Creating a Green Oasis in Small Spaces

One of the things I love about container gardening is how adaptable it is. In this conversation with garden designer Susannah Hall, we explored growing food in some wonderfully small and unusual spaces — including on her boat.Listen or watch the full recording here or on your favourite podcast platform - short written summary below. This is the first in a series of wide ranging conversations with growers and other inspiring people to explore what happens when we start growing on balconies, patios, and rooftops. Susannah grows in a collection of planters around her boat, moving through the seasons from winter salads into summer crops like tomatoes and mini courgettes. At the moment, the stars of her garden are the violas and pansies spilling out against the blue of the boat — beautiful to look at, but also edible additions to salads.One of the most interesting parts of our conversation was hearing about the plants she relies on most in the kitchen. For Susannah, it’s Welsh onions. She finds them easier and more reliable than spring onions, especially in a small space, and loves having a strong onion flavour available throughout the year. They pair particularly well with the eggs from her quails.We also talked about how gardening journeys often begin. Susannah started growing with her dad, later gardening in a house before eventually rediscovering her passion when she moved into a London flat with a balcony. By filling that balcony with containers, she created what she describes as a green oasis in the city.There was lots of practical wisdom too for anyone starting out with container growing. Susannah emphasised the value of planters with water reservoirs, especially for keeping containers evenly moist during warmer weather. She also encouraged people to experiment, observe what works in their own conditions, and connect with others through community growing projects such as Permablitzes.What came through most strongly was the idea that even the smallest growing spaces can become productive, beautiful, and deeply nourishing places — whether that’s a balcony, rooftop, patio… or even a boat.Susannah is an experienced trainer and facilitator, running gardening and craft workshops (see: www.susannahhall.london and Instagram). She is also a director of Permablitz London, and helps run the wonderful London Permaculture Festival (Sunday 26 July this year). Get full access to Vertical Veg: Container Gardening by Mark Ridsdill Smith at verticalveg.substack.com/subscribe