Far too often, people seem to adopt the belief that, if you have a limited amount of space to devote to your gardening, that the beauty and intrigue of your garden is equally hampered by its small size. For this reason, many small gardens are either poorly designed and planted or, worse yet, ignored and let fall by the wayside. With a bit of creativity, however, even your small gardens can accent your home and turn heads. In fact, if you follow these easy tips, you’re bound to discover that these beautiful little gardens can give the big ones a run for their money!
All in the Vision
One of the best ways to make a small garden seem larger is to obscure part of it from view. This can be done by using any number of dividers; some excellent examples would be flowering hedges or evergreens, or perhaps you would be happier creating this effect with lattice panels, arbors or pergolas. Rocks or a small stone dividing wall can create a different look and feel, or you can even change the level of your garden, raising part of it up a couple of steps or lowering it, thereby creating a feeling of more space.
Prepare to be Picky
Unfortunately, when dealing with a limited amount of space, you are also going to have to limit your color and plant choices. Focus on a few larger plants and then highlight, or accent, with smaller and brighter plants, adding splashes of color to your garden palette. Another great idea is to repeat patterns; if you use one group of plants over there, then group the same kinds of plants over here, relying upon changes in texture and individual plants to stimulate interest. These variations in textures will then help your garden foliage to flow together and, again, create the feeling of more space.
So what is the color rule in a small garden? Ideally, you want to limit yourself to no more than 2 or 3 colors plus your green. Too many colors will make the garden appear too busy, while limiting the colors allows them a stronger presence. If this still seems too plain for you, try varying the textures of plants and foliage, in order to create more interest, rather than adding more color. You’ll be surprised how well this works.
Another good idea is to settle on a single style, when dealing with a small garden. Whether this pertains to a particular type of plant, choosing deep colors over pastels, or choosing a theme for your garden, just choose one and stick with it. Certain types of themed gardens, such as a cottage-styled garden, can actually accent a small lawn and make it look more spacious.
Dividing Lines
A good way to accent your small garden is to define through the use of borders. While many subscribe to the theory that a border should be no less than 1/3 of the length of your garden, this can be more difficult with smaller gardens. Don’t be afraid to get out there and measure things or give that garden the eye; you will be able to get a feel for how thick or thin your borders need to be, simply by looking over the plot you have dedicated to this project. A couple of things to avoid in a small garden, however, are long borders and a lot of abrupt angles. Instead, try using curving line and irregular shapes in order to stimulate interest.
Keeping it Simple
Above all else, when dealing with a garden in a small space, you will want to keep it simple and easy to care for. Granted, a small garden shouldn’t be that much work, but remember that you must ensure that your plants do not choke one another out of dominate the surrounding area. Weeding will still need to be done and edging as well. When putting together your garden, keep in mind how much time you want to devote to it, realistically, every week. Don’t go overboard.
A small garden can be every bit as captivating as their larger counterparts. Better-suited for those with limited space and often easier to maintain than larger gardens, they can be used to accent your home or yard, create an interesting topic of discussion or create a small retreat from the hectic hustle and bustle of every day life. Some small-space gardens can be looked over in a single glance; with these helpful hints, yours won’t be.
