Practical Tips

In principle, gardening is very easy, and the best learning curve can be attained through personal experience. To help with the initial steps, we give you some ideas and considerations on this page. For further inquiries and ideas, please visit the forum to exchange knowledge and experience.

1. Is your chosen location exposed to possible dog visits, bicycle parking, feet or similar dangers? Then consider building a little fence around it, 4 little pickets and some ribbon around them might already be sufficient to create awareness for your little garden. Also, you can use hardy plants that can handle an occasional step on them.

For example, plants with thick sturdy leaves und little brushes: Ivy (Hedera helix), Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), English Laurel/ Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia syn. officinalis), little Shrub Roses (Rosa species),...

2. Are you going to be there at the peak of summer, to water your plants every day if that´s necessary? If not, choose somewhat drought resistent plants.

For example, Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia syn. officinalis, Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens), Bloody Cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum), Stonecrop (Sedumspecies), etc.

3. Does your garden get a lot or little sun? Consider: the more sun it gets, the drier it will be in the summer.

For sunny locations: Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia syn. officinalis), Stonecrop (Sedum species), Baby´s Breath (Gypsophila), Aster species, etc.

For shady locations: Funkia (Hosta sp.), Ferns, Fox Glove (Digitalis species - Not where children are - Poisonous!), Wood Sedge (Carex sylvatica), etc.

4. If you want to grow vegetables with the purpose of eating them later, don´t grow them by the street or other contaminating or contaminated sites. Guerrilla Gardening can also be done in pots and containers that can be put up anywhere...

5. Maybe it´s explicitly important to you to raise attention. Then plant whatever smells good, glows with colour, gets big and tall, grows fast, is commonly known and popular, or unusal, ... (Sometimes it can be helpful to put in plants that are already big to get an immediate effect instead of using seeds.)

For example: Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus), Tagetes, Marigold (Calendula officinalis), Pumpkin (Cucurbita species), Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria), Corn (Zea mays), etc.

6. You want to show solidarity with our urban insect world? Wild bees, butterflies, bumble bees, and all the other nectar slurpers... Plant nectar-rich flowering plants, they not only feed insects but also have a wonderful scent!

For example: Butterfly Bush (Buddleia species), Sage (Salvia species), Beebalm (Monarda species), Aster species, Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Stonecrop (Sedum species), Korean Mint (Agastache rugosa), etc.

to be continued...