Just because you lack 10 acres of farmland doesn’t mean you can’t indulge yourself in the relaxing benefits of country life. Here are some of our favorite ways to bring the joys of gardening to city apartments:

1.To Bee – If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at bee keeping but thought you didn’t have enough outdoor space, you have to see a new bee hive design by Israeli design student Bar Lavi. This terra cotta hive is divided into two parts: An oval tube where bees build their honeycomb and preserve larvae, and the flat pod that bees use to enter and exit the honeycomb. This small, simple structure mimics the natural segregation of beehives and allows the bees to circulate instinctually. These small structures allow urban dwellers to get in on the save-the-bees action, harvest their own local honey, pollinate their gardens, or just observe the amazing natural rhythms of Mother Nature’s little gardeners.
2.Indoor Composter – Composting bins come in many shapes and sizes these days. No longer do you have to have a Dumpster-size structure relegated to the farthest corner of your yard. The All Seasons Indoor composter is sold through SCD Probiotics. It allows you to create rich soil from kitchen scraps – and it fits under your sink. Fermentation gets started through a starter layer of Bokashi (no worms required!) and the bucket comes with a spigot that allows you to drain “compost tea” for fertilizer.
3.WiFi Plant Sensor – Koubachi makes these nifty plant sensors for indoor and outdoor plants. The sensor plugs into the soil, monitors soil temperature, moisture and light and alerts you via smartphone if your plant needs attention. This little monitor is a great way for new gardeners to learn basic plant care.
4.3-Tier Indoor Garden Cart – For those of you in dark micro-apartments dreaming of just one sunny window, the compact 3-tier Sunlight Garden is for you. This three shelf cart comes with three bright grow lights, water tight trays, takes up just 2 square feet of floor space and is energy efficient. In the dead of winter, this cart is a sunny spot full of fresh herbs and easy-to-grow plants.
5.AquaFarm – We admit you don’t HAVE to have this but we like the idea that when you have an AquaFarm you get a pet and a garden. The AquaFarm by Back to the Roots is a self-cleaning fish tank that uses the principles of aquaponics to grow plants (and a fish). The fish feeds the plants by excreting nitrogen and the plants take care of the fish by cleaning the water.