Small Garden Ideas

No matter how small your space is, you can have a garden. Gardens do not have to be acres and have grass, trees, and flowers.  Have a small spot on a balcony, porch, or yard?  Can you add a chair and a few plants?  Is it a lovely view from inside your home?  Then you have a perfect garden area.  Let’s consider ways to expand your use of that area.

Make a view

Create a view from your favorite chair in your home – a spot to claim as yours.  This is the first task of a garden.  I like to have a flowering bush in the front yard that I can see sitting in the living room. A bright color that draws my eye and makes me smile.  From the dining table, I have a view of a small circular garden I developed several years ago. It has several kinds of flowering bushes, a statue, and a hanging bird feeder.  I’ve had guests who enjoyed sitting with me after dinner and quietly talking as we gaze outside. Below was my view from the dining table last July.

Use the rule of 3

Keep your plan simple.  Remember my old favorite KISS rule:  Keep It Simple Stupid.  Limit use of colors and textures to 3, such as grass, gravel, and pavers.  Your garden will be better for it. Yes, a professional designer may fill gardens with many textures and colors, but it is more difficult. Simple is a good place to start.  Only have a small spot on a balcony or porch? Go vertical on one wall with shelves and colored potted plants.

Try A Trellis

A trellis or wooden fence going up the wall is a perfect place for vines.  Put a trellis on each side of a tiny garden bed, balcony, or porch and you greatly increase your garden size.  It also add geometric shape to your garden.  The plantings will soften the hard edges but our eyes find the geometric design pleasing.

Have a petite space?  Make a raised bed with storage for tools underneath.

Vary kinds and sizes of planters

When I lived in a condo, I had multiple plants in containers. Use tables, an upside down crate, or whatever you have to make stands of varying sizes. Hang baskets from the ceiling or wall.  Add a trellis. You can use almost anything to make planters even your old tires. Put plastic down, pile 2 or 3 tires, paint them, fill with dirt, and add a plant. Use pans, bowls, pots, and buckets. Hang baskets from balcony railings to add more space and privacy. The wall trellis goes vertical below.

Use an old ladder to add height and space for your potted plants. See Good Housekeeping’s 40+ Ways to Maximize a Garden for more ideas.

 

 

Attract Wildlife

A small garden can be filled with plants that attract butterflies and/or birds. Add a bird feeder or a dish of over-ripe fruit for butterflies and your small spot is now a beautiful addition to your landscape. Can you see it from inside your home – then create a little oasis.

Remove the lawn

Have a tiny postage stamp back yard? Why not remove the grass, put down a barrier cloth, and fill the area with pavers or gravel?  Add a few chairs, a trellis, some plants, a few lights, and  even a side table with a fountain for that relaxing sound of water.   You have your own little haven. See Low Maintenance Yards for more ideas.

 

Grow Edibles

Your garden doesn’t have to be just flowers in pots either. Certain edibles can grow happily in a pot.  Bonnie Plants shares the idea of using a large railing planter for the tomato plant and a tall, slender pot for the basil,  This prevents this garden from taking up valuable deck space.  Add a hanging basket of strawberries for beauty and food.

Add Lighting

 

Whether you are looking at your garden one evening in December or mid day in June, lighting adds another dimension. With all the solar lighting available, you can have low lights around steps and chairs and a hanging lantern with both form and function. It’s really a matter of a few lights adding layers to your garden.

Consider your garden furniture

During warm weather, you’ll want a comfortable chair or bench in your garden. Consider how much space you have and how you will use it. Do you wish to eat outside at a table?  Consider the time of day your area gets sun when placing your plants and furniture.  Add a curtain for privacy and hanging baskets with a comfortable couch for a perfect retreat (below).

In conclusion, your bit of green can be as diverse as people. Look at the area with a fresh eye and plan a glorious, small garden space.

Need to make a garden plan? See Garden Planning for free printables.

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