What’s a ‘small’ garden? Usually urban, it could be many things – a strip between front fence and veranda, a pocket-sized backyard, a courtyard or patio, or even a balcony. What all small gardens have in common is that every centimetre counts. Design needs to be pared back and concentrated, including only what’s essential.
Easy on the clutter
When it comes to planting, choose carefully. Cramming lots of different colours and textures into a small area is like a room filled with clutter – it makes the space seem smaller. Growing in pots gives you the chance to change things around, but a few large pots are easier to care for than many little ones, which dry out quickly.
Fire (Sun): Are you a sunbaker? Or do you prefer a shady corner? In winter, a sunny patch to sit in is a luxury; in summer, full midday sun is uncomfortable. Is there a certain time of day – morning coffee, or after work – when you like to sit in the sun? Put a chair in the part of the garden that catches the light then. And save the sunniest corner for warmth-loving treasures, such as tomatoes in grow bags or a lemon tree.
Wind: Depending where you live, this can greatly affect how much people enjoy your garden. Small, enclosed gardens are often very sheltered, but balconies or roof spaces can be ultra exposed, and the hard surfaces of walls or buildings can amplify the wind. Don’t let wind stop you enjoying your space – a little screening around a sitting area makes a huge difference. Permeable hedges, shrubs or trellis work best because they absorb wind rather than channelling it.
Water: Buildings and walls often cast a ‘rain shadow’ where things get very dry. Containers and pots also dry out quickly. Choose drought-tolerant plants for the driest spots to save endless watering. And consider a water feature: even something small like a birdbath or barrel-sized pool can bring wildlife into small spaces.
Earth: Make every centimetre in your garden count by building the best soil possible. Even a balcony has room to tuck in a worm farm, recycling kitchen scraps into valuable fertiliser. Add extra compost and mulch to containers for maximum nutrition and moisture, or pack a small bed with extra compost to plant veges closer together
than usual.