Here is a piece I wrote about my last garden – in Christchurch .
What is a garden?
Most people would not call it a garden: it’s about 3 X 1.5m and is on the 3rd floor of an inner city apartment building.
But what is a garden? A place where plants grow? A place for relaxation? A place of peace? If that’s so, my balcony is a garden. Why?
After one year here, I have numerous flowers hanging over the edge to soften the concrete; I also grow rosemary, thyme, garlic chives, parsley, mint and my chilli are impressive. The space also kept me in tomatoes and a few lettuces over summer: right now I’m using lettuce, spinach, and silver beet, while my broad beans are doing really well.
I also have 3 bonsai trees, a water bowl and plant, and dormant in other containers are Christmas and tiger lilies, and some old-fashioned spring bulbs whose name eludes me!
As well as all that I have a bird feeder that attracts silvereyes, sparrows and finches; I have a comfortable cane chair where I can read, relax, and enjoy the sun on this north facing view with its tiny glimpse of the Southern Alps. I also have a worm farm!
This means I’ve reduced my global footprint by eschewing my waste disposal unit and turning all that ‘rubbish’ into soil for my pots and the ‘worm-wee’ is a wonderful fertiliser.
So do have I a garden? Absolutely.
