BOISE, Idaho — Just because you don’t have a big yard doesn’t mean you can’t have a garden. Lots of people grow beautiful flowers and healthy food in small spaces, even if their house isn’t permanently attached to the ground.
Garden master Jim Duthie visits with some folks living in a local RV park, who show us how easy it is to grow a garden no matter where you live, or how much space you have, even if you’re on the go.
Gardening is all about growing things, and you don’t have to have a huge space to do it. We’re here at an RV resort, where many of the residents are growing beautiful things in small spaces.
At the Hi Valley RV Resort, some residents are here for the long haul, while others are in transition and on the go. And even though their space is limited, it hasn’t diminished their love of gardening, and the variety of plants that they can grow.
“These lots are usually about 80 to 90 feet long for a lot of the bigger RV’s. You can either park in the front or the back, or you can put a garden in one of those spots,” David Arthur said.
That’s what David Arthur has done in front of his RV. David runs a part-time garden design business, called Kyoto Gardens. And in his small space, he’s installed a small Zen garden, along with some tomato and pepper plants for making salsa.
“This is more of a relaxation type of garden, the Zen style. It’s not one to really walk around in, but I enjoy getting out and raking and just chilling. It makes the day go by easier when you have a garden to come home to…”
“A lot of people are getting rid of their grass because of the water issues, downsizing their garden and their homes. It’s really simple to do.”
“I do a little different pattern. This is kind of a checkerboard.”
“For fun you can mix plants with it. I like gravel. You can do a lot without any plants at all.”
But since this is a Zen garden, David incorporated a pepper plant, bonsai style.
But as easy as it is to do, there has been one small challenge.
“Keeping the animals out. My Zen garden is easy prey for the cats.”
David took us around to see what some of his neighbors have done with their small spaces.
Nearby, Sharon Eller has decorated for fall. The space in front of her home is filled with numerous containers full of mums and geraniums, even blueberry bushes.
Around back, Sharon grows more flowers and vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and cucumbers. She even has a mini-greenhouse to keep the season going longer.
Down the lane, Jan Sparber tends her small but productive garden full of tomatoes and peppers. Her little dog, Shadow, is particularly fond of cherry tomatoes.
Her husband built these attractive wood flower boxes that she filled with mums, zinnias, and coleus. While most coleus prefers shade, this beautiful variety, called chocolate drop, loves the sun.
Up the street from Jan, Tom Vandrome has surrounded his home with a beautiful flower garden. Amidst the bright-colored blooms, a bench welcomes visitors, and this sunflower soaks in the bright fall sunshine.
A creative planter made of white-painted cinder blocks provides an attractive and practical flower bed.
“There are definitely some people that have been here longer, but even if people are here just a few weeks or transitioning, having a house built, I see them starting a potted plant or going to the store and getting whatever they want,” Arthur said.
“They don’t want to give it up. But you see different stages, depending on how long people are here. But there’s a lot of plants, a lot of food being grown here, right here in the park.”
Proving that no matter where you live, no matter the amount of space you have, and no matter how long you’ll be there, you can grow and enjoy a garden.
“Gardening is that way. Even if you just start now. It’s fun, it’s therapeutic. It’s been a rough couple of years, and it keeps people together, keeps you home. Awesome. I love it.”
If you’re limited in garden space, or are on the go, containers are the perfect gardening solution. And with the arrival of fall, it’s easy to move containers indoors so you can enjoy your plants even longer.
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