URBAN GARDENING

Getting a healthy dose of nature

Being in the presence of trees, which is known as “forest bathing ” in Japan and Korea, is part of the national health programs in both countries and has been since the early 1980s. That’s because nature appreciation — or simply being around trees, plants and flowers — is scientifically shown to relieve stress and strengthen the immune system thanks to the various oils, known as phytoncide, that are released by them.

Sophie Robitaille is a landscape architect and one of the founders — along with Robert Curtis — of Robitaille.Curtis, an awardwinning architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, and interior design firm based in Montreal and Burlington, Vt.

She’s also a big believer in tree bathing, especially for city dwellers.

I recently had the opportunity to pick her fertile brain about urban gardening. Here’s what she had to say.

What can condo dwellers do to make the most of their space for urban gardening?

You can really make the most of whatever space you have, if you’re into it. You can use pots and vines and make things grow on the railings of your balcony or fire escape. You can grow things from seed and experience the cycle and progression of the seasons, like a sunflower. It’s a great educational opportunity, especially for kids.

Making a place that’s comfortable to sit and spend time in, on the porch or balcony, and choosing plants that are adapted to the environment are important, but I think it’s very personal, too. If you want the garden to provide colour, and you’re not interested in the seasonal progression, I would suggest using annual plants. Perennial plants are meant to be in the ground and become increasingly beautiful with age, over the years. Annual plants are less expensive, and intended for a more seasonal application.

What are the must-haves for a functioning urban garden?

The biggest mistake people make is using pots that are too small: plants need water and they need soil, so you can’t plant them in tiny pots. You need a pot that has enough volume because the bottom line is, the soil is what’s supporting those plants; the bigger it is, the more moisture it will hold and the less hot and stressed the plant will be.

You also need to be aware of how engaged you want to be, and how much time you want to spend gardening. You need to know how ambitious you are. If you just want the garden for beauty, which is also very important, just choose lower maintenance plants.

How do you make an urban garden beautiful year-round?

Having a place to sit or lounge is great, but I think most of our clients just stare out the window and look at the birds that fly by, and the rustling leaves. It’s very meditative and relaxing for them. In the winter, it becomes more of a scene to look out at, which is fun. Decorations for pots and planters are nice during the winter, as are branches and pine needles. You can have flowers in the summer and plants in the fall. When those start to decline, you can have branches in the winter.

What kinds of plants, flowers and vegetables are ideal for urban gardens?

It’s really about preference, and the exposure you have. Those plants that eat bugs are neat, though in my personal mosquito experience, I’m not sure how great they are at taking care of mosquitoes. Aroma is a great idea, so plants and flowers that you can cut and put in vases are such a pleasure.

I think movement in plants is nice, too — like tall grasses that move in the wind. The built environment is very hard, and it doesn’t move much; the difference with plants is that they move in the wind, and they’re alive. They also attract butterflies and bees — which there’s a lot of fear around — but I think it’s so great when we attract them.

How can you transform a balcony in the city into a green oasis?

Vines have quite an oasis effect, especially when they take over and aren’t contained. Big plants with big pots as well as little trees or mini trees that you can keep indoors in the winter, because they’re a bit more expensive.

I have friends who’ve had lime bushes and bougainvillea on their balconies. Introducing lots of colour creates more of an oasis, because it feels more tropical, free and loose.

Urban gardens also benefit a lot from lighting, like candles, because it brings the garden to light at the time of day when most of us are home, and enjoying it. We always introduce a bit of lighting in all our projects, and our clients love the day they finally get light.

What can people who don’t have any outdoor space do to get their daily dose of nature?

People who don’t have any outdoor space can get a community plot, but that’s a big-time investment.

In Paris, no one has balconies, and there are rules about what you can put on them, so people go to the park for picnics, and they go to the market.

They use the urban amenities that are available to them, and it leads to a wonderful communal experience where you can also find solitude.

We have great parks in Montreal; all the great cities have great parks.

All the better for tree bathing.

Special lighting helps homeowners enjoy their urban garden even when it’s getting dark outside.

CRAMER, COURTESY OF ROBITAILLE.CURTIS PHOTOS: MARC Wooden steps lead from a completely renovated kitchen at the rear of this Westmount home onto an awardwinning backyard urban oasis created from space that used to be a parking lot for four cars.

Glass doors allow residents ready access to their backyard oasis, complete with its Zen-like water feature.

A patio surrounded by plants, flowers and trees has been fenced in to provide a private oasis.

A view of the backyard parking lot and rear entrance to the house before renovations transformed its appearance (see photo at right) and resulted in the creation of the sheltered urban garden.