In the hustle bustle of the congested city life, the nature lovers feel lost without their cherished greens. Kerala is one astonishingly beautiful city different from all and is known for its greenery and a heavenly natural environment. Every person in Kerala is a nature enthusiast in himself. It becomes absolutely impossible to live in a place without your own garden if you hail from Kerala. There are a number of terrace gardens in Kerala found across the length of the city. This concept has turned into an even compact idea of apartment gardening. There are many terrace garden ideas that can be employed in apartments and grow a stunning, lush green garden. Not only that it looks majestic apartment, but it also provides an amazing ambience. Moreover, gardening is good for health, both physical and mental.
It is a big misconception that terrace gardens are a costly affair. With the pots and the grass carpets and the regular maintenance, it may turn up to a fortune. But in reality, terrace gardens are very easy to maintain, cost-effective comparatively, and a little tweaking can turn up great. But the real deal is to follow the terrace garden design tips and tricks mentioned below and create your dream terrace garden in apartments in Thrissur.
1. The Plants
The first and most important decision are the plants that are to be grown. Most people do the mistake of seeding expensive plants from outside the state or even country. It is then very difficult for the plants to survive in the local conditions and they die sooner because they are unable to adapt. Also, terrace gardens in apartments require a completely different category of plants.
First, choose the kind of garden you want to create. There are primarily three types; all flowers and green plants, vegetables and fruits, and a mixture of both. You must remember that you must keep the soil separate if you are going for the third option. All flowers gardens look really pretty and spruce up a decoration for small terrace garden ideas.
If you are planning an orchard, then you would need a much bigger space. These are very useful as there is a self-dependent supply of fruits. Additionally, if you already plant gardens and trees, you will know the joy of having your own fruit. Finally, we come to roof terrace garden ideas that are ideal for going for a neutral selection. These include fruits and flowers. It is both beautiful and advantageous.
Experts suggest in their terrace garden ideas that vegetable plants like tomato, radish, capsicum and herbs like basil, mint, and green chilly can be efficiently grown in terraced gardens. It is also recommended to choose the plants according to the apartments and climatic conditions. Also read Apartment decorating ideas.
2. Set up Comfortable Seating
Now that you have your beloved garden, it is time to make the place more homely. We are thinking of terrace garden décor ideas that will be comfortable and elegant. A place where you can bring your friends and enjoy as well as have mesmerizing beauty. If you have a shelter, you could opt for a swing and small coffee tables along with bean bags. Additionally, you can hang soft lights to make the place glow even more. If you have a completely open roof, opt for chairs and tables in a rounded pattern.
In case you are setting off to the difficulty of making and keeping up an overhang terrace garden in Kerala apartments, give yourself a space to sit and make the most of your craftsmanship. An open-air couch or even a couple of cheap and fun plastic seats will be a great expansion to any overhang garden.
3. Check the Weight-Bearing Limit of Your Terrace Garden Overhang
It is very enticing when you have space, time, and money to invest in plants. One of the popular terrace garden ideas is having an overhang on the side. You can put up pots and gears on it. Climbers particularly look good in overhangs. But before you begin purchasing overwhelming, solid pots and huge cultivating compartments, you should ensure your terrace can deal with the weight. On the off chance that you can stroll on it, it’s most likely sufficiently able to hold an essential overhang terrace garden in apartments -however, you should check with your body corporate or landowner before doing anything broad.
4. Utilize Your Planting Gear as Decorator Things
When you are gardening, you will find yourself with unexpected gears. Small spades, scissors, hundreds of pots, and water sprays. Those must be kept handy and closer to your garden. But if you do not organize it may look dull and right out of a construction house. Hence, we have some terrace garden ideas that will solve your problem in a jiffy.
Capacity can be an issue on little overhangs, so ensure your cultivating hardware is appealing so it tends to be kept in plain view. Metal watering jars look incredible showed among pruned plants and little spades, while scissors and shower water containers can look awesome mounted on a pegboard on the divider.
