Find Your Green Thumb in the Concrete Jungle

"Each space is different; it's wild how many microclimates there are," says Combs. "It can be radiant heat or a parking lot nearby or trees next door dropping leaves, but plants that work in one space sometimes won't next door. I'll think I have it down, and then I'll miss an ivy-covered air conditioner next door that messes everything up."

These issues are less nagging than the logistical potholes, such as tickets for double-parking as she tries to deliver a 50-gallon tree through a pristine brownstone without knocking down the chandelier or tracking in dirt.

"There can be a lot of taping and papering," says Combs. "Sometimes, you feel as much like a house painter as a gardener."

If all this sounds daunting to the would-be urban gardener, Combs is positively evangelical about its benefits. "So many people are starting to realize that the outdoors can be like an extra room on their house," she says. She has had to fix the work of both amateurs and professionals but says the heightened interest in greenery and all things ecofriendly has meant plenty of work to go around.

If you want to try your own hand at developing a green thumb, Combs is happy to offer advice:

• Buy local. Not just native plants, but from native farmers. "I try to buy as many local things as I can," she says. Combs' neighborhood picks are the Gowanus Nursery, the Chelsea Garden Center and Liberty Sunset.
• Watch the (farmer's) markets. Combs peruses her nearby farmer's market and encourages newcomers to tap into local growers' knowledge base. "These guys grow all their plants from seeds, so you better believe they know what's going to work," she says. "I eavesdrop a lot, and they always offer very good advice."
• Go green, but don't go crazy. "People always want to know what 'green' stuff we can do -- they get so excited about rubber mulch," says Combs, who grows plants organically and doesn't use pesticides. "Everyone seems to want to do compost bins, God bless 'em. Now, I love to compost, but I don't want rats in my backyard."
• Be smart and patient. "Don't waste your money -- I can't stress enough the use of native plants that are zone hearty," Combs says. "And don't go for the big, instant gratification thing. Be patient, and get into it. Gardening's like a bug. You'll get hooked."

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