How to design smaller urban gardens

I often meet clients who take me into their gardens and rather apologetically say, “it’s quite small, I’m not sure there is much you can do with this”. Well, that couldn’t be further from the truth. I love designing small gardens. They are probably my favourites. Why? No matter what the size, your garden space has to deliver everything you want it too, and for the Garden Designer, fitting it all into a small space is more of a challenge than a garden with lots of rolling lawns and paddock / country side views. The small urban garden can often be the largest “room” in the house, so with love and a great attention to design detail and planning it can transform the way you live.

 Here are my Top 5 (well 6) things to think of when designing small garden spaces.

1. Your space

‍Think of what you want to use the space for. How do you want to feel in the space. Don’t stand in your garden and do this bit of thinking. You will look at what’s there and find your thoughts constrained by what you can see. (It’s my job to bring you the visuals). We will be starting with an empty space more than likely, so don’t let what’s there constrain your thoughts. Do you want to cook and socialise? Hide away, read a book and relax? Do you want a space to do yoga? All of these? Clarity on your thoughts and needs will ensure you get the garden of your dreams

2. Materials

‍In a smaller space, the hard landscaping materials become even more important, as the hard materials (Paving, fencing, screens, gravel etc…) to plant ratio may swing more in favour of the hard, as we are creating more usable spaces for people v plants. Differing paving textures can help zone the space. Paler tones help to bounce and reflect light, darker tones recede spaces. Tricks with contrasting paving textures can also stretch a space a make it feel bigger or wider. Also, don’t forget the vertical. Strong verticals, for example screens, can help not just with privacy or zoning, but also introduce the opportunity to make cosy spaces. You can also go a step further and introduce a covered seating area so you can use your garden all year round.

3. Planting and Trees‍

Yes, Trees. All gardens need trees, even small ones. Trees can provide many things, imcluding shade, privacy, screening, vertical interest, focal points, evergreen structure, Autumn colour etc… Need I go on? (But I have, so see point 6). So now I have convinced you about including trees, the next thing t think about all of your space. Walls. Fences. They both can look great clad in climbers – evergreen works well to blur boundaries and make your space feel bigger if you have a nice borrowed landscape of trees in the distance. You are aiming for a mix of textures and shapes, lots of evergreens and at least 3 things of interest to look at throughout the year. Bulbs can provide great successional colour and interest from February through to September.

4. Furniture 

Think about the furniture for your spaces. Furniture that has a dense, block-like form, will make the space feel heavy. Consider opting instead for chairs that are light in texture with an ethereal quality, allowing the light to pass through. Built-in benches are a great way of optimising every inch of a compact garden. ‘Floating’ benches can give a sense of greater space beneath, revealing every part of the footprint of the garden. Be practical too. Look for furniture that is easy to lift and can have multiple uses, like this stool that doubles as seating or a small side table when required. If storage is a challenge, who wants to lose space to a shed on a small garden, choose furniture that will be happy outside all year round. In this garden I designed in Urmston, this super comfortable sofa set stays outside all year round. It can be jet washed and dries in an hour.

5. Lighting

You will experience your garden 80% of the time, from inside your house. If you are going to invest in your garden to make it your dream space, get the ambience right and make sure you can see it and use it at all times of the day. Lighting can make compact spaces feel larger and deeper than they are. It can softly enhance focal points and lead you through a space. Don’t go harsh, don’t go coloured, do go soft and warm white to create the perfect ambience. Light things not the space, just like the Urmston Garden. Think little light not big light in your new room.

6. Scale – the bonus top tip!

Go big. Go bigger than you think. Why? Bigger trees, planters and features will make your space look and feel bigger. We aren’t talking trees that grow to 20m tall! There are many trees that have been developed to stay at 5-7m tall. See tip no. 3. Planters / containers/ pots. Go large. Fewer larger pots mean less watering and give the opportunity to be planted like a bed, inlayers. Lots of small pots will also look fussy and cluttered and actually make the space feel smaller. Simple Pergola arches give the vertical plane scale and help stretch your eye up -making the space feel bigger when you look at them, but feel cosier when you sit under them