There might not be enough space on small over hangings. Therefore one of the better terrace garden ideas is to make your cultivating hardware appealing by keeping it in plain sight. For example, metal watering jars look fantastic when put among clipped plants and small spades. On the other hand, scissors and shower water containers look fantastic on the divider’s pegboard. You can try out many DIY ideas available online to make your planting gear collection more aesthetic and attractive. You can also avail creative and visually pleasing planting gears online. Self-customizing your gear collection is another great idea if you are curious to explore your creative side.
5. Location
When living in apartments, you cannot grow plants wherever you like. Maintaining a group of plants can be hard and you would not like your family or the building get irritated by your terrace garden in Kerala. Therefore, a very significant tip is to first decide the amount and location of the space for your terrace garden in kerala.
Going by the nutrition requirements of the plants, a minimum of 3-4 hours of direct sunlight is necessary. You have to make sure that the area has a drainage facility nearby since there would be a lot of watering and leaking. Plus, if the location is nearer to a balcony where the rainwater can easily supplement the plants with water, then it is better. These also become some important factors in deciding your terrace garden location. You can also check out here the things to consider before buying an apartments in Kerala.
6. Utilize the Vertical Space
Once you get started with your terrace garden, you will feel the desire to grow more and more of it. The expansion would be tough if the entire space is filled, but the craving will not surpass. Therefore, we are here to give you small terrace garden ideas that cleverly use the space. Additionally, you will have your cravings of being a plant parent fulfilled as well as spruce the place even more.
One great terrace garden idea for this problem is the optimum utilization of the vertical space in your garden. The walls can be covered with hanging pots, shelves and hang planters. This idea will give you the required space and also help you in enhancing your garden’s beauty. A beautiful garden ultimately augments your apartment’s beauty. Get some apartment balcony ideas.
7. The Containers
Since plants cannot be seeded into the ground in a terrace garden, there is the basic need for strong and beautiful containers in your apartment. There are two factors to be taken into consideration while choosing the containers:
1. The plant which has to be grown in it.
2. The space that is available to keep it.
The first factor is vital because there are many plants like chilly that require very little space and there are their counterparts like capsicum that need large spaces. Therefore, the choice of the container’s size depends on firstly upon the choice of the plants.
The second factor is also imperative. Since apartment buildings have a packed structure, the amount of space available will help you decide the type and size of the containers to be bought. Window boxes, for instance, are very convenient for apartments. Terrace garden ideas also suggest terracotta pots as well as wooden containers with elegance and attraction. Checkout Low cost interior design for homes in Kerala.
8. Seeds and Soils
The fundamental elements to keep the plant alive and blooming are seeds, soil, and water. The right type of seeds lay the right foundation for every plant and its growth. It is suggested to buy quality seeds from nurseries or certified sellers. If the seeding is not done right then your entire hard work will go in vain. Therefore, the first step should be executed properly.
The next element is the soil. The terrace garden in kerala also require the correct soil type and quantity since they obtain their entire nutrition from the container itself. The right type of soil according to the moist climate of Kerala is to be chosen. A good mix of regular soil, compost and vermicompost soil will help the plants gain maximum possible nutrition. There are some eco-friendly apartment ideas for you.
However, if you are a new plant parent, the easiest and responsible thing to do is propagation. It will enhance your small terrace garden design ideas as you can add many new plants without having to invest in seeds. Propagating plants provide a great way to give your garden an additional boost, and you learn a lot as well.
9. Watering
Watering is another vital part of the process. It is a major issue to be taken care of. Watering plants in containers can tricky and irritating if you have no idea about how to water plants.
Terrace garden in Kerala apartments means a lot of watering and leaking. You have to make sure that the plants are not watered in excess, neither left thirsty. Both too frequent and infrequent watering is unfavorable for the plants.
