Top 10 Small Garden Ideas

Sep 26th, 2024

It’s a common misconception that small gardens can’t look as stylish, organised or purposeful as larger gardens do.

A well-designed small garden needs thorough planning, preparation and to have every bit of available space utilised so it can reach its full potential. Whether you’ve got an urban balcony, a tiny patio or a compact back garden, there are plenty of creative and space-maximising ideas to transform your outdoor area.

It’s often thought that the more greenery you have, the better your garden will look. However, this isn’t always the case, especially with smaller areas. If you rush into placing plants all over your small garden, it can make the space look smaller and overcrowded.

The trick is to take a staged and considered approach to planting. The great thing about gardens is that they’re constantly evolving - not all jobs have to be done at once, especially as your garden's requirements will change with the seasons. If you rush into buying lots of plants with similar flowering and growing times, you may find yourself having to replace them once that season passes.

You should consider planting a mixture of different seasonal plants to give you a thriving, vibrant garden year-round.

For an even more tailored experience, you can test the growing conditions of your ground in different areas of your garden and note where the sunlight and shade patterns are. This will allow you to plan where certain plants are going to thrive best and allow you to group certain plants together for an organised look and optimal growth.

Lawn or garden edging is an easy maintenance task that turns your garden into an organised, sectioned space with minimal effort.

The two are slightly different, however.

Garden edging is the process of creating physical boundaries between separate areas like flower beds, pathways or vegetable patches.

It is normally done using a barrier material such as stone, wood or brick and is a decorative addition that separates and defines different sections in your garden.

Lawn edging is specifically focused on your grass area and defines / separates the outline of your lawn and adjoining garden areas. This makes sure that the lawn doesn’t grow into surrounding areas and look untidy.

It is a subtle maintenance task that both controls your lawn growth and creates a neat and purposeful look.

You can edge your lawn or garden with a purpose-built edging tool or a spade / half moon edger. Decide which edges to make straight or curve and mark out these areas with string or a garden hose. Push the tool down into the ground and cut to a depth of around 2-3 inches. Overlapping the cuts will make a continuous, neat edge.

Adding material like stone / brick paving or wooden edging strips will provide additional dimension and help define different sections in your garden.

Edging creates clear boundaries and makes your space look neat, separated and expensive with minimal effort.

Not only is it aesthetically pleasing but it also practically benefits your garden by not letting certain plants encroach on areas you’d prefer to keep them out of, allowing for segregated and healthy growth.

When you have limited space on the ground, levels are a small garden’s best friend.

An easy and quick way to take advantage of levels is by utilising hanging planters to allow your plants to hang above, rather than taking up more ground space.

You can do this on a low budget and upcycle tin cans, old jars or plant pots for some brand-new hanging planters with a rustic charm.

You can also install a trellis or a pergola to add some height to your garden where climbing plants like ivy or roses can grow upwards, encouraging them to take up vertical space and leaving more space on the ground for you to enjoy. You can re-use delivery pallets as homemade trellis by sanding, painting and securing it to a wall with nails.

You can also add some dimension and height to your garden by investing in raised beds / planters for designated flower, vegetable or herb areas. You can buy these pre-built for a quick and easy installation or you can try your hand at a budget-friendly DIY option by making your own.

Designating different areas for different plants may seem like a small change, but it can have a transformative effect and make your garden look organized and easier to manage.

The question that’s on everybody’s minds when it comes to designing their garden is - do I buy real or artificial turf?

As a company who sells natural grass, we may be slightly biased but real grass is always the better option if you want your outdoor space to feel more natural and well-rounded. Real grass can add dimension and texture to your small garden. It’s also the best choice for any pets or children who may be using the lawn as, in hotter temperatures, the grass remains cool and useable.

Some people think that real grass requires more maintenance than artificial turf, but keeping your lawn maintained is easier than you think, especially in a smaller garden.

Mowing and watering are your two basic lawn care tasks that you'd need to follow in order to get the best out of your grass and if you tailor your lawn care, you’ll get the best results with minimal effort.

Real grass has the benefit of being able to withstand wear and tear in a better capacity than artificial turf as it can naturally repair.

As a natural living product, your lawn will be able to repair itself throughout the seasons and is designed to last for years, unlike artificial turf which may come with maintenance costs as the quality degrades over the years. In worst cases, you may find yourself having to replace your artificial turf altogether.

There’s no doubt about it - real grass will always look better than fake grass.

The natural feel and finer blades will provide a heightened aesthetic appeal to your small garden and you can expect it to change with the seasons, making it feel well-rounded and organic.

Real grass can also provide a habitat for local wildlife, attracting them to your garden for an authentic look.

The great thing about having natural grass in your garden is there’s so many choices about which grass types would suit your area best.

Especially in small spaces, you may need a grass type that is more suitable to shaded areas or heavy foot traffic.

Our Rye Gold turf is our most premium quality turf and is the one we’d recommend for smaller areas where there may be more shade or a need for higher durability. Rye Gold is ornamental looking, fine bladed and is adapted to cool environments making it ideal for the British climate.

To elevate your small garden, consider adding some garden furniture - a final touch that can make your outdoor space feel cosy, inviting, and complete.

Opting for compactable furniture is a smart, space-saving choice.

