Spruce Up Your Porch

Sure, Greater Boston is one of the greenest urban areas in the country. The emerald necklace cuts through us like a botanic knife, and all but the most developed parts of town have at least a patch of grass on properties.

But there's always room for more, and in an age that begs for more eco-friendly and self-sufficient lifestyles, a porch garden can add a nice, economical touch to even the most run-down triple. Kristina Johnson of Allston has turned her porch into a garden oasis. With $100 and a lot of work, she purchased a dozen pots and plant containers to grow both food and decorative plants.

"Both me and [my boyfriend] have found ourselves getting up earlier, just to come out there, read and enjoy the garden," Johnson said.

And although she chose plants that require cultivating, plants requiring less effort, such as aloe and ficus trees, are relatively self-sufficient and can add a lot to the wood and iron flats just outside your door.

Garden Tip
Although fall is around the corner, you can still plan for next year. Also, with your entire garden in pots, you can survive the harshest part of the year - moving season.

This article originally appeared in The BostonNOW weekend edition, in the Adobe section.