Drainage is a major part of plant health; hence, there is a passage for water draining. Plants have different necessities of water intake. Some require indirect sunlight as well, so plan accordingly. If you are looking for small terrace garden ideas in shady places, you can opt for air purifiers like snake plants. Keep an eye on the quality of soil and put compost or DIY fertilizer every two weeks.
It has to be a midway and you have to make sure that the water reaches deep down and soaks out of the holes below.
One of the best times to water is at the outset of the day. The evening is considered to a bad time since the water doesn’t dry out and moisture gives birth to pests and insects. Also, try to avoid the leaking of water by putting plastic plates under each container. This will help you keep your garden neat as well as water – friendly. Checkout the benefits of investing in apartments in Thrissur.
10. Manure
Terrace gardens are a perfect example of using bio manure instead of fertilizers. Most people in Kerala prefer to make their own fertilizers with natural waste because the chemical fertilizers are harmful not just for the environment but also for the residing people. Therefore, organic manure is the best option to go for.
Terrace garden ideas recommend creating your own bio manure by collecting the skins of fruits, vegetables, now – vegan leftovers and mixing it with curd. This mixture can be put into a pit, also known as compost pit and that’s how easily you can make your organic manure. One other option is to make a solution of water and neem leaves and use this solution to water the plants.
To avoid any difficulties, it is advisable to let manure age for 6 months before applying it in a terrace garden in kerala. Spreading manure in the fall or winter and incorporating it into the soil before planting in the spring is a great way to do this.
Nonetheless, a precaution must be carried out in addition to your terrace garden ideas. Plants could potentially die by too much manure. This is especially true if the manure is fresh (not composted), as it contains a lot of nitrogen in the form of ammonia. Herbicides may be included in cow and horse manure, which might harm your plants. So you should use it in the proper amount. Additionally, if you cannot manage to provide compost, the least you can do is add soaked tea leaves to your plants. You should also provide a paste of banana peels to add potassium. This should be done at least once a week. They do not cause much harm even if provided extra, so you are safe.
But if you want additional support from chemical fertilizers, you can add sulfur. Different plants have different needs, so it is best if you opt for all-purpose fertilizers.
11. Recycle, Reuse, Reduce
The principle of the 3Rs can be highly valuable for your terrace garden in kerala design. Recycling old sandboxes to grow plants in them is one of the best ways to go.
It is a wallet – friendly measure for decorating your apartment. Reusing unused steel jars and containers with little renovation is another means of embellishing your garden in eco – friendly ways.
It is a loud and clear message that chemical insecticides and fertilizers are harmful to the environment. Therefore, reducing the use of such chemicals will help your apartment grow green in ideal ways. Also read the advantages of living in an apartment.
Kerala is regarded as the heaven of India because of the comforting greenery it is adorned with. Terrace garden ideas have been taken to the next level with their advent in the apartments of nature and plant lovers. The entire procedure requires earnest efforts and time. It can also prove to be disappointing if not taken care of properly. Complete care and caution have to be taken while buying the seeds, soils, and containers. But the tips and tricks provided in this article can be efficiently utilized for beautifying your terrace garden in Kerala apartments.
12.Additional Décor
Now that everything is done. We have the plants and the garden. We are taking care of it really well. Now is the time to think of some extra terrace garden design ideas that will add a boost to your roof. As plant parents, we love to show off our babies. The amount of work, effort and time that we put in is valuable, and it demands to be proudly exhibited.
Therefore, it is quite natural that you would want to bring people to parties. However, before that, try to think of some terrace garden ideas that will add a vibe to the place. One of the popular ones being putting copper lights in the middle of the garden. These battery-operated lights are water-resistant and will add a touch to your garden.
Hi-Life Builders is one of the best builders in Thrissur. Apart from building wonderful homes, our portfolio includes home care, resale and home loan assistance and you will be happy to know that we have a dedicated team for after sales service and property management service. For further information on our project contact Hi-Life Builders Professionals now!