A Guide to Spring Gardening for the Non-Gardener

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Every year I get a bout of spring fever. Which means that around the time when the cherry trees across my part of Australia begin to bloom with their delicate pink flowers, I suddenly develop this frenzied need to surround my home with glorious spring blossoms. The problem is, I'm no gardener. In fact, I happily ignore my garden during the rest of the year and just hope for the best. The other problem is that I've been way too ambitious and completely unrealistic in many springs past, so by the time a whole year has passed, all my flowers have usually withered and died.

I am no green thumb (I envy those who are) but I still want a pretty spring garden (I still can't shake off this spring fever!). However, I want a garden that's easy for me to maintain and that will fit in well with the space that I live in.

If you also want some kind of garden but one that's very easy to look after, and/or if your living space is limited, then here are a few ideas to get you thinking.

1. Grow everything in pots
Pots and other containers are just perfect for those of us with little or no garden space. You can grow almost anything in a container including flowers, herbs, vegetables, succulents and ferns.



And you can be creative with your containers too, for example, old tires, an old wheelbarrow, gumboots, and baskets. Even your old toilet bowl can be re-purposed!



2. Love Succulents
They're tough and hardy and so easy to maintain which I think make them the best kind of plants for the non-gardener like me!



3. Make a magical Fairy Garden
Why not create a fairy garden? They're especially fun for children and they're really very simple to make. You probably already have most of the things you need for a fairy garden such as an empty pot or container with drainage holes, high-quality potting soil, and some plants such as moss and succulents. You just need some pebbles, bark, twigs and leaves for decoration, and some fairy figurines and décor. You could also make a dinosaur garden using your children's old dinosaur toys, or a zoo full of safari animals, or a farm, or even a race track.



Your child will also love this My Fairy Garden kit. All you need to add is the soil. Priced at $24 from Big W and Kmart.



4. Make life even simpler with an 'All-In-One Garden Kit'
I love these Mr Fothergill's Boutigue Garden All-in-one windowsill garden kits. They include everything you need including drip tray, seeds, soil, and simple instructions to grow your own strawberries, sunflowers, or lavender. Priced at $17 each from Big W.



5. Start a kitchen garden on your windowsill
Why not grow basil, parsley and other herbs in small pots on your kitchen windowsill? You can also grow your own lettuce. I found this fantastic lettuce salad bowl at Bunnings. Priced at $22. All you need to do is place it in a sunny spot and water it. How easy is that?



6. Grow some fun grass heads
These are super easy and super cute and great fun for kids! The kits already contain everything you need to grow grass including grass seeds and soil pellets. When the grass has grown, your kids will then have great fun giving their grass head a haircut! Available from leading retailers including Bunnings and Big W. You can also make your own grass head.



7. Create your own terrarium
Another super easy garden idea for the non-green thumb. A terrarium is a collection of small, decorative plants growing in an enclosed environment. Terrariums are very easy to create and very easy to look after. Go here for ideas, or visit the Bunnings website here and watch a video on how to make your very own terrarium. You can also buy ready-made terrariums from garden shops and the major retailers.



Finally,

8. Get advice from the green thumbs in your life
There's a big chance that someone in your life-a relative, family member, friend, workmate, neighbour-will be extremely knowledgeable about gardening. So why not have a chat with them and invite them over to your place and get their ideas and suggestions on how you can make the best use of your garden? You could also chat with the friendly staff at your local garden shop or Bunnings. Take advantage of all the wisdom that's out there and learn from it.



Creating your own spring garden doesn't have to be hard, especially if you haven't got a green thumb like me. Whether you don't have the space or you just don't have the know-how (or both), then hopefully the tips above will help you get thinking about what you can actually do and manage.

Happy spring planting, everyone!%%"And the Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast,
Rose from the dreams of its wintry rest."

Percy Bysshe Shelley%%

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