Key Takeaways
- In a small garden, choose plants and landscaping features that are appropriately sized for your yard—like dwarf trees or smaller plant beds.
- Be smart about the use of vertical space with trellises and plants that can provide privacy without overwhelming the space.
- Choose plants that can serve multiple purposes—such as edible plants that provide flowers or shade.
My yard is, shall we say, petite. As in, once you cram in a patio, we only have space for a few planters and landscaping spots—and a small patch of kind of grass, kind of clover that my dogs like to dig in. So I’m often left wondering: how do I make my small garden spaces feel much bigger than they are, and maximize every inch so I can get a few flowers and maybe a few things to eat, too?
Fortunately, with a little expert help, you can make your small garden feel a lot more spacious. Check out these tips to help even the smallest garden feel a lot larger and more luxe.
Layer your privacy screen plants
Evergreen shrubs are a common pick for adding privacy to a garden, but Carly Mercer, gardening expert at urban farming company Love & Carrots, says it may not be the best choice for a small garden. “Screening for privacy is important, but often people will plant a large evergreen shrub hedge, which can make a yard feel small, crowded, or closed off. Many shrubs or trees of the same height and spread can also make a space feel small. Layering plants—taller in back, shorter in front—and varying textures—coarse to fine—can add depth and interest.”
Use vertical space strategically
When you can’t spread out, growing up is always a possibility. You can use climbing plants on trellises to create privacy walls or multi-level planters or hanging baskets to squeeze in a little more green in a small space. But you’ll want to leave some of that vertical space empty to avoid making your garden feel closed in. “Adding vertical growing space can add layers and dimension to your garden, making your space look larger or more inviting,” Mercer says. “However, you want to avoid making your space feel cramped with too many vertical components close together.”
Scale the plants you choose to the space you have
Plopping a grand oak tree into the middle of your garden is a recipe for making your garden look child-sized. “Keep garden elements in scale with the house and include a variety of plant sizes that will allow the eye to travel around the space,” Mercer says. Look for dwarf varieties of shrubs, trees, and perennials. “They can help you fit desired colors and textures in a space that might be too small for them in their standard size.”
Opt for two-fer plants
Kitchen gardens and flower gardens don’t have to be mutually exclusive—flowering fruit bushes and everbearing strawberries will produce pretty flowers that brighten up your landscape, then berries for you to enjoy, and herbs also bear flowers as well (many of which can be gorgeous additions to your meals as a garnish). My patio is covered by a trellis with grapevines, which provides plenty of shade and some grapes, too. Even common cutting garden flowers like roses and lavender can be edible.
Keep the furnishings in proportion, too
Over the past few years, people have started bringing the indoors outside, with sofas, outdoor kitchens, and even TVs to make their outdoor spaces stellar places to entertain. But you’ll want to ensure that your furnishings don’t overwhelm the space you have.
Look for smaller-scale outdoor furnishings (think love seat in lieu of a couch), and tables that can be extended or folded down so you have room for everyone to sit for a party, but it doesn’t take up the whole yard when you aren’t entertaining. And consider the proportions of the furnishings and hardscaping. Opt for smaller pavers that won’t look too big, and furnishings that aren’t overstuffed and have slimmer legs to avoid taking up as much visual space.
Tailor the garden design to your house
You want to choose garden elements that match your personal style and your home’s style—so consider sleek, minimalist plantings for a modern home, while you may opt for a cottage garden if you’ve fully embraced your cottagecore side. “Think of the garden as an extension of the house,” Mercer says. “Use complementary forms and materials and add a window or door to allow one space to flow into the other.” That’ll ensure that your home fits you perfectly, both inside and out.
