SMALL-SPACE GARDENING Isabelle Palmer, The Balcony Gardener, on ecofriendly container gardening

Bring your containers to life with seasonal ideas from our columnist Isabelle Palmer, The Balcony Gardener

SUSTAINABLE CONTAINER GARDENING

It couldn’t be easier to grow your own crop with this potato pot from Elho, 13.99, bakker.com. Plant it up and when your harvest is ready, lift out the inner pot to access the potatoes.

You might think a small container garden wouldn’t offer many opportunities to be environmentally friendly, but think again! With a few minor concessions, they can be a really sustainable option.

 Choose drought-tolerant plants

Conserving water in the garden is a challenge, especially in summer, but you can significantly reduce water consumption by going for drought-tolerant plants.

 Reuse or recycle your old plant pots

Once you’ve finished with them, donate them to local nurseries or allotments, or give to someone you know who grows from seed.  Use ecofriendly options If you usually start your garden plants from seed, kitchen towel tubes cut into small sections make a good alternative to plastic seed trays. If you’re going to use pots, opt for biodegradable and compostable ones. And there’s no need to buy new: choose recycled objects such as dolly tubs or vintage garden containers from reclamation yards or car boot sales.

 Plant a mini forest Create a forest in your pots or window boxes to release oxygen and offset carbon dioxide. Miniature versions of Douglas fir, spruce, true fir, beech and maple release the most oxygen. Turn the page for Isabelle’s pick of drought-tolerant and mini forest plants. Follow her on Instagram @thebalconygardener