{"id":39946,"date":"2024-08-22T11:32:49","date_gmt":"2024-08-22T09:32:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ffd49fdc-a56d-459f-9b2e-cf7f58591080"},"modified":"2024-09-05T17:31:25","modified_gmt":"2024-09-05T15:31:25","slug":"31-small-garden-design-ideas-from-experts-that-will-maximise-impact-and-space-on-your-own-plot","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/rss_feed\/31-small-garden-design-ideas-from-experts-that-will-maximise-impact-and-space-on-your-own-plot\/","title":{"rendered":"31 small garden design ideas from experts that will maximise impact and space on your own plot"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"rssexcerpt\">Three top designers share expert advice on creating small spaces that really work, with insightful dos and don\u2019ts to apply to your own garden. Picked by Harry Holding, Caroline Clayton, Harriet Farlam and Ben Chandler <\/p><p class=\"rssauthor\">By <\/p><p class=\"rssbyline\">Published: Thursday, 22 August 2024 at 09:32 AM<\/p><hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/><?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" standalone=\"yes\"?>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><p>Having a <a href=\"\/garden-design\/small-gardens\">small garden <\/a>doesn&#8217;t have to be limiting. There are plenty of designers who relish the opportunity to create an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/gardens\/town-and-city\/small-courtyard-london-cullis\">oasis of green<\/a> in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/gardens\/garden-design-ideas-for-a-small-private-garden\">tiny plot<\/a>. But small garden design can hold its challenges and if you have limited space, every corner is key. Below <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/podcasts\/talking-gardens-harry-holding\">Harry Holding<\/a>, Caroline Clayton and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/gardens\/cool-calm-and-connected-a-small-garden-in-kent\">Harriet Farlam and Ben Chandler<\/a>, some of the leading garden designers around, have compiled a list of small garden design ideas you need to think about for your own space. <\/p><p><strong>You may also like<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/trees\/trees-for-small-gardens\">Trees for small gardens<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/gardens\/town-and-city\/sheila-jack-small-garden\">A deceptively simple small garden designed by Sheila Jack<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/garden-design\/small-gardens\/modern-small-garden-ideas\">Modern small garden ideas<\/a><\/li><\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-top-small-garden-design-ideas\">Top small garden design ideas <\/h2><p><strong>Add depth<\/strong><\/p><p>Don\u2019t be afraid to plant <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/trees\/trees-for-small-gardens\">trees<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/shrubs\/best-flowering-shrubs\">shrubs<\/a> towards the centre of a small garden rather than around the edges. This will bring depth to the space and can help create a sense of mystery \u2013 a small garden looks and feels bigger when you can\u2019t read it all as one.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Osmanthus decorus An easy-to-grow evergreen, broadleaf shrub that offers fragrant white flowers in spring followed by black fruit. Height and spread: 3m x 3m. RHS H5, USDA 7a-9b\u2020. \u00a9 Jason Ingram<\/figcaption><\/figure><p><strong>Create a journey<\/strong><\/p><p>Not being able to see what\u2019s at the end of the garden or what\u2019s around a corner gives a reason to venture through the space, as well as making it more exciting. At its simplest, a meandering <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/garden-design\/garden-path-ideas\">path<\/a> can often add more interest and intrigue than a straight one.<\/p><p><strong>Include water<\/strong><\/p><p>Every garden should have water \u2013 it\u2019s the easiest way to boost the biodiversity of a space. Even a very simple water bowl will attract <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/garden-advice\/how-to\/attract-wildlife-garden\">wildlife<\/a>, add a sense of calm and draw down the sky into the garden \u2013 a lovely thing amongst tall trees or dense buildings.<\/p><p>Here are more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/garden-design\/garden-water-feature-ideas-expert-tips-for-using-water-in-the-garden\">expert tips at using water in the garden <\/a><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1921\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/08\/HH-OASIS-Water-feature_T1_8436_preview-edited-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Even a small water feature will have multiple benefits, as you can see in this small garden design idea from Harry Holding.\" class=\"wp-image-177401\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Even a small water feature will have multiple benefits, as you can see in this small garden designed by Harry Holding. \u00a9 Alister Thorpe<\/figcaption><\/figure><p><strong>Be bold<\/strong><\/p><p>Rather than having lots of small plants or pots, go big and bold in small gardens. One large <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/garden-equipment\/tools\/best-garden-planters\">container<\/a> has so much more impact than five small ones. Likewise, trees or shrubs such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/year-round-plants-great\">amelanchiers<\/a>, acers and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/trees\/the-best-crab-apple-trees-for-colour-and-form\">crab apples<\/a> can be surprisingly effective in small spaces.<\/p><p><strong>Keep it simple<\/strong><\/p><p>In a smaller garden, it often pays to keep your material palette really refined. Simple is best. Choose two or three hard landscaping materials and stick to them. That\u2019s not to say things have to be boring \u2013 bricks or pavers can be laid in different patterns for visual interest.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"7952\" height=\"5304\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2022\/08\/declanbuckleypethertonroad166-1cfc7cd.jpg?fit=1024,1024\" alt=\"Declan Buckley garden\" class=\"wp-image-90472\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure><p><strong>Don\u2019t skimp on beds<\/strong><\/p><p>It might feel counterintuitive to make planting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/garden-equipment\/tools\/raised-flower-beds-best\">beds<\/a> bigger in a small garden, but generously sized areas of greenery will help to make the space feel larger.<\/p><p><strong>Foliage matters<\/strong><\/p><p>Think about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/planting-ideas\/foliage-plants-using-green-garden\">foliage<\/a> texture and colour. In a small garden, contrasting foliage can make a huge difference. Aim for a few larger specimens, underplanted with a pared-back palette. <em>Fatsia japonica<\/em> and <em>Mahonia eurybracteata<\/em> subsp. <em>ganpinensis<\/em> &#8216;Soft Caress&#8217; offer interesting year-round foliage and out-of-season nectar for pollinators. You can underplant these with <em>Liriope muscari<\/em>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/how-to-grow-hellebores\">hellebores<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/best-ferns-for-garden\">ferns<\/a>.