I believe it was Gini Free who queried, and I paraphrase: "To be (in the
city) or not to be (in the country), that is the question!"
 
Available forage in the city vs the country is perhaps the lesser of
concerns in this case.  As already stated, if you're keeping a hive for
the experience, then having it readily accessible should be more
important in choosing a site - the closer to you, the better.  If your
goal is to produce copious amounts of honey, the more forage the better.
Either location (city or country) will provide sufficient forage for
the bees.
 
A more important issue in this case is, "what will the neighbors think?"
You have more passers by in the city to be concerned with than you will
in the country, and you may also have more stringent ordinances to be
concerned with in the city than you will in the country.  If you can
find an urban site where neighbors will not be bothered by the comings
and goings of the critters, I'd recommend the city.  Also, remember that
your bees will be there year round and that cleansing flights in the
winter may attract more attention than flights during the forage season.
 
Chances are that whatever site you choose for your single hive this year,
you'll be looking to locate another hive next year.  Once you get the
bug it's hard to keep just one.  Perhaps an ideal solution to this
dilemma would be an observation hive in the city and a production hive
in the country.  The observation hive will have a small population and
will be less obtrusive on the city folks and will reveal many wonders of
the hive that you won't get from a normal hive, irregardless of its
location.  The hive in the country will be your production hive, and
will be more representative of a true population and will also give you
an excuse to visit your folks!
 
Either way, you're in for a great experience.  Welcome to the beekeeping
world!
 
Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee!