Designing a small garden

Small garden? No problem. If you’re short on space, you can still create a nice outdoor space. What do you need to be aware of? What is the best way to go about it? These tips and examples will help you to make the most of your small garden.

With a small garden, you need to make some decisions. You have limited space in which to accommodate everything that you want. But, with some smart combinations, you can save space. You can add extra greenery with climbing plants against a fence, such as a climbing hydrangea or wisteria. You can also put boxes of flowers and plants on the roof of your shed (if it can support them), such as bamboo. This will stop the upstairs neighbours from peering in! With garden furniture, you can also create smart combinations of functions. A bench can also serve as storage for firewood, and you can even build a table around a small tree. That way, you avoid the need for a parasol.

When you think of a garden, you probably think of a lawn. Laying a lawn in a small garden isn’t a very good idea. A lawn needs a lot of space, something that’s often lacking in a small garden or an urban garden. It would be better to use that space to lay a patio with attractive decorative paving. The space that’s left can be planted with shrubs and perennials that will bloom all year round. This offers a cheerful look, and will please the bees and butterflies.

In a small garden, you can always use the height. Choose a small, transparent tree such as a magnolia or Japanese maple. An espalier against the wall is also a nice solution where space is short. A pergola can also help to create depth in a small garden. Plant a climbing rose to grow around it, a grape vine, or a honeysuckle. This will make your small garden much greener than you could ever have imagined.

You’ll almost certainly want to lay a patio in your small garden, but don't pave everything over. If it rains heavily, it will flood much more quickly. The rainwater will be unable to drain away into the soil, and could even flood your home. In hot summers, the paving will also become hot. We recommend only paving up to a third of the garden. You can also opt for a circular patio. The corners of square or rectangular patios are often unused, so instead use them for greenery. Better to have a small, but attractive patio with attractive decorative paving than a garden full of grey concrete slabs.