It’s a well-known fact that Singapore is known as the “Garden City”, so it’s no surprise that urban gardening is pretty big here. We’ve featured many homes that beautifully exhibit their green thumb, from nature-powered bungalows to HDB flats with tiny decorative zen gardens.
If you’ve been looking to start a garden in your HDB flat or condo but don’t know where to begin, this is the guide for you—we’ve listed some basic tips you need to know to get started on your very own urban home garden.
Assessing your space & knowing your options
The first step to a thriving urban garden is an accommodating space. Singapore’s varying sunlight throughout the year, influenced by your flat’s orientation, will affect your plant’s growth. Consider factors like sunlight and wind when planning your garden.
Also, given how compact Singapore flats can be, ensure you think creatively about space utilisation. Consider vertical gardening methods like hanging planters and multi-tiered pots if you foresee space to be a major issue. Here are some options you can consider if home for you is an HDB flat or a condo.
Corridor gardening
Image credit: Finbarr Fallon
Since HDB corridors are communal areas, it can be tricky to incorporate an urban garden into the space. Safety and consideration for neighbours are paramount here, so there are a couple of guidelines you need to consider. Do note that it’s against HDB’s guidelines to place personal items in the corridor, but from our interviews with actual HDB gardeners, neighbours are generally happy to have some greenery to beautify the space.
With that being said, it’s crucial to maintain a minimum clearance distance of 1.2m for emergency access. Flush your planters against the walls and parapets so that you don’t block the walkway and keep the corridor accessible.
Corridors typically receive ample sunlight, making them ideal for a variety of light-hungry plants. Consider the specific light conditions in your corridor when selecting your greenery to ensure optimal growth.
Balcony gardening
Image credit: @soilboy
Balconies seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor environments to create the perfect space for plants to prosper. Position them where sunlight penetrates easily to maximise the natural light they receive. You can do this by utilising vertical gardening, using hanging planters or tiered shelves to ensure your balcony isn’t overcrowded. This also ensures they receive optimal sunlight exposure.
Image credit: Studio Periphery for Right Angle Studio
Local plant boutiques such as Soilboy also offer home landscaping services to help you customise your dream garden. This balcony by Right Angle Studio & Soilboy is tastefully done with a mini shishi-odoshi, a pebble feature, and an everfresh tree—a quintessential Japanese feature to give the place an authentic atmosphere.
Indoor planters and kitchen gardens
Image credit: Studio Periphery for Right Angle Studio
While it’s a bit more of an overlooked option, there are certain areas in the house that have the potential to be turned into a statement planter. In the maisonette example above, we can see that the IDs have turned what would be a “dead” spot around the staircase into an indoor plant feature, bringing life into the home.
The kitchen is a good spot to cultivate a fresh herb garden to elevate your home cooking. Many herbs thrive on sunny windowsills and provide fresh flavours for your cooking. Compact vegetables like cherry tomatoes and chilli peppers are also good choices, provided you have a spot in the kitchen to accommodate them.
Use small planter pots or even repurposed containers to create a functional herb garden and elevate your home cooking with fresh herbs.
Plant selection
You might have heard of plants like the pothos, monstera, and fiddle leaf fig. Before you go out there and buy what you’ve only heard in name, it’s imperative that you choose plants that will thrive in the spot that you’re going to put them in.
If you’re assembling an indoor garden, you can opt for plants that are more high maintenance but don’t need as much sunlight, including:
- Pothos—Can thrive in low light conditions and doesn’t need to be watered too often. Also has air-purifying properties
- Fiddle Leaf Fig—Needs bright, indirect light for around 6 hours a day only.
- Monstera—Also loves indirect light, as too much sunlight can burn its leaves.
- Snake Plant—Nearly indestructible, it can survive in low light conditions and needs infrequent watering.
Image credit: @happily.ever.after.plants
An outdoor garden would consist of different types of plants that can tolerate conditions like direct sunlight and wind, including:
- Bougainvillaea—Can thrive in sunny and hot locations. Also doesn’t require much watering once it has taken root.
- Jasmine—Highly adaptable to varying soil conditions and loves full sunlight.
- Succulents—Low-maintenance plants that are drought tolerant and don’t have to be watered regularly.
If you are placing your outdoor garden along a common corridor, the courteous thing to do would be to not fill your planters with thorny and spiky plants like cacti.
