Illustration by Victoria Borges
Patrick Gravel is a self-described “former and frequent apartment renter.” He worked in retail gardening and softscaping for 10 years, helping urbanites like himself grow gardens in small spaces, before joining the horticulture staff at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden this year. He has some big ideas for making the most out of a small space:
1. When there’s no place to grow but up, consider a trellis, an arbor or a pergola. Suitable plants will anchor themselves by twisting around structural supports to offer privacy, shade and visual impact. Gravel suggests ornamental clematis or climbing roses for color; peas, climbing beans, cucumbers and grapes; or hops for the home brewer.
2. Training woody plants to spread in two-dimensional patterns across a vertical surface is called espalier. Espalier requires an investment in time and patience that pays off in unique architectural interest. “Select a plant that won’t outgrow the space,” Gravel recommends, such as climbing hydrangea or fruit-bearing specimens like apple, pear and grape.
3. Hydroponic growing systems require only grow lights, special hydroponic nutrients, a growing medium (coconut coir, vermiculite or perlite) and water to produce a verdant wall of herbs and leafy vegetables. Best used indoors.
4. High-yield vegetable varieties are prolific producers. Richmond’s heat and humidity also helps to maximize yield in a small space. Gravel recommends planting cherry or grape tomatoes, as well as vegetables that mature quickly like radishes and leafy plants like kale and lettuce. “Or plant herbs for a continuous harvest,” he says.
5. Genetically smaller versions of popular plants like cherry tomatoes and peppers called dwarf varieties offer all the attributes of their larger cousins in less space. “Most plant species have a dwarf variety, and many plants available at retail centers are dwarfs,” Gravel says.
6. Slender, vertical-shaped plants like arborvitae, plum yew, juniper and other evergreens are ideal for small-space growing. Gravel likes Degroot’s Spire or Mexican sunflowers.
7. Edible flowers such as nasturtium, daylily buds, chrysanthemum petals, marigolds, purslane and even dandelions do double duty, providing a splash of culinary color, flavor and nutritional value in a small garden.
8. Hanging baskets, pots and planters are classic solutions to the challenge of small-space gardening. “Hanging baskets require diligent watering because they dry out quickly,” Gravel notes. And because watering leaches nutrients, remember to fertilize frequently as well. “Consider proportion, shape, texture and color when choosing what to grow,” he says.
9. A window box is another classic solution. “Choose plants that are drought-tolerant to avoid the weight of the water,” Gravel warns. “And stay away from anything tall that might obstruct the view.” Begonia, euphorbia and carex are all good candidates. “Plant perennials for less work,” he says, or herbs, which are both beautiful and useful.
10. In addition to aesthetics, living walls offer opportunities for shade, privacy, food production and defense against urban heat-island effect. Easy-to-assemble systems can be planted with succulents or vines such as grape or oakleaf ivy, English Ivy, philodendron or spider plants.