For example, Foldable bistro sets are prefect for that rustic, stylish look where you only need a small table and chairs for the space to feel complete. They’re also a practical alternative to built in, heavy furniture as they allow for easy storage both indoors and outdoors, meaning your space can be changed as and when you need it to.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for a standout piece of garden furniture, you may want to invest in hammocks or hanging chairs to elevate your seating area and free up some ground space whilst maintaining a unique aesthetic.

Once you have your essential furniture in place, you can look to add decorative accessories like outdoor rugs, cushions and small fire pits / chimeneas to really get that cosy, ‘outdoor living room’ feel.

If you want to take that even further and outline a specific area for your furniture, you can install decking tiles or even make a small, raised deck. You can opt for easy assemble decking kits or simply install decking tiles for the same type of look without any construction hassle.

Having a dedicated furniture area maximises the appearance of space and makes it look intentional and stylish, bringing your garden to a whole new level.

Adding dimension and depth to your small garden can make it look less overcrowded and purposeful.

If you split your garden into dedicated sections for furniture, vegetable beds and grassy areas, it can make the garden look organised and with a purposeful layout, rather than crowded and messy.

Using curved edging can also help maximise space in these areas, making them look like they naturally flow into one another, rather than hard straight lines which can make the area look small and regimented.

You can also add paths or paving stones to break up areas of lawn, this will add even more visual intrigue and dimension to your garden. Paving stones and pathways make for a rustic, traditional look and elongates a small area.

When it comes to adding greenery to your small garden, you should plant with depth in mind. Place larger plants towards the back of the garden to make the area seem dense and deep. Mixing different plant textures, colours, heights and styles will make the area seem natural and wild, contributing to a stylish and well-rounded look.

Adding mirrors to your garden can also create an illusion of more space and direct attention to certain garden elements.

Adding outdoor lighting to your small garden is a quick and easy way to increase ambience and can create depth, especially in the evening.

Outdoor lighting can come in many forms- you can of course get wall-mounted waterproof lamps that make an area look expensive and stylish, but it doesn’t have to be break the bank if you’re looking for a budget friendly option.

If you want to add some mood lighting for late nights in the garden then lanterns, candles or solar powered lights can do the trick. They save money, electricity and if you opt for citronella candles, they’re known for repelling mosquitoes.

Some people opt for wrapping solar powered fairy lights around trees, fences or trellis to give their garden a boho, cosy feel.

You should identify focal points in your small garden you want to illuminate and plan to use the lighting to highlight those areas. For solar lights, you should place them in an area that gets direct sunlight during the day so that they are able to charge.

A small water feature or a mini pond is a stylish addition to any garden and is a lot easier to install than you might think. You should position your water feature in an area of partial shade to prevent an overgrowth of algae and to provide local wildlife like frogs and birds with a spot that's out of direct sunlight.

You can use a large ceramic bowl, a metal tub or even a sturdy plastic container to create a small basin or ‘pond’. It will collect rainwater over time, and you can add wildlife-attracting elements like lily pads, algae or floating plants to elevate its look even further.

If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous and have the space for it, you can even dig a hole in your garden, place your container inside and line it with a base of gravel or decorate with a border of rocks to really elevate that built-in pond look.

The benefit of this idea is that it’s so interchangeable for different sized gardens and can be tailored to your space easily.

Having a water feature will naturally attract wildlife and create a green haven, even in your small garden. This is a great option if you prefer a natural, wild garden.

Trees aren’t usually the first thing you think of when it comes to space saving garden ideas. However, trees can make great additions to any garden and there are different sized trees for different sized gardens!

Japanese maple and Olive trees range from 10-15ft and are manageable, small options for limited space. Depending on the size, they can be also used as privacy trees to help shade your garden and make it more intimate.

If you’re wanting more choice what trees you can add to your small garden, you should consider choosing types that are grafted onto dwarf rootstock which helps limit their size. They grow more slowly and stay small whilst still flowering or bearing fruit. You should look for trees labelled as dwarf varieties or fruit trees grafted onto specific root stock:

Planting primarily small plants will make a garden seem smaller, whereas using a range of plant sizes and adding focal points like trees will create dimension and variety. You want to aim for a light but layered and purposeful look- large but not dense shrubs are great options for smaller gardens, too.

If you’re looking to add a personal and colourful touch to your small garden, then there’s plenty of ways to get creative with your planting and design ideas.

From re-purposing old ladders into a tiered plant stand or using teacups, jars or cans as unique planters, you can get cracking with countless DIY planting ideas, especially ones which utilise a slimline display or encourage vertical growth so that you can take advantage of more ground space.

Most of these ideas are also eco-friendly, meaning that your garden can both look great and benefit the environment.

You can also get creative with your plant pot ideas; different sizes colours and styles can brighten up your garden and make it look well-rounded. Painting the plant pots yourself can be a fun, personalised addition to your garden and the splashes of colour will add some contrast to the greenery.

Preparation and planning is crucial when it comes to designing a small garden.

By organising the layout in advance, creating distinct sections and branching out with creative design ideas, you can achieve a tidy, well-organized space that rivals even the largest gardens.

If this guide has inspired you, we'd love to see the results! Email your small garden images to photos@onlineturf.co.uk and we will feature them here.