Choosing the right containers
After you’ve picked your plants, you’re halfway there to becoming a proud plant parent. And you wouldn’t place your “children” in the basic black plastic pot that came with it from the nursery. Whatever material you choose though, it should have enough drainage holes to prevent waterlogging.
For indoor urban gardens, we highly recommend ceramic terracotta pots for their durability and various colours and styles. Rather than get a single style, you can also mix and match colours, shapes, and sizes for a more dynamic display in your home.
Image credit: Josiah Neo
Outdoor plants, on the other hand, require pots that are even more resistant a variety of conditions. Materials like fibreglass and metal make for great outdoor planters as they are lightweight, hardy, and easily movable in case you need to shift things around your garden.
You can get chic and affordable planters at Ikea or Rooted. You can also check out these 9 plant nurseries and boutique shops in Singapore for pots and plants alike.
Soil & compost
Image credit: Urban Worm Company
Healthy plants thrive on nutrient-rich soil. A good basic soil mix includes loamy soil and grit for drainage. You can enrich the soil with compost, which provides additional nutrients and improves soil structure.
There are plenty of shops around Singapore that sell plant soil, including FairPrice, Far East Flora, and specialty boutiques like Soil Social and Arbour.
If you’re ambitious, you can start a compost bin with kitchen scraps to create a free, nutrient-rich soil supplement while reducing waste. Finally, don’t forget to add fertiliser to your soil mix to ensure your plants have a good balance of nutrients.
Essential tools & supplies
Outdoor gardening requires sturdy tools like a trowel, pruning shears, and a watering can or hose with an adjustable nozzle. Additionally, consider a shade cloth for protecting plants from intense afternoon sun.
You can shop for tools at most plant nurseries, including Greenspade and Noah Garden Centre.
Garden maintenance tips
Now comes the rewarding part: caring for your plants. If you’ve tried to grow plants before, you know how daunting it can be to ensure they survive. While it can be difficult, you can ensure your garden thrives with a few simple maintenance tips.
Watering practices
Image credit: @thesill
First off, proper watering is essential—that means you should avoid overwatering your plants. Indoor plants typically require watering once or twice a week, but this can vary based on the conditions of your home as well as the specific plant you’ve grown.
Image credit: @gardenstreetgarden
To determine your plant’s hydration needs, check the soil moisture. Insert your finger about 2.5cm deep. If it feels dry, it’s time to water them. Soggy soil indicates overwatering. Other signs of overwatering include yellowing leaves, while under-watered plants often wilt.
Pest control
Your garden might attract some unwanted visitors and a multitude of pests, with common ones including aphids and mealybugs. Neem oil and insecticidal soap are effective at warding off pests like these without hurting your plants. Ensure you regularly inspect your plants to catch pest problems early before they escalate.
Pruning & harvesting
Regular pruning is essential for maintaining your plant’s shape and promoting healthy growth. Just like a haircut, it helps your plant look its best. Remove dead or yellowing leaves to keep your plant vibrant, and snip off branches that are hindering air circulation and light penetration.
For plants that yield fruits or vegetables, timely harvesting is crucial. Ensure you harvest their yield when they’re ripe to encourage continued production.
In the case of leafy herbs, harvest the outer leaves first to allow new herb growth from the centre.
What are the benefits of urban gardening
Image credit: @oblivion.lab
Urban gardening does much more than uphold Singapore’s garden city reputation; it also offers numerous benefits for HDB and condo homeowners. From growing fresh produce to fostering good luck and positive energy, a home garden will do wonders to elevate your home’s decor.
Especially in HDBs and condos which may feel more cramped at times, finding a way to connect with nature and improve air quality at home is important. You’ll be amazed at how some greenery can make the home feel more tranquil.
Urban gardening tips for HDB & condo homeowners
Picking up urban gardening for your HDB flat or condo is a great way to bring nature into your home and elevate your decor. While it’s rewarding, make sure to remember that not every plant will thrive—learn to trust the process because when your efforts do bear fruit, they’ll be sweeter than you expect.
Read our other home & living guides here:
- A guide on practising Feng Shui at home
- How to finance your home renovation
- CNY spring cleaning tips
Cover image adapted from: Jonathan Kemper via Unsplash, @happily.ever.after.plants, Soilboy
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