Small Garden Design

The advantage of owning a small garden is that compact space appears more manageable and there is apparently less maintenance required than for a large garden. A small garden can just as easily contain many of the features of a large garden such as a patio, decking, flower beds and a lawn but requires less upkeep and may cost less to design and maintain.

Spatial Constraints However a small garden is not built for multi-functional purposes and does not have the space to provide a myriad of uses unlike a large garden. Problems arise when the garden is needed for a number of purposes by several different users. The lack of space might also mean that it is difficult to introduce an interesting design and make the garden a desirable place to be. The space in a small garden is thus limited but this is not to suggest that it cannot have both an interesting and functional design. Small gardens can be made interesting with different types of flooring such as slate tile, stone and grave which can add form and colour to a small garden. The types of feature can also make the small garden attractive depending upon their placement. The main feature of the garden should be located fairly centrally as more than one feature competing for the attention of the garden users makes a small garden too busy and cluttered. The way the light falls on the garden can also be incorporated into the design and a stream of light beaming onto the garden can work particularly well with a statue, for example. Small gardens can also have existing features such as unattractive fencing, sheds, workstations and garages (that are in plain view in a small garden) covered by creepers and climbing plants and other garden foliage or structure. Garden designers can advise on the most appropriate types of plantation or cover which will not hamper the original function of the building or other permanent structure. A Creative Approach A way of approaching the lack of space it to utilise it to the best possible advantage. Raised beds, raised decking and two tier terracing not only create the illusion of a larger garden but give rise to utilising the space and creating dual functions for the garden.

Fixed seating around boundaries can provide a space for entertainment and provide seclusion around the garden making it attractive without making the seating take up too much room or making it the central focal point. Entrance frames, arches and tall plants also create the illusion of a larger garden through the use of height. Seating on decking such as hollow benches can also provide storage space. The walls can also be utilised with climber plants, wall pots and object D'art which provides plantation and colour without taking up a great deal of space in the main garden. Wall pots can also have practical uses for the growth of some herbs as well as flowers.

Appropriate Theming

Container gardens or mere use of containers in a small garden are also conducive to saving space. Container or containers in a small garden can be as high or low maintenance and as adventurous as owners and users desire which is the advantage of using them. Containers can be placed around boundaries, on decking, gravel and patios to create a flower garden that does not take up too much space. Hanging baskets can be used to create seasonal or day or night time gardens. Winter pansies, myrtle, ferns and grasses look good in hanging baskets in cold weather. Additional perennials such as rosa rogosa and viola tricolor can be added to the garden to augment a winter design throughout the gardne. In the summer foliage plants and succulents such as Pelagoronium and Argyranthemum are more effective. A night time flower garden can also be created with the use of white flowers and silver leaves. These types of subtle themes are more effective in a small garden which is easily over powered and diminished in presence by stronger themes intended for larger gardens like the Amazonian or Mediterranean themes.

Hard Landscaping

The most dramatic ways in which to utilise space and cultivate an attractive garden are typically through some hard landscaping and other significant changes in the garden. It is best to ask the advice of design experts, many of whom will implement the changes as well as draw up a plan as such changes can be costly and ruin the attractiveness of the garden if made incorrectly. The benefits of expert consultation mean that the small garden can be utilised properly. For example, a small front garden can be used for parking cars and for the growth of plants and flowers. This can be achieved through the growth of plants or bushes in loose gravel which is blended in with resin bound gravel for parking or permeable paving which allows more water in for surrounding plants to access.

However you choose to design a small garden it is advisable to utilise the available space as much as possible to incorporate all the functions desired in a garden and still ensure the garden remains an attractive and interesting place.

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