Just because you have downsized from suburbia to a central-city pad, that’s no reason to give up on the gardening.

The good folk at the Canterbury Horticultural Society are running monthly sessions for novices through to seasoned green thumbs on setting up a balcony garden. Their advice – start with planting low-growing and climbing bean varieties, which you can then underplant with lettuce, pak choy and spinach. Next, introduce small, continuously yielding leafy crops that thrive during autumn and winter, and some aromatic herbs.

chsgardens.co.nz