Small Garden Designs
Designing for a small garden can be hard when you don’t know where to start, or what direction you want to take it in. While this blog won’t be a guide on how to design one (we have already written one of those), it will instead be a discussion as to how best you can approach designing for your small outdoor space.
A small garden can still have that additional space and storage you are after. If you are in the market to consider a home garden office why not look at our Small Garden Office range. Whilst our Small Garden Offices are designed to be compact, you’ll find that it’s deceptively roomy.
If you’re after a Garden Office, why not look at our Dominator INSULATED Garden Office W2.3m x D2.3m. Stylish, modern, and built from slow-growing sustainable spruce the Dominator is an attractive addition to any garden.
Longing for that chill-out space in your garden? We have a compact Avon Log Cabin W3m x D3m, that would fit into any small garden perfectly. Dreaming of having a more modern garden building? Then the Terminator Log Cabin W3m x D2m with a pent roof could be the addition you are after.
We have a range of small garden structures, including wooden gazebos, garden arbours and pergolas, that are perfectly compact, all built with the DIYer in mind. They may be small but are beautiful and able to maximise the impact of your outdoor space. If storage is what your small garden is after then take a look at our Talia Tool Shed. We have a range of sheds that are perfect for keeping your back garden organised and tidy.
Make the Most Out of Your Small Garden:
It’s so important to decide what you will use your small garden for. It can be tremendously hard to make it work if there is no plan in place. So, start by deciding what you want to get out of it, is it a place to relax and enjoy the sun or maybe somewhere for the children to let off some steam?
If you want to think practically, we wrote a blog, ‘How to make the most of a small outside space’, that covers some wonderful points on this matter. Below is a quick summary:
- Think vertically – adding some depth into the garden by taking things off of the ground is a fantastic way to accentuate your small space. Our Jasmine Trellis Arch Pergola would be an ideal addition.
- Storage – this is the most practical approach to your small garden. Somewhere to pack away some tools, or your garden cushions and furniture, will add structure to the space. A small shed would be the perfect storage solution.
- Patio and decking – make the most of these features by using them as a space to have something fun like a gazebo or pergola. You can easily get creative and make this area somewhere you want to spend some time.
For a more in-depth approach to the above points, make sure you check out the blog!
Where to Get Small Garden Inspiration From:
Getting some small garden inspiration is the fun part of designing your outdoor space. We are so lucky to be surrounded by social media which is full of hundreds of accounts dedicated to gardening. They may not all be designed for a small garden, but they will all provide you with current garden inspiration for what to grow, fun ways to experiment with your garden and show you some nifty tips and tricks. Some cool people to have a look at are:
- Monty Don (@themontydon)
Based in Herefordshire, UK. Monty’s Instagram feed is full of fresh colours and beautiful scenery, he even features lots of dogs (big yes!).
- Suburban Existence (@suburban.existence)
Although they are based in Australia, this is still a wonderful account to get some ideas on growing fresh produce in your garden. Some winter vegetables never looked so good! There are also lots of posts on small garden layouts, which is perfect!
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Katrina (@homegrown.garden)
Another fabulous account all around growing delicious fruit and vegetables. Katrina shares a huge amount of inspiration, ideas and tips on her account.
- Garden Design Magazine (@gardendesignmag)
It’s always nice to see a whole variety of gardens, plants and landscape designs and this account has it all. It really serves the purpose for the current time of year too.
- Gina Taylor (@eastlondongardendesign)
If you want a stunning modern look and feel for your garden, then this is the account for you. It’s a beautiful collection of images and drawings of contemporary urban garden and courtyard designs. The vision for your small garden could start here.
Perhaps you are a budding landscape gardener yourself, you could create your own account and showcase your wonderful ideas and creations. Find a niche and go with it!
If you are not a social media person, then no fret, you can still get lots of small garden inspiration from YouTube or television programs. Spend an afternoon researching and finding some cool people to follow and watch.
Our Top 5 Ideas for a Small Garden:
- Look for compact plants: Plants that are bushy and overspill everywhere will only close up the small garden space you have to offer. Plants that climb up trellises and fences are wonderful, as they bring the space up off the floor adding in depth. You can also find some cute small plant pots to scatter around the garden.
- Keep the colour palette simple: Take this lightly, you may want a vast amount of colour, but it could match your personality and personal preferences. However, simple blocks of colour help to keep the space clean and light. Focus on one colour or ensure the colours complement each other. Slate greys or gorgeous golden timbers against fresh vibrant shades of green is just beautiful.
- Add outdoor lighting: Bringing a sense of light into the garden, especially at night, will help make the small garden comforting and enjoyable to be in. There are so many different styles and designs for garden lights.
- Be furniture smart: If you are really stretched for space, you can find some clever garden furniture products, like seating arrangements that come with storage underneath. This is beneficial when trying to save space in your small garden as you don’t need to worry about alternative storage solutions.
- Add a water feature: Bringing water into your garden adds movement, reflections and light. Therefore, if you have the space for a small garden pond then maybe this is something you could consider. Likewise, maybe a small garden water feature would be more appropriate.
That concludes our small garden blog, the main thing to take away is that you need to know what you want from your garden and how you will achieve this. Get a notepad and pen and plan it out properly, timewise, and budget-wise.
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