A garden on your windowsill

Top tips form Eastlight Resident and Halstead in Bloom Champ, Chris Howard.

If 2024 is the year you want to create a beautiful garden, whatever space you have, then Eastlight resident Chris Howard is here for you.

Chris, a wheelchair user, plants low-maintenance, ornamental flowers in his garden which can survive on their own. He also invests in easy and cost-effective indoor gardening to satisfy his love of growing.

Winner of Halstead in Bloom’s competition for Best Back Garden in 2022 and two runner-up prizes in 2023, we asked Chris to share some of his expertise.

“If you’re a beginner, windowsill gardening may feel intimidating,” says Chris. “But by choosing the right windowsill and plant, anyone can successfully grow their first garden. Here’s some fool-proof steps on how you can grow something easily in your own home.”

  • Chris Howard Windowsill 1

    Here's Chris' top tips:

    1. Check the windowsill to ensure that it’s strong and sturdy, and make sure temperatures near the window remain consistently warm to help your plants grow.
    2. Choose your plants and containers carefully. Leafy greens and herbs are best for windowsills as they’re able to adjust to varying sunlight.
    3. Fill your pots with potting soil and make sure each container has at least one hole for drainage. Don’t forget to put a saucer underneath to prevent spillage.
    4. Once the pots have been filled with soil, transplant the plant or directly sow the seeds into the container. For herbs, keep the seeds roughly 3cm apart and cover with a thin layer of compost. Water the plant well and place it onto the windowsill.
    5. Watering: for plants, water weekly, or as needed, by checking the upper 2.5 cm of the soil. If the container is dry, gently water the base of each plant until the potting mix is well saturated. Avoid overwatering. For herbs, water every other day to keep the seeds moist.
    6. Rotate the containers on the windowsill to promote full growth. Within a week you should see your herbs growing. You can start to pick the plants in about six weeks’ time, but wait until you see at least six leaves on each plant, otherwise the herb will be unable to keep producing.
    7. In the warmer months, you can start to grow lettuce, radishes and pea shoots for your summer salads. Good luck!
  • 20230911 Woodlands Garden 018 Steve Brading

    Blooming marvellous

    A close-knit community of older Eastlight residents are seeing the fruits (and veg) of their labour after uniting to transform the community garden. Residents of the Woodlands Housing for Older People Scheme, spearheaded by Ian Chapman, 62, and Richard Smith, 79, have been working with Eastlight to create a community allotment.

    Click here to read more