One of the drawbacks of living in an apartment is the lack of availability of open, vacant ground-space to fulfill one’s gardening desires. A terrace or balcony can provide some breathing space to those living in such apartments. Gardening enthusiasts often use large pots, plastic containers, seed beds and grow bags in such spaces, provided the area has some access to direct or indirect sunlight.

Access to light is critical and can be the deciding factor in the choice of plants that can be kept. Some gardeners place small plastic containers or glass bottles on window sills and grow herbs. Others may decorate their tables, and even walls and pillars, with beautiful wine bottles, carrying a vine that may survive in water, such as the money plant. Finally, many even line the stairs leading to their apartment with potted plants to decorate and beautify the entrance to their homes.

The situation is more or less similar for those living on the second or third storey of a house. Sometimes, those not living on the ground floor of a house are likely to get access to the roof. For such lucky individuals, this opens up an entire new aspect of kitchen gardening — rooftop gardening. One of the most rewarding possibilities for any kitchen gardener is to get access to an entire rooftop for gardening.

But not everyone is that lucky. In that case, many gardeners resort to vertical gardening. Vertical gardening usually requires very limited ground space. A fruiting or flower vine can be grown from a pot or a grow bag and it can be spread overhead with the help of ropes especially left for this purpose.

Hanging gardens are ideal for urban enthusiasts who can’t pursue their horticultural passions due to want of space…

A more systematic and visually appealing method of vertical gardening is to erect a trellis. This trellis can be made of wood, bamboo, plastic or any metal. However, metal is not preferred, as it may turn hot during summers and damage the plant or vines. Multiple beautiful and colourful hangings can be hung on this trellis with a variety of plants.

Just like any other plant container, plant hangings are also commercially available in different sizes, shapes and colours. These hangings are made up of different materials and their prices vary drastically — from nominal to jaw-dropping.

Hangings are one of the most portable gardening container options that can easily be shifted from one place to another. One may prepare and keep the hangings together and shift them to a different spot, maybe due to a special occasion, later. Increased exposure to sunlight can also be easily ensured by changing the location of the hangings.

Vines and small plants can be grown in such hangings. Some stunning ornamental vines can be grown and allowed to hang on all sides. They include the different colours of the ornamental sweet potato vine, pothos, turtle vine and Swedish ivy, which would cover all the sides of the container and add to the beauty of the place.

Invasive herbs such as mint or decorative plants such as the purple-heart or the inch-plant can also be grown without any second thoughts. The confined boundaries of a hanging, as compared to the open ground, limit the spread of any vine that has the potential to turn into an unwanted weed when grown in the ground. When grown in the ground, such plants can encroach and take over the entire garden in a span of a few weeks to months, and leave very little space for the optimal growth of other plants.

In hangings, the need for frequent pruning and cutting off of wildly spreading vines is also minimised. Therefore, the hangings are very easy to manage, maintain and sustain.

Cacti and other small plants that may harbour thorns can be grown in hangings, too. Usually, people with curious toddlers and nosy pets would rather avoid having pots on the floor with cacti. Hangings become a suitable option for them, which can be installed overhead, to easily keep them out of the reach of children and pets.

Some other issues with hangings also need to be taken into account. The hanging should not be too high for the gardener to reach and attend to properly. They should be at an accessible and manageable height. Overwatering is not recommended, because the dripping water from the drainage hole creates a mess beneath.

Furthermore, with the passage of time, the plastic handles and different parts of hangings start to deteriorate and give away. The combination of water and direct sunlight also augments the weakening of the hanging. It is important to manually check the strength and grip of the hanging to avoid any untoward incident from taking place.

Finally, hangings are not limited to the indoors. Instead, depending upon the location, they can be tastefully decorated in the garden of your house or any other open space. The ‘hanging garden’ provides almost everyone with an extra layer of greens to beautify and adds to the aesthetic serenity of your house.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, May 4th, 2025