The average Garden size in the UK is around 130 square metres which indicates that many of us have small gardens, terraces or no garden at all.

Small parks are prominent in towns and cities (the average size I live in and around Brighton is 23 square metres) which means we have to be smart and creative in our outdoor space.

Many people choose to renovate and expand their homes which also means our gardens are getting smaller and that is definitely the case for us.

Our house already had a 3m x 5m extension on the back and during the winter we added another 3m x 5m to expand our kitchen and utility room. This means that we lost 30 square meters of our garden.

However, all is not lost! To make room for our kitchen extension, we removed our large double garage which was roughly the same size as the garden we originally had and took up quite a bit of space.

We also reclaimed the double driveway in the back which was in a prime location to get all day sunshine.

Given that our small garden faces north, the rest of our outdoor space was either in the shade or only got bits of sun all day.

We are currently re-designing and planning our small garden space so for the past couple of weeks I have been researching how to make the most of a small garden and thought I would share what I found.

Go up!

When we think of our gardens, we tend to just look at horizontal space and add patios, sitting areas, and lawn.

We all have walls, fences, and borders in our small gardens, so why not consider adding plants and features vertically.

Placing a pergola is a great way to make the most of the space.

Growing plants around the pergola is bee-friendly passion flowersbright pink clematis (And it’s a great alternative to the hungry sun infernal) and Instagram must have – Wisteriacan really turn a small garden space into a colorful and nature friendly area.

vertical walls

Another way to use your vertical space is to add live walls. These can be real or fake, depending on the space.

It doesn’t have to be expensive either. You can create a trellis from old pieces of wood and install it on the wall and encourage plants like Virginia creeper Which turns a beautiful bright red in the fall.

You can also attach panels to an ugly wall, fix pots and plants to it, and plant herbs, ferns, or Roseanne geranium Which produces a beautiful blue flower.

Add trees

Continuing the use of elevation in a small garden, trees are a great addition to your outdoor space and help make it appear larger.

Trees are very important in garden design. They help attract wildlife, purify the air and can change color throughout the seasons.

They are also important when it comes to providing shade to your garden and giving you a bit of privacy.

When choosing trees for your small garden, it’s important to choose varieties that don’t grow tall and leave your entire space in the shade. Also, giant trees can make a space seem smaller.

Go for smaller items like magnoliaAnd the cherry trees or Japanese maple. You can also look at planting trees in pots like Olive treesAnd the bay trees And the rhododendron.

Divide into small areas

Zoning your garden is a great way to make the most of a small space. It adds interest and purpose, which helps make the space feel larger.

Dividing a small garden space is easier than you think. Create a small space or patio where you can place your garden furniture. Surround this space with planters and plant pots to help define the different areas.

Place a small lawn or lawn around the decking area (I don’t think it matters how small the space is, having a bit of lawn helps break up different areas and is visually pleasing) and decorative stones or pebbles on the lawn border.

small greenhouse

Are you a keen gardener but your little garden leaves you with little room to grow anything? There are now plenty of small greenhouses and farmhouses to choose from that can be cleverly placed in the corner.

It may be small but it gives you enough room to grow tomatoes, herbs and other vegetables.

opposite

A great way to make your small garden look bigger is by adding mirrors that reflect light.

Depending on the type of design you choose, a mirror can make a big impact by either appearing as a garden gate, a window, or more plants.

Mirrors are the perfect accessory to hide unsightly walls or fences and can give you the spontaneous feeling of more space.

Bistro Groups

If you don’t have room for a large sofa or dining group in your small garden, there are plenty of small bistro sets you can use instead.

I think it’s really important to sit in your garden. This way you can spend more time outdoors with a cup of coffee or a good book.

Spending more time outside in nature is always good for the soul.

pallet bar

You’ve divided your garden and added some decorative stones and pebbles to a corner or around your garden. What do you do with the pallets it was delivered on?

Pallets are great for reusing and turning them into something sustainable for the garden.

If you don’t have the space to make a pallet sofa, or you have a bar in your garden, you can make a vertical strip out of pallets and hang it on the wall.

It is very easy to make. All you need is 3 or 4 wooden pallets, 2 lengths of steel chain, chalkboard paint, some screws and some DIY tools to install it.

The pallet can hang from your wall with a drop-down shelf to create a DIY cocktail bar.

Here I wrote about how to create furniture on a pallet.

Light up your little garden

Lights are essential in the garden if you want to keep using them at night and in the fall and spring.

During the pandemic, we have increasingly used our gardens for entertainment, to meet with friends, and to escape from our family after being indoors with them 24/7.

For this reason, we turned our gardens into recreation areas and the garland lights and lanterns were hard to come by. Now the stress has gone down a bit when buying garden lighting and there’s a huge variety to choose from.

Festoon lamps are perfect for accenting areas, especially above seating areas.

The heights around your garden and paths are great at making the area appear larger.

Candlelight can flicker a soft light around your walled garden to make your patio feel more spacious.

You can even customize small spotlights to highlight specific plants and make them appear larger.

I am a big fan of garden lighting, it makes the space look magical and helps you to use your little garden after sunset.

Turn your cottage into a multi-purpose area

If you have made a shed in your small garden, make use of this space.

Barns have always been spaces to fill with tools, lawn mowers, and pot plants but have become so much more than that over the past decade.

Some ideas on how to use your shed include –

• Transform it into a tiny summer house with clever shelves and hooks to keep all your garden tools out of the way.
• Replace the window with a drop-in shelf so you can turn your shed into a bar.
• Make use of all the walls of your shed. Hanging panels for attaching pots and plants and mounting hooks to hold your tools and watering can.
• Add window boxes under the window to fill your small garden with plants
• Transform it into a home office to give you the feeling of really leaving home when you work from home
• Install adjustable shelves so you can maximize storage space
• Use a bulletin board to hang your tools or use it as a note board if you’re turning it into a home office.
• Use the door! Hang shelves, hooks, and baskets from the door.
• Take advantage of the roof. If your shed is tall enough, install ceiling storage to keep things tidy and store items you don’t use often.

A small garden does not mean that it has to be small in character.

There are plenty of things you can do to turn your small garden into a feast for the eyes with a clever design, and plenty of plants, accessories, lighting and mirrors to make the space feel bigger.

More about gardens…

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How to create a Mediterranean garden in 10 easy steps