Peter Dowdall: Container gardening creates miniature ecosystems 

Container gardening isn’t just a compromise for those without space. It offers the opportunity to grow beautiful and ecologically important plants

Whether you’ve a balcony, a courtyard, a few stone steps outside a terrace, there’s always a way to bring life and biodiversity into your world through plants. Picture: iStock

There's a common misconception that gardening requires a great expanse of land, beds to dig, and borders to fill, but the truth is, some of the most satisfying and ecologically rewarding gardens I’ve ever seen have existed entirely in containers.

Whether you’ve a balcony, a courtyard, a few stone steps outside a terrace, or simply a windowsill that catches the light, there’s always a way to bring life and biodiversity into your world through plants. And now, in mid-spring, as the soil warms and nature is wide awake, is the perfect time to begin.