform best in her garden . “ I began choosing more plants that I lie with have done well and are proceed to give rise the most in the space I have . ”
For food , Bethany opts for crops such as peas , green noggin , and cerise tomato plant . “ These give a ton of output on just one flora , ” she tell , take note that pumpkins , melons , and the like do n’t produce much when you consider the amount of space they take up .
For flowers , Bethany choose plants she can cut from and then they keep producing such as zinnias , gomphrena , and dahlias . “ I used to produce sunflowers , but many of them only produce one bloom , ” Bethany says . “ Even though I lie with them and they ’re so pretty , I can use that space for something that ’s run low give me flower all summer long . ”
3. Invest in Self-Watering Pots
At centre , an AquaPot Lite by Proven Winners hostsRockin ' ® Fuchsia salvia , Aromance ® Mulberry ™ nemesia , andSuperbells Magic ™ Pink Lemonade ™ . Photo by : Bethany Bey
When asked if she recommends self - lacrimation pots , Bethany answers with a definitive “ Yes ! ” Currently , the dwelling nurseryman has about four of them and mark that she want more . ego - watering great deal are valued for their power to keep soil at a consistent level of moisture . Bethany can attest to this , take note that during summer , she can rely on a self - lachrymation pot to keep her plants sufficiently water for about a week .
Her favorite ego - lacrimation pots?Aqua Pots by Proven Winners . “ These are the best I ’ve seen , ” pronounce Bethany . “ A lot of time the ego - watering pots are n’t pretty , but these are . ” She prefer the AquaPot Lite line because their lighter weight means she can carry them up to her balcony garden without too much hassle .
4. Get Creative with Plant Placement
Rather than placing all plants in flock on the ground , Bethany looks for ways to elevate them . Here , Bethany ’s efflorescence go-cart from Deer Park Ironworks add together interest group , top by a daybreak glory vine . Photo by : Bethany Bey
“ I ’m always look for anything I can use to put a plant life somewhere that I could n’t put a plant before , ” aver Bethany . After seeing railscapes from Plant Trap , she knew she had to give those a seek to add some flowers in front of her home . Railscapes tie to your subsist fence , give you a spot to post a jackpot so it appears to float on your fence . “ I ca n’t really plant anything in the priming in that blank , so using those on the front railing gives me a style to tot plant , ” read Bethany .
For her balcony garden , Bethany added a flower cart from DeerPark ironwork . The 3- by 4 - substructure metal flower pushcart gives Bethany a spot to grow a morning glory vine . In addition to provide a smear to trellis plant , it also total height to the garden , making the space more visually interesting .
5. Stick to Large Pots
recently , Bethany is opt for sess big than 8 inch out on her patio . Because they take for more soil , it take longer for them to dry out . Photo by : Bethany Bey
In plus to want to add more ego - watering pots to her container repertoire , Bethany is also slowly doing away with minor Mary Jane and transition to larger unity . Why ? “ If I have a sight that ’s 8 column inch , it dries out quickly , ” say Bethany . “ If I have a turgid pot , though , even if it ’s not self - lachrymation , I can be go for the weekend and not interest about it as long as I give it a good soak before I pass on . ”
6. Give Yourself Easy Access to Plants
By putting big container on caddies , Bethany can easy move them to dissimilar locations or prune all around the flora with informality . Photo by : Bethany Bey
specially in a modest blank space , it can be difficult to plan out a tract so you may easily access everything in your garden once your plant are full - grownup . Every class Bethany observes and takes note of diminished adjustments she can make so plants are more easily accessible . This year , one little tweak Bethany made was order some containers on a caddy with wheel . This allows her to turn them easily in gild to glean and prune all around the works with easiness — a small addition Bethany describes as “ secret plan changing . ”
7. Situate Seating Areas Strategically
Bethany ’s patio furniture is positioned to take in the ravisher of all the vibrant blooms while also taking advantage of the view of Chicago beyond . Photo by : Bethany Bey
designedly seek out ways to enjoy the garden is an aspect of horticulture that is sometimes neglect , but it ’s so crucial to take the time to imbue up the fruits of your Labor Department . Bethany recommend placing your seating areas so they face your favorite views . “ I ’d had my terrace furniture in the same place every class and short realized that my chairman were facing away from the flowers and towards the paries of our family , ” say Bethany . After making that realization , she moved some container around so she could posit her chair in the ideal location — looking out at her blooming garden and the pretty city views beyond .
8. Incorporate the Indoors
To create a point for hang flowers for dry out , Bethany purchase three champagne gold drapery rod cell and installed them on a wall inside her home . Photo by : Bethany Bey
With limited planting spaces outdoors , it pee-pee sense that Bethany would also apply the inside of her home to let in plants — but she ’s very strategic when it comes to bestow anything into her quad . “ I want things that are pretty , but I also want them to be useable , ” says Bethany . Last twelvemonth , she began drying some of the many flower her patio garden was producing , and hung them from her ceiling . Though she liked the room it looked , she want to figure out something more permanent . That ’s when she decided to buy three curtain rod that she give ear on her walls . “ Even when there are n’t blossom on them , they still look pretty , ” Bethany enunciate . “ When it ’s covered in flowers , it looks even prettier . A functional objet d’art of art . ”
Bethany Recommends: Plants for Prolific Blooms
Here are a few of Bethany ’s favorite dependable plants that give her flowers all spring through the end of summertime .
More From Bethany
Here are several more inspiring photos from Bethany and her garden .
When Bethany check about With Love , Chicago , a non - profit organisation who leaves surprisal nosegay for masses to find around the city , she was inspired . “ I always have more flowers than I can use , so I begin making my own bouquets and leaving them in front of my house for people to take , ” says Bethany . She ’s find that they go quickly , and she ’s even receive thank you cards for the bouquets . “ I have it off how something small and unexpected can change someone ’s solar day . ” Photo by : Bethany Bey
With plant always on her mind , it ’s no surprise that Bethany has found originative ways to uniquely incorporate them into her home . “ When I bump something that look pretty , I like to figure out how I can turn it into something I can use for plants . ” On the wall above a boom ZZ industrial plant is a candelabrum that Bethany has transmute into a plant extension post . exposure by : Bethany Bey
Regarding color , Bethany ’s glide path is “ color bedlam . ” “ I love having as many colors as potential in the garden , ” she say . For Bethany , one of the benefits of using so many different colors is to be able to make lots of bouquets with unlike look . Though she wo n’t rule out any coloring in finicky , she does stay put by from pastel because she find they “ get lost ” among other colors . Photo by : Bethany Bey
Although Bethany does n’t typically choose for a specific color schema , she did stick to garden pink and White in her shade container border . From left to right : Tiny Quick Fire ® panicle hydrangeaoffers pale pink and white blooms all summertime long . bosom to fondness ® ‘ White Star ’ caladiumhas green - lined creamy livid foliage with rosy veining . Further up the border , Heart to nub ® Va Va Violet ™ caladiums ’ showy pinko and green mottled foliage fetch out the pinks in the other plant , include polka - dot plants . Photo by : Bethany Bey
