Small Gardens

Having a small garden has plenty of advantages over that of a large garden, it's far less maintenance intensive in both time and effort. It can also be a lot cheaper in terms of things you want to do, be that landscaping, selecting plants, adding furniture, decking or even sheds. It's really important to maximise the use of space in a small garden. To get off to the best start I would recommend putting some time aside to create a plan of what you would like to do, whether that’s starting from scratch or just making a few small changes.

Consider if you want to have any permanent beds in the garden or large planters. A lot of small gardens I have seen have lots of different sized planters/containers in them. If you fancy a change, it's a lot easier to move planters around (perhaps with help), then it is to take out a bed altogether. If you do prefer permanent beds, I recommend having raised beds made from old railway sleepers, this kind of look works really well in small spaces. You should also consider if you want or need grass in the garden. When you’re limited in terms of space grass can take up time and effort. If you are keen to have a bit of a lawn but worried about the upkeep, you could always go for some convincing AstroTurf to cut down on maintenance.

It's a good idea to think vertically in a small garden, ask yourself, “What can I have on the fence or walls that surround my garden?” You could have rustic outdoor shelving attached to a wall or introduce a freestanding unit which gives you far more space, for small pots, seed trays, herbs, hanging plants or your basic gardening tools.

If you would like a shed or storage facility consider opting for a hybrid shed which has large windows on one side and shelves on the other, positioned in the right corner you can have a greenhouse and a shed in one space!

Tall growing plants (rather than ground cover/ low growing plants) also work well in small spaces, as do some small trees. Here are a few examples of plants, trees and climbers ideal for a small garden: