• Baskets of colorful flowers hung in mass create a dramatic effectHanging Flower Pots and Shadows image by steverts from Fotolia.com
  
  No matter how small the area, everyone can experience the joys of gardening. Small garden areas can be just as beautiful as large backyard areas when creativity and ingenuity is employed. By maximizing space to it's full potential, the town gardener can create a beautiful space that rivals even the most elaborate of larger gardens.
  
  

Container Gardening

• Container gardening is an option for the gardener with limited space. Anything that you can drill holes in for drainage can become an adequate container for flowers and plants. For a high-rise balcony, the sun draws attention to a stainless steel pot filled with colorful flowers. Hanging baskets add ambiance to small areas. Maximize space by adding levels to the area. Placing and/or stacking small tables in convenient areas as plant holders accomplish this task. Use a tall dresser, about 2 feet wide for this purpose. Pull the drawers out at odd angles, fill them with potting soil, and you will have a quaint, small container garden. Drill holes in the drawers for drainage.
  
  

Community Gardening

• Talk to the landlord and see if he would mind if you started a community garden on the premises of the apartment complex or high rise. Put up a notice in the mailroom and talk to the neighbors to see if they are interested in sharing garden space with you. Community gardening is not only a great way to start an urban garden, but also a good way to encourage new friendships. Many apartment complexes have strips of grass or even a large square of grass that can be turned into a beautiful landscaped flower garden. A vegetable garden could even be grown in an environment such as this, and with the wide variety of cultural preferences, you could have an international farmers market in your own backyard.
  
  

Cottage Gardening

• A cottage garden, in its true essence, is perfect for the apartment or townhouse dweller with a small plot of land. Planting ivy along a fence or wall provides a quick backdrop of green foliage that brings out the flowers' colors. Choose old favorites like climbing roses, foxgloves, hollyhocks, pinks and other antique varieties. Cottage gardening can be achieved container style. Use natural wood or stone containers and hanging baskets to give an old-fashioned feel to the garden.