| Making the Most of What You Have
Some keen gardeners are thwarted by small spaces,
always wishing there was more room for their ideas and
gardens to grow in, but make a conscious decision to go
minimal to stop their space from becoming cluttered.
Others decide early on that gardens can fit everything
and more in, if they utilise the space well. Whichever your
approach, these design tips will help make the most of
your space. |
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1 Maximising Borrowed Space
Gardening on the street - back and front and using the
borrowed landscape, be it over hanging trees, views or
even the park/bush behind you. Extend your garden
beyond the property boundaries by using land otherwise
wasted – the nature strip out the front and also the laneway
out the back if you have one. This means not only extra room
for plants, but also that your house and garden is more
effectively framed and linