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Make the Most of Small Gardens

If you live on a small block there is no reason that you can’t have a garden that works for you. Follow a few simple design tips and you’ll be well on the way to having a perfect outdoor area.

What You Will Use the Garden For

Perhaps the most important consideration when you have limited space is what exactly you will be using the garden for. Will it be for entertaining, relaxation, or for productive purposes (growing fruits, veggies, flowers etc)? What you use the garden for will dictate everything about the design – from the plants used to the furniture. For example, an entertaining area will need a barbecue and plenty of seating, while a relaxation area will need a day bed or something similar to stretch out on and plenty of privacy.

Design

There are some design tricks that you can employ when planning and creating your garden. These include:

use a single feature in the garden – whether a rock, ornament, water feature etc, a feature will create a point of impact
use lines – a garden laid out in squares or other geometric shapes will use the space most effectively
choose colour carefully – cool colours will make the garden look larger while warm colours will make it smaller
combine the indoors and outdoors – use bi-fold doors to merge the two spaces
built in seating – can be used to divide the spaces in the garden and also to minimize the need for furniture
use levels – differing heights in the garden gives the illusion of space and can be created by raised garden beds, terraces, etc
divide the space – a screen or line of plants helps to block the view of part of the garden, making it feel larger
use the walls – if there is a wall in your garden, make a feature of it by hanging mirrors, lights or water features from it
water features – water gives the garden more depth

Keep it Simple

In smaller areas, it is best to keep things simple to avoid the space feeling cluttered. Try to keep the colour scheme to no more than two or three different colours or even stick to different shades of the same colour. Also employ repetition in order to achieve simplicity. This can be done by repeating the colours, plants and species through the garden. Finally, try not to over-plant the garden, as it will look crowded once the plants have had a chance to grow.

The Right Plants

When using plants, it is a good idea to look for plants that have smaller leaves rather than larger ones. This is because smaller-leafed plants will make the area feel larger. You can also use dwarf varieties of plants in order to achieve the same effect as the larger varieties but without taking up as much space.

However, when selecting plants, it is vital to plan ahead and take a look at their growth patterns. A plant may look perfect when you first purchase it but it may grow to several metres in height in the future. Along a similar line, many plants also have a sprawling growth pattern, becoming not necessarily tall but wide. A garden professional will be able to help you select the perfect plants for your space.

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