5 Compelling Reasons to Grow a Courtyard or Balcony Garden

1. Food

Food is surely the best reason to do anything, and with even a small amount of effort you can get your hands on some pretty tasty morsels that (gasp!) you will have grown with your own bare hands. Beans, strawberries and all manner of good things do beautifully in pots. And, if you splash out on self-watering troughs your effort-to-food ratio will be kept to a minimum.

Don't know where to start? Head to your local garden centre and start simple with something you’ll actually use (like herbs - instant gratification can be highly motivational) and look to handy tips from small-space veteran Indira Naidoo for your next big leap.

2. Beauty

Whether you decide to grow veggies, flowers, shrubs or a mix - plants are beautiful. If you’re a keen photographer, you'll be able to take all the macro photos your Instagram followers can stomach - and then some! There's also something incredibly satisfying about knowing that you have brought something beautiful into the world.  You can sit in a paradise of your own creation, and just take it in.

3. Impress people

This one's pretty self-explanatory. You won't just be "Jasmine, who plays computer games all weekend," you'll also be "Jasmine, who grows Jasmine. I think she's addicted to The Sims, though."

4. Zen

I know you think that the skin from your hand has grown around your iPhone to the point where you can no longer put it down, but looking at your smartphone all the time is bad for you (especially at night)!

Taking a few minutes out every few days to touch some earth, check on your seedlings and water the strawbs is an excellent way to disconnect from the grid and reconnect with your soul. Plus, getting a bit dirty on the weekend when you're planting something new is the sort of fun you haven’t had since childhood.

5. It's for the planet, man.

Biodiversity. We are cruising for a bruising if we don't pitch in and look after the variety of beautiful plants and animals on our planet. By integrating some native plants and unusual varieties, not only are you maintaining the number of different plants around, you're also encouraging the bees, butterflies and other insects who make life on earth possible. Really, starting a garden isn't just great for yourself - it's a gift to the future.

Short Courses by CIT Solutions offers workshops just for Canberra’s budding Courtyard and Balcony gardeners, take a look at our upcoming dates.