National survey finds that city-dwelling millennials are twice as likely to garden in the city than older generations
On one hand, millennials roughly, those between the ages of 18 and 34 are faced with a number of hardships unique to our time, including a fluctuating economy, blossoming inflation and a cost-of-living scale that refuses to become scalable.
On the other hand, like previous generations, millennials have found practical and in some cases, highly imaginative ways to deal with the economic hand theyve been dealt. From innovative approaches to frugal living to turning small-space-living into a cultural trend, millennials have taken on the torch as cultural creators by turning tradition on its head. This evolution of change is particularly evident in the growing trend of where - and how - many millennials are choosing to live. Its even affecting the food they eat and where they get it from.
The Growth of Urban Burbs
Gone are the days when the latest generation instinctively went from young urbanite to suburban family man or woman. Instead of opting for the spread and drive of suburban life, millennials are turning more and more toward communities with the harmonious nickname of "urban burbs."
Designed as a small city within a suburb, urban burbs tend toward the walkable community model with ground-floor shopping, retail and restaurant options with luxury residential units on upper floors and nearby.
Along with creating an ideal mix of walkability and affordability, these growing social communities are also the perfect environment for nurturing budding urban gardeners.
Gardening in the Urban Burbs
According to a national gardening survey conducted in Fall 2015 by The Home Depot, millennials are twice as likely to garden in urban settings than non-millennial city dwellers. In the western U.S., a whopping 17 percent of millennials claim to practice some type of urban gardening.
The survey also showed that another 35 percent of millennials nationwide want to learn more about urban gardening techniques.
This interest in urban gardening should come as no surprise when one considers the economic benefit of small space gardening. Even in incredibly restricted spaces, home gardening not only produces fresh ingredients that encourage home cooking, but the practice also provides a lively design element and contributes to natural air purification.
Types of Urban Gardening
Urban gardening doesnt just mean potting a couple of herbs and placing them on the kitchen windowsill, although that is one approach that many urban gardeners use to great effect. Other alternatives include starting shared garden plots in community spaces or between two or more residences, rooftop gardening, vertical gardening, hanging gardens and other creative means of making use of the limited space.
The shared garden plot is one of the most popular approaches for highly restricted spaces such as the concrete jungles of major urban metropolises, as well as in communities where residents may not have the time to maintain a garden on their own. In fact, UrbanFarming.org currently counts more than 63,000 shared urban gardens across the globe, with thousands of plots located in the United States. To see if one is near you, you can view the interactive map here.
Shared garden plots can be built on a volunteer familys private property or on the shared rooftop of an apartment complex. They can spring up along the sides of bike paths or grow in community parks. They can even appear in a single parking spot or along a sunny walkway. Ultimately, as long as the property owners and participating residents agree to the use of the spot and to maintain it through volunteer efforts for the reward to taking home their fair share of the harvest, then shared garden plots can grow and thrive in urban and urban burb environments.
Urban Gardening from Another Angle
Gardening from the ground up can seem so ho-hum and traditional that even people with some lawn to spare still choose to grow their gardens from creative angles. Take the trend of vertical gardening, for example, which saw a burst of renewed interest when gardeners began pinning and sharing pictures of how easy it is to repurpose old wooden pallets into simple vertical garden beds.
Apart from wooden pallet planting, vertical gardening can be done in just about anything from pots suspended on decorative chains to repurposed over-the-door pocket organizers, perforated PVC tubing or upcycled gutters.
And even if you dont have a wall that could be a candidate for a vertical garden, consider hanging containers from the ceiling near windows or other sunny spots. The point is that urban gardening can truly be done in just about any space, as long as you have a little sun and garden-friendly neighbors.
Tips for Greater Urban Gardening
Some of the most popular plantings among budding urban gardeners are those that require the least amount of maintenance. If youre going it alone in your urban gardening efforts, starting out with an easy-to-maintain garden can help acclimate you to the urban gardening process so that youre more comfortable with trying more sensitive crops down the road. According to the Home Depot survey, marigolds, impatiens, leafy greens, onions and lavender are the most popular plants among urban gardeners this fall.
Other tips that might help new urban gardeners in their first home planting efforts include:
When choosing your next place to live, having a nearby shared community garden can be an excellent and rewarding amenity. Barring that, however, its good to know that even in greatly restricted spaces, urban gardening is not only possible, but is a growing and thriving practice.
| Kristin Hackler is an experienced gardener who writes about flowers and veggies for The Home Depot. Kristin makes her home in Charleston, South Carolina. You can view Home Depots wide assortment of flowers for urban and traditional gardens on the companys website. |
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