Springtime always makes me think of gardening – a tremendously popular national pastime that fortunately does not have to be sacrificed when you buy a condo. With the Southern Ontario growing season just around the corner, it’s time for green-thumb condo owners to start their planning. And today, there are more opportunities than ever before to satisfy this passion in a condominium.

Balconies and terraces transform into veritable gardens of paradise, as suite owners experiment with gorgeous containers in their outdoor living spaces. Nurseries offer more choices of plant material that do well in these environments than ever before. Plants that thrive in high-rise balcony conditions have to be hardy and withstand high winds and shade. Of course, it depends on which direction your suite faces. If the terrace is on the south side of the building, blooming flowers such as geraniums will feel right at home. If the balcony faces north, you may opt for ferns or hostas, which grow well in limited light conditions.

Then of course, you can add wonderful eye candy with your containers and other landscaping items. By combining colours and textures amidst trellises, flower boxes, decorative fencing and the many other adornments that can be added to a terrace or balcony, its appearance can take on any number of looks. Practically speaking, avid cooks can also plant an herb garden that enables them to snip fresh basil for the perfect pesto sauce or sage for mint for a glorious summer drink.

And of course, nowadays we hear a lot about eating locally – and you can’t get more local than your condominium building. We are seeing the addition of “community gardens” in some condominiums, where suite owners can grow flowers, vegetables and fruit. At Daniels’ Limelight Condominiums at Mississauga City Centre, for example, a fantastic podium rooftop Greenhouse and Gardening Terrace features a gardening plot laid out in a labyrinth style. In addition, Daniels is helping to establish a gardening committee that will see to maintaining this terrace.

Whether it’s a community garden or your own personal container garden, condo residents can enjoy the wonderful feeling of planting something in the ground and watching it grow. And whether the fruits of your efforts are flowers, grasses, herbs, vegetables or, well, fruit, you can revel in creating something in partnership with Mother Nature!