Gardening without a garden

Many people have a dream to be able to have a large garden to plan, landscape and do what they wanted with it. However the reality these days is that many us live in flats with no access to an outside space. Even if you do have some land connected to your home you may feel it is too small to do anything with. There are ways though to create a small patch of greenery at your own home or get your gardening fix off site.

At home

Utilise walls – If you have a bare wall brighten it up with the addition of some plants. Made a shelving display by hanging an old wooden box or tray and then adding some pots. Make sure the box is strong enough to take the weight of the pots.

Get reflective – After you've created a small display make the area seem bigger by the addition of a mirror.

Stack them up – A shelving unit or ladder can be a very effective way to display a lot of plants in a small area. You can decide if you want to go with just one type of plant or have a variety.

Line them up – Balconies, driveways and the front of buildings are perfect spots for setting up a container garden. Collect an eclectic mix of pots and containers for a standout display.

Hanging baskets – One of the easiest and most popular ways to add colour to a property. Add a sturdy hook or bracket and hang your basket onto it. Garden centres and supermarkets sell hanging baskets already made up but you can take the time and effort to design your own. Just remember to water regularly.

Reclaim it – If you have features on your land which are now redundant turn them into something which will grow.

Away from your home

Apply for an allotment – Anyone who wants to grow their own fruit and vegetables needs a decent amount of land. Without moving home an allotment is the perfect choice. Many allotments plots also allow cut flowers to be grown. Be warned though that some allotments have long waiting lists so if you are thinking about having an allotment don't delay in applying for one.

Community gardens – Near where I live there is a small community garden maintained by the local gardening group. Just last week I saw one of the members cutting the hedging around it. In more urban areas groups are getting together to fill tyres, oil cans and any available space with plants.

Volunteer at National Trust and public gardens – Gone are the days where large estates had an army of gardeners at their disposal. Public gardens will have a small permanent team of professional gardeners but many of them rely on volunteer helpers. The National Trust are always looking for volunteers.

Would you like to have a garden but don't feel you have the space? Have you ever thought of becoming a volunteer gardener?