Welcome to gardening arts, an urban gardening adventure!

About Me

I am a gardening enthusiast living in Chicago. And, as in the photo above (taken by another photographer), I sometimes enjoy spending time out of the city.

Gardening was a childhood interest. Old photos include a 2-3 year old version of me carrying a watering can across our patio.

When I grew up, I moved to the big city. I started urban gardening in a high-rise apartment with planters on the balcony and a vegetable window-box in the kitchen. My second high-rise apartment didn’t have a balcony, so I tried dirt-less gardening indoors. Now I live in a condo where the garden has become the focus of this blog. Not having a yard, I’ve gotten pretty good at container gardening.

The Gardens

I share two gardens, so thankfully I have help with watering. One is a sunken patio in full to part sun. 2-3 foot wide strips of land rest above it.  The other is a shade garden with a path, another sunken patio, and a deck.

My gardening style is to bring out the best in a given space. This includes the view from indoors, enjoyment of outdoor spaces, and curb appeal. I’ve tried a lot of different plants just to see what would work in various locations. Many of the locations are quite challenging: a lot of sun, no sun, bad dirt, vertical, etc.

I concentrate on perennials. I especially like perennials that don’t require frequent watering. My goal is to eventually have a garden that pretty much takes care of itself. Then it will be time to start all over again.

The Website

GardeningArts.com explores gardening in this urban setting. Plant Profiles share information I would want to know before purchasing a plant such as how plants look during various seasons and in combination with other plants. Find out what insect, bird, and mammal Garden Guests seem attracted to particular plants. For ideas on adding color and depth to your garden, check out Garden Design. And Products and Projects starts with articles about buying plants and insulating planters.

This blog is based on my experiences. I have not been formally trained and have not worked in this field. Aside from cropping and unless otherwise indicated, photos on the site are my own and have not been retouched. The site uses the Arras Theme with some added customizations. While I have not been compensated for any views expressed on this site, I do plan to add advertising in the future. Advertisements will be indicated as such.

I simply enjoy gardening. I hope you do too. Your gardening related comments are welcome! Unrelated comments will be removed at my discretion. I look forward to hearing from you.

Happy gardening!