Hello everyone. I have not posted much on here of late, but I figured I would try and get back into it. My old home forums used to be the Balcony Gardening forums, however I have not had a balcony for some time now.

I have been container gardening for over 10 years now. The main reasons for this, are that I have mostly lived in places with only balconies / patios.

This past June, I moved into a great little old brick garden apartment complex, Just 7 blocks from my old place in a great neighborhood. Old Town Alexandria, (Del Ray). I love the place, and the neighborhood, but unfortunately do not technically have an "outdoor" are that is my own. That said.... read on....

Currently, I live in a ground floor apartment, that faces south, west, and a small portion east. We are in the back of the building, and since we are on the ground floor, we have a small "yard" like area outside of all of our 10 windows that surrounds our apartment, and is enclosed by shrubs on all sides but one. Being that these buildings were built in 1935, we have oversized (large) window sill's both inside, and out. Perfect for window boxes, in and out. Next summer I may plant a few things in ground, but for now I have long rectangular containers under each window, and some pots / window boxes on the oversized windo sill's, and 1 very LARGE pot with flowers, and a 5' tall Bananna in it. I grow both regular standard flowers like Petunias, as well as herbs and some ornamental flowering plants. I have been known on here as the "vine guy", but this year I did not do any vines. Since I had a patio in my last place, I also had a small round folding black metal table, and 6 outdoor chairs.

We are technically "not allowed" to have such things "outside", however our property manager loves it, and so do the neighbors. I have "beautified" our little corner of the building, and it seems to go over well. We were told that we could keep our planters out there, but that the table and chairs need to be out of site from tuesday's at 9am until 5PM daily, until friday afternoon, then it can stay out for the weekend. Fortunately for us, we have a large juniper bush off in one corner, and its completely hollow under neath, and everything fits up under it perfectly, and is completely out of site.

We get sun, all day, every day, and it tends to get alittle more hot up against the building, so I am more inclined towards full sun/ heat tolerant plants this summer and next.

I have noticed that there are some in my complex that live on 2nd, and 3rd floors, who also use the large oversized window sills for gardening on. Really great to see! There are quite a few great, OLD 2 and 3 story brick garden style apartment complexes tucked away back in this neighborhood, and I have noticed that many in these types of places do the same things.

So I am just wondering what those of you here, who live in places that do not necessairly have outdoor spaces to call your own, do to get your gardening fix in?

Share it here!

Ill see if I can get a few pics posted somewhere in the next few days.

Cheers!

~ NPG