I have a rented flat with a small concrete yard, the floor is concrete and it is surrounded by 4 walls (one of which had some graffiti on), has a drain and that's about it. There is also some kind of noisy air con vent (at least that's what we think it is) and I live next to an electricity sub-station. I want to know what I can do to transform this space into a nice place. At the moment I only go out there to clean the cat litter tray out or to get the mop or broom (I keep them out there as my flat doesn't have any big enough cupboards or storage spaces indoors).

I'm thinking of getting some large containers from pound stretcher and some plants from the garden centre around the corner. The space doesn't get much light so I need plants, and preferably pretty flowery types of plant, that will grow without much sunlight. I have grown busy lizzies in my previous flat without much light so that is a starting point. Also I have a curious cat who likes nibbling plants so nothing poisonous to cats (I know lillies are and some others). Any ideas for me?

In article ,
R-girl wrote:

I have a rented flat with a small concrete yard, the floor is concrete
and it is surrounded by 4 walls (one of which had some graffiti on), has
a drain and that's about it. There is also some kind of noisy air con
vent (at least that's what we think it is) and I live next to an
electricity sub-station. I want to know what I can do to transform this
space into a nice place. At the moment I only go out there to clean the
cat litter tray out or to get the mop or broom (I keep them out there as
my flat doesn't have any big enough cupboards or storage spaces
indoors).

I'm thinking of getting some large containers from pound stretcher and
some plants from the garden centre around the corner. The space doesn't
get much light so I need plants, and preferably pretty flowery types of
plant, that will grow without much sunlight. I have grown busy lizzies
in my previous flat without much light so that is a starting point. Also
I have a curious cat who likes nibbling plants so nothing poisonous to
cats (I know lillies are and some others). Any ideas for me?

Containers up against a trellis. Grow beans and other flowering vines.
Scarlet Runner beans have a pretty flower.

Annuals for shade: impatiens and begonia. Come in lots of colors and
easy to grow. Foliage will be much easier to achieve than flowers, but
foliage is great. How about ferns in containers?

I had a small concrete yard outside an apartment on the ground floor on
Beacon Hill in Boston many decades ago. I came and went through my
bedroom window. ;-) I put out pots and hung some off the fence that
bounded the tiny space. I did get some growth and flowers from
impatiens, but best of all a "community" cat made himself at home, and
when the other people who were feeding him moved away, I gave him a
home. His name was Sinbad, and he was an amazing cat. Great
personality!

Good luck and keep us updated.

Priscilla (returning to the group after many years)
--
"What you fail to understand is that criticising established authority by means
of argument and evidence is a crucial aspect of how science works."
- Chris Malcolm

On 4/15/2011 2:49 PM, Peppermint Patootie wrote:

big giant snip

Good luck and keep us updated.

Priscilla (returning to the group after many years)

Hi Priscilla,
When were you around before? I used to be here fairly often about 8
years ago. I think I used my real name then too. Were you Peppermint
Patootie back when you used to post? I don't remember the name.

Tony

In article ,
Tony Miklos wrote:

On 4/15/2011 2:49 PM, Peppermint Patootie wrote:

big giant snip

Good luck and keep us updated.

Priscilla (returning to the group after many years)

Hi Priscilla,
When were you around before? I used to be here fairly often about 8
years ago. I think I used my real name then too. Were you Peppermint
Patootie back when you used to post? I don't remember the name.

Tony

No, I used my real name, but I had to switch to a nom du Net when my
mother started stalking me. All right, she wasn't really stalking me,
but she was googling my name to see what I was up to that I wasn't
telling her. *sigh*

My initials were P.B., and my last name was the same as the western wild
woman played by Jane Fonda in a movie called "Cat B_____."

Did I get it across without twinging google? ;-)

I'm not sure how many years ago, but probably around 10.

PP
--
"What you fail to understand is that criticising established authority by means
of argument and evidence is a crucial aspect of how science works."
- Chris Malcolm

You could try some geraniums, they seem to grow anywhere. Also coleus look nice in posts; I did them one year and they're very nice.

There are specific plants that are partial to shade, will have to look them up.

On Apr 20, 1:57*pm, Peppermint Patootie
wrote:
In article ,
*Tony Miklos wrote:

On 4/15/2011 2:49 PM, Peppermint Patootie wrote:

big giant snip

Good luck and keep us updated.

Priscilla (returning to the group after many years)

Hi Priscilla,
When were you around before? *I used to be here fairly often about 8
years ago. *I think I used my real name then too. *Were you Peppermint
Patootie back when you used to post? *I don't remember the name.

Tony

No, I used my real name, but I had to switch to a nom du Net when my
mother started stalking me. *All right, she wasn't really stalking me,
but she was googling my name to see what I was up to that I wasn't
telling her. **sigh*

My initials were P.B., and my last name was the same as the western wild
woman played by Jane Fonda in a movie called "Cat B_____."

Ballou

HB

Did I get it across without twinging google? *;-)

I'm not sure how many years ago, but probably around 10.

PP
--
"What you fail to understand is that criticising established authority by means
of argument and evidence is a crucial aspect of how science works."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * - Chris Malcolm