Start Small, Grow Smart
When it comes to gardening, I’ve found the best way to get started - and not get overwhelmed - is simply to start small.
In fact, there’s a quiet kind of wisdom in beginning with just a few plants and letting your confidence grow along with them.
You don’t need a big garden or heaps of time or even much experience. Honestly, a couple of pots on a windowsill can be more rewarding than an overambitious veggie patch that ends up wild and forgotten by midsummer (I remember those days).
Gardening doesn’t have to be complicated — it can be simple, grounding, and really fun, too. Even growing a handful of things that you can eat or enjoy brings such a strong sense of connection to nature, to the seasons, and to your food. You really only need to grow a few things to feel like a gardener. Even one thriving pot of mint can bring more joy than you’d expect.
If you’re not sure where to start, I would suggest choosing a few plants that are:
Easy to grow
Happy in small spaces
Things you can actually like to eat or use
That way, you’re more likely to keep going - and you hopefully enjoy every bit of it from beginning to the end.
At the end of the day, it’s all about the energy and love you bring to it, that will make all the difference, no matter how small the plant or herb or veggie you are going to grow. it’s about the journey of seeing it grow what makes it equally wonderful then the finished product.
Below are a few reliable and easy growing herb and veg which are ideal for small gardens, balconies, windowsills, or even a sunny doorstep.
Lettuce or salad mix – Fast, easy to grow and you can pick it leaf by leaf. So very satisfying and tasty
Radishes – Incredibly quick to grow. From seed to harvest in under 2 months!
Cherry tomatoes – Sweet little bursts of summer. Grow them in a big pot with a stake or in a growing bag
Mangetout – Super productive and easy to care for
Herbs like basil, thyme, chives or mint – They smell divine and make everything you cook taste better
Easy herbs like basil, parsley, thyme
Cherry tomatoes
Before you plant anything, have a look at where you’re growing:
How much sun does it get? Most veggies need 6+ hours a day.
Is it easy to get to? This matters more than you think when you start out.
Container gardening is a great satisfying way to grow veggies or flowers
Even just knowing the kind of conditions you have will help you choose plants that are more likely to thrive — and that means less work, less disappointment, and more delight.
How to get started?
Pick 2 or 3 plants from the list above or you’ll enjoy eating
Find a sunny spot — even a windowsill will do mainly for herbs
Plant them in containers (an old bucket or crate with drainage holes works just fine)
Water them, check them daily, and just watch. Something special happens when you do.
You don’t have to do everything at once. You don’t need to grow every vegetable under the sun to be a gardener. You just need to grow something - and enjoy the process.
There’s so much beauty in starting small. It teaches you patience, presence, and the satisfaction and happiness that comes with it. And I promise you, once that first seed sprouts you’ll be hooked.
Even if all you grow is a handful of salad leaves or a single tomato plant — that’s still magic. That’s still gardening.
And that’s where the LOVE begins.
Gardening isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing something - consistently. Start where you are, with what you’ve got. You don’t need a greenhouse or five acres. You just need a little soil, some sunlight, and the willingness to learn as you grow.
Because the secret of gardening isn’t in doing it perfectly.
It’s in showing up, plant by plant, season by season.
And if that first cherry tomato makes you happy as Larry. You know you’re doing it right.
HAPPY GROWING