Tell us a little bit about yourself and what inspired you to create Third Floor Garden?
I’m Emma and I live in East London with my partner. We’ve got a small flat on the third floor, so we don’t have a garden. But that hasn’t stopped me trying to create one on our balcony! My Instagram account (@third_floor_garden) was created through a love (…or obsession) with growing gorgeous plants and photographing them. It’s definitely a passion project – and I love showing people what’s possible in even the smallest of spaces. Plants always find a way!
What are your favourite plants to grow and what are you excited about this spring?
This is such a hard question, there are so many! Last year I grew some beautiful lavender pink snapdragons – so those are definitely up there. It’s so sweet watching the bees go in and out of the flowers. I also really love scented geraniums for their incredible smell. But, spring time is ALL about bulbs. They’re the easiest thing to grow and produce such lovely colour palettes. My favourite combo is definitely blues and yellows. You can even grow bulbs inside – things like muscari and paperwhite daffodils look beautiful in vintage ceramics.
Do you have any tips for people who are new to gardening and want to start their own garden?
Just give it a go! Don’t get bogged down with technique. I’d really recommend trying to grow from seed too. It’s great for the environment, cheaper – and just so satisfying. Some really foolhardy flowers to try when you’re starting out; cosmos (which look like giant daisies!), poppies and cornflowers. These are all pollinator favourites too. Or if you’re more interested in plants you can eat; beetroot, radishes and courgettes are a great place to start.
How do you integrate plants into your interior design?
Plants. Everywhere. More is more! Trailing plants look particularly good – growing down over a bookshelf for instance, or even draped on flat surfaces like a sideboard. Bigger houseplants like a Ficus or ZZ plant also look great. And if you invest in gorgeous pots to put them in they really elevate your interiors. I can actually imagine a small plant looking amazing in your Izzy Letty belly mugs!
What is your best tip to maximise limited space?
Definitely think vertically. On a balcony you’ve got a very small amount of floor space, so growing plants which are taller will give you so much more impact. Climbing plants – like clematis or sweet peas – are another way to achieve this. I’ve also got a set of metal shelves which are super practical for maximising space and stashing things away in.
Follow along with @third_floor_garden on Instagram!
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