Mistakes Often Shrinking the Appearance and Feel of Your Garden?
Small gardens can be a challenge, but with careful planning and thoughtful design, they can be transformed into beautiful, functional spaces. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your small garden.
Utilizing Privacy Plants and Ground Cover Plants
When designing a small garden, it's important to make the most of the available space. Utilizing privacy plants and ground cover plants while keeping in mind the layout of the plants can help maximize space. By planting tall shrubs and climbers at the back of the garden, you can create a sense of depth and add privacy. Ground cover plants can be used to fill in gaps and add colour and texture to the garden.
Vertical Gardening
Vertical gardening is another great way to maximize space in a small garden. This technique involves planting climbing plants on vertical surfaces such as walls, fences, and trellises. This not only saves valuable ground space but also adds visual interest to the garden.
Zoning a Small Garden
Zoning a small garden can make the space feel more functional by sectioning off areas for seating, planting, and playing for children and pets. By creating distinct zones, you can make the most of the available space and create a more organised and visually appealing garden.
Planting Vegetables
Planting vegetables in pots or on a balcony is a fun and creative way to enjoy gardening in a small space. Not only does this allow you to grow your own produce, but it also adds a splash of colour and texture to the garden.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
To create a more spacious appearance, it's important to avoid common mistakes such as overcrowding plants, using bulky or improperly placed garden furniture, planting without considering sunlight and space, and building structures that occupy the full width of a small garden without gaps.
- Avoid plant overcrowding: Overplanting restricts airflow, blocks sunlight, and promotes disease. Learn the mature size and spacing needs of plants and allow enough room for growth.
- Choose and place garden furniture wisely: Use appropriately sized furniture that complements the garden's scale and avoid positioning seating against high walls or in corners. Seating should face outward towards open views to create a sense of openness.
- Plan sunlight and location carefully: Position garden beds or plants in spots that receive adequate sun (at least 8 hours for vegetables) and avoid shade from nearby trees or buildings.
- Leave gaps around garden structures: For garden rooms or sheds, allow small gaps (e.g., 40 cm) at the sides instead of building to the full width so the structure doesn't feel 'shoe-horned' in the space and maintains access around it.
- Use vertical elements and layering: Incorporating vertical planting or layered plant heights can add depth and the illusion of more space.
Additional Tips
- Mulch regularly to promote healthy soil moisture retention and reduce weeds, improving plant health and garden appearance.
- Water correctly, providing deep root watering rather than shallow frequent watering to ensure robust plants and avoid stress.
By combining these approaches—proper spacing, thoughtful furniture choice and placement, strategic location, structural design with breathing room, and layering plants—your small garden will feel more open, breathable, and visually spacious.
Garden Lighting
Garden lighting can make a small garden look more expensive and inviting, and can brighten key areas of the garden to create depth. Consider adding lighting to pathways, seating areas, and plant beds to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Maximizing Space
Taking advantage of the longest axis of the garden by placing seating at one end and creating a focal point at the other can help maximize space. Nick Wood, a garden design expert at GardeningExpress with over a decade of experience in the field, advises making use of the longest axis of the garden and placing seating at one end facing outwards to open spaces or views.
Investing in Outdoor Furniture
Investing in outdoor furniture that fits the space and complements its size is important to avoid making the area feel cramped. A bistro table and chairs set is a good choice for small gardens because it is compact and foldable.
Avoiding Mistakes with Garden Furniture
Using inappropriate garden furniture or placing it incorrectly can make a small garden appear smaller. Positioning seating away from open spaces or views can make the area feel tight and disconnected. Instead, choose furniture that complements the size of the garden and positions it in a way that creates a sense of openness and connection to the surrounding space.
Nick Wood, who studied at Writtle College for eight years, is passionate about making gardening accessible to everyone, regardless of the size of their space. He advises making use of the longest axis of the garden and placing seating at one end facing outwards to open spaces or views.
References
[1] "Maximising Space in Small Gardens." GardeningExpress, https://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/advice/gardening-advice/maximising-space-in-small-gardens/ [2] "Small Garden Design Ideas." GardeningExpress, https://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/advice/gardening-advice/small-garden-design-ideas/ [3] "Growing Vegetables in Small Spaces." GardeningExpress, https://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/advice/gardening-advice/growing-vegetables-in-small-spaces/ [4] "The Best Small Garden Plants." GardeningExpress, https://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/advice/gardening-advice/the-best-small-garden-plants/ [5] "Vertical Gardening Ideas." GardeningExpress, https://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/advice/gardening-advice/vertical-gardening-ideas/
- To improve the appearance of your small garden, consider investing in garden lighting. This can enhance certain areas and create depth.
- Placing seating at one end of the garden and creating a focal point at the other can help maximize space in your small garden.
- Using bistro table and chairs is a good choice for small gardens because they are compact and foldable, fitting well within the space.
- To avoid making small garden spaces feel cramped, choose furniture that complements the size and scale of the garden, and position it to create a sense of openness and connection to the surrounding area.
- When designing a small garden, keep in mind the layout of plants. Utilizing privacy plants and ground cover plants can help maximize space while adding beauty and functionality.
- Zoning a small garden can make the space feel more functional by sectioning off areas for seating, planting, and play. This creates a more organized and visually appealing garden.
- Planting vegetables in pots or on a balcony is a fun and creative way to enjoy gardening in a small space. Not only does this allow you to grow your own produce, but it also adds a splash of colour and texture to the garden.
- Vertical gardening is another great way to maximize space in a small garden. Planting climbing plants on vertical surfaces such as walls, fences, and trellises not only saves valuable ground space but also adds visual interest.
- To maintain the health of your garden, avoid common mistakes such as overcrowding plants, using bulky or improperly placed garden furniture, planting without considering sunlight and space, and building structures that occupy the full width of a small garden without gaps.
- When caring for your small garden, mulch regularly to promote healthy soil moisture retention and reduce weeds, improving plant health and garden appearance. Water correctly, providing deep root watering rather than shallow frequent watering to ensure robust plants and avoid stress.