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/08\/HH-OASIS-Dining_area_T1_8518_preview-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A shady overlooked small garden in London with lots of small garden design ideas from Harry Holding \" class=\"wp-image-177399\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A shady overlooked small garden in London designed by Harry Holding &#8211; \u00a9\u00a0Alister Thorpe<\/figcaption><\/figure><p><strong>Think about verticals<\/strong><\/p><p>Cloaking walls and fences in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/30-of-the-best-climbing-plants\">evergreen climbers <\/a>will create a more coherent look when a garden is surrounded by a mix of different fences or walls, and make a small garden feel larger. Choose plants such as <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/gardens\/town-and-city\/lush-planting-stefano-marinaz\">Trachelospermum jasminoides<\/a><\/em> with its gorgeously scented, star-shaped summer flowers and <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/best-winter-flowering-clematis\">Clematis armandii<\/a><\/em>, which brightens the garden in early spring with its profusion of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/summer\/white-flowers-best-beautiful\">white flowers.<\/a><\/p><p><strong>Lose the lawn<\/strong><\/p><p>Work out what space is needed for your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/garden-equipment\/outdoor-living\/best-garden-furniture\">furniture elements <\/a>and functional areas such as a dining table or outdoor kitchen and plant up the rest of the garden for a more immersive experience.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2022\/06\/RBD150721-122-9615fde-e1655293682315.jpg\" alt=\"A gravel garden designed by Colm Joseph with small garden design ideas \" class=\"wp-image-83690\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A gravel garden designed by Colm Joseph &#8211; \u00a9 Richard Bloom<\/figcaption><\/figure><p><strong>Choose good paving<\/strong><\/p><p>Think about how the hardscaping materials you choose will weather, and look in the depths of winter. Limestone is a harder, less porous material than sandstone, which will quickly become covered in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/gardens\/international\/moss-garden-finland\">moss<\/a> and dirt in a shady spot where it remains wet for long periods.<\/p><p><strong>Add level changes in small garden design<\/strong><\/p><p>Consider the topography of the garden and embrace level changes. Stepping up from one area to another creates the feeling of entering or leaving different rooms, enhancing the feeling of a larger space. Just two or three steps will help to create this effect.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2140\" height=\"1422\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2021\/07\/Screenshot-2021-07-21-at-13.00.24-faf3e27.jpg\" alt=\"This small garden is unified by repeat evergreen planting and hard landscaping. Perfect small garden design ideas.. \" class=\"wp-image-51682\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The garden is unified by repeat evergreen planting and hard landscaping, incorporating a calming blend of dark-grey and pale elements of the main path and rear terrace. \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure><p><strong>Don\u2019t forget seating for your small garden<\/strong><\/p><p>Create places in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/features\/sitting-garden-joys-slater\">garden to enjoy<\/a> at various times of the day: morning coffee on the steps or a late evening drink on a west-facing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/gardens\/coping-with-slopes-a-terraced-garden-on-the-east-sussex-coast\">terrace<\/a>, for example, entice you to use all of the space and create more areas to explore. Multifunctional and integrated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/garden-design\/garden-design-solutions-how-to-choose-seats-and-benches\">seating<\/a> makes efficient use of the space while creating a clean, uncluttered look. <\/p><p\/><p><strong>Inject seasonality<\/strong><\/p><p>A small garden is normally on view all year round, so it\u2019s important to consider the planting for each season. Include a balance of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/garden-advice\/how-to\/evergreen-garden-create\">evergreens<\/a> for structure, deciduous plants such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/autumn\/ornamental-grasses-the-best\">grasses<\/a> that look good throughout the winter months, along with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/bulbs\/spring-bulbs-autumn-planting-best\">spring bulbs<\/a> and summer- and autumn-flowering <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/perennial-plants-best\">perennials<\/a> for pops of colour.<\/p><p\/><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-more-small-garden-design-ideas-to-inspire-you\">More small garden design ideas to inspire you <\/h2> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Three top designers share expert advice on creating small spaces that really work, with insightful dos and don\u2019ts to apply to your own garden. Picked by Harry Holding, Caroline Clayton, Harriet Farlam and Ben Chandler <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":39947,"template":"","categories":[1,17,72],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"5"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/09\/31-small-garden-design-ideas-from-experts-that-will-maximise-impact-and-space-on-your-own-plot.jpg",2560,1708,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/09\/31-small-garden-design-ideas-from-experts-that-will-maximise-impact-and-space-on-your-own-plot-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/09\/31-small-garden-design-ideas-from-experts-that-will-maximise-impact-and-space-on-your-own-plot-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/09\/31-small-garden-design-ideas-from-experts-that-will-maximise-impact-and-space-on-your-own-plot-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/09\/31-small-garden-design-ideas-from-experts-that-will-maximise-impact-and-space-on-your-own-plot-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/09\/31-small-garden-design-ideas-from-experts-that-will-maximise-impact-and-space-on-your-own-plot-1536x1025.jpg",1536,1025,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/09\/31-small-garden-design-ideas-from-experts-that-will-maximise-impact-and-space-on-your-own-plot-2048x1366.jpg",2048,1366,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Three top designers share expert advice on creating small spaces that really work, with insightful dos and don\u2019ts to apply to your own garden. Picked by Harry Holding, Caroline Clayton, Harriet Farlam and Ben Chandler","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/39946"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39947"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}