Make your garden a place to relax with a drink or a snack. Choose a spot that offers both sunny and shaded areas to suit different times of the day.
Maximise green space with a living wall. Fill it with foliage that varies in texture and colour to create interest.
1. Vertical Gardening
If you have a small garden space, think vertically to make more growing room. A trellis with climbing vegetables is an easy and effective way to increase your planting capacity without taking up valuable ground space.
If a trellis isn’t your thing, a bean teepee is simple to build and a timeless way to add a bit of interest to your outdoor area. Grow any type of climbing vegetable you like up this versatile structure.
Wall hung plants are another great gardening idea for small spaces. Repurpose old frames and junk shop finds to create a unique display of greenery. Just be sure to secure your panel to the wall using a sturdy rawlplug or masonry drill bit to prevent it from falling down. Alternatively, make use of a trellis panel that can support several planters filled with herbs or veggies.
2. Raised Beds
When you’re planting in small spaces, it pays to use raised beds to keep soil from compacting and suffocating your plants. These easy DIY projects add height, structure and visual interest to a garden, plus you can easily reach and weed them.
Be sure to build beds no more than four feet wide, which allows you to walk between them without stepping on the soil, compacting it and reducing drainage and health. Fill them with organic compost each spring to boost soil fertility, and you’ll be able to grow a variety of vegetables, flowers and even fruit trees.
If you don’t have much sun, grow shade-loving shrubs and grasses as well as tree ferns to give your outdoor space a tropical feel. This creates a sense of openness, keeping ground and sight lines clear for more spacious layouts.
3. Hanging Planters
Plants add beauty and color to any outdoor space, but they can also provide health benefits like purifying the air. If you’re working with a tight garden space, consider growing your flowers, herbs or vegetables in hanging containers instead of the ground.
Hanging terrariums are easy to find, but you can also use old urns, discarded pots or even a wood palette to create your own unique hanging gardens. This way you can reclaim wall space without losing sightlines or sacrificing precious floor surface area.
Curves help to broaden the appearance of a small garden, making the space feel bigger and more inviting. Try adding a few gentle curves to your garden paths or walkways to give the illusion of more room. Layering a garden with foliage at varying heights will also make the area seem larger.
4. Hanging Lights
Dividing a small garden into defined ‘rooms’ helps it feel bigger, and can disguise less-than-ideal features. This is often done with trellis ideas, but overhead treatments like draped climbers can also do the trick.
Lighting is another way to make a small garden feel bigger. You can use string lights, or opt for a more formal look with a stylish lantern or dramatic pendant. Lighting can help highlight focal points, such as a specimen tree or water feature.
Alternatively, a fairy light canopy over the dining area can add a sweet and inviting touch. If you choose battery-powered versions, you can keep these up for evening entertaining without the need for power outlets. Tip: For a brighter look, opt for lights with larger bulbs rather than tiny ones. They’ll illuminate more of the garden and create a gorgeous wash effect over hedges or walls.
5. Stairs
When a garden lacks the height of a lawn, steps can be a great way to make a garden appear bigger. Using wide steps and even creating a ‘ceiling’ of tall plants like mahonia, can help create a sense of space.
Steps can also be a practical feature, helping you to navigate a garden or access a raised bed. If you use pale stone slabs, this will tie the staircase with the rest of the garden and provide a subtle, modern look. If you have a more rustic style, consider using broken concrete for your steps and encouraging moss to grow in the nooks and crannies of each slab.
A well-designed set of stairs can be a focal point, especially when lit from underneath. This highlights each riser in turn, drawing the eye down the length of each step and highlighting any natural marbling that may be present.
6. Outdoor Accessories
A garden should feel comfortable and inviting. Opt for simple furniture rather than heavy carved armchairs and look at ways to incorporate shade. Garden mirrors help reflect light around a space and can make it seem bigger. If a full pond and waterfall aren’t practical, consider a small wall fountain that doesn’t require water. In order to maximize your outdoor space, you must think of ways to make it more inviting and relaxing for yourself and your company.
Use railway sleepers as steps or retaining walls to make the most of your outdoor living space. They’re inexpensive and add a rustic charm to your garden ideas.
If you’ve got a Juliette balcony, line it with planters and fill them with pretty flowers for a charming front yard idea. Labeling everything in your garden is also a great way to keep track of what you’ve planted. This also helps you know what to swap out seasonally! This is one of the easiest creative garden ideas to implement.
7. Fire Pit
Adding a fire pit not only adds to the charm of your petite garden but also helps you extend outdoor entertaining into the night. Creating an enchanting circle of stone is easy to do, even on a budget. Grab a shovel or mattock and build a circle using stones that are at least 6″ wide. Use spray paint to mark where the bottom ring will hit and dig out the space around that line.
Soften hard features by surrounding them with a mix of clipped and more whimsical planting. Plantings that work well for small gardens include acers and tree ferns. You can also use a combination of tall and short plants to create interest at eye level. Use bright colors to make a small garden really sing. A patterned fence or trellis will help to keep light flowing through, while adding an appealing visual texture.
8. Climbing Fruit Trees
Climbing fruit trees can add height to a garden without looking bulky. They also offer four-in-one benefits: they look pretty, block out sun and wind, provide shelter for wildlife, and produce delicious berries and fruit for eating.
One easy way to make your garden feel bigger is to use curved paths. This makes your space feel more open and is particularly good for small gardens.
Planting a variety of different plants and creating contrasting areas are key to making your itty bitty garden feel more spacious. For example, a row of tulips planted next to a herb garden helps divide your garden into ‘rooms’. You can also enliven your garden by adding a water feature ideas to the mix. Whether it’s a fountain, pond, or trickling waterfall, these elements will keep your garden feeling fresh and green.
9. Neutral Accessories
Adding the right accessories can turn a garden into a beautiful space that expresses your personality. For example, a concrete statue of a deity or animal can set the mood of your backyard. Alternatively, an artistic cactus planter is a great way to bring a desert aesthetic to a back patio.
Other garden decor items such as tasselled cushions and macrame wall-hangings can be incorporated for a rustic bohemian feel. You can also create a modern and industrial look with black wire lanterns.
A trellis or arbor is another garden accessory that can be designed to enhance the style of your backyard. A simple, contemporary model allows your plantings to take center stage while a more decorative design can be an impressive statement piece that adds interest to your garden.
10. Seating Area
A seating area is a top priority for most gardens, regardless of size. Providing a place to enjoy breakfast outdoors or relax after work will make your garden feel inviting and usable.
Adding seating helps define a garden’s boundaries, which will instantly make it feel larger. The best seat areas accentuate an underlying design theme, whether that’s a clean rectilinear look that defines a geometric layout or organic curves that soften a long, narrow space.
Dividing a small garden into defined ‘rooms’ can also help it feel bigger, and trellis ideas are great for doing this without making a garden look too rigid or enclosed. Even a simple fence can be adorned with planters that keep herbs and flowers within picking distance or serve as a subtle screening solution. Similarly, lining a wall with window boxes adds both function and beauty to a city terrace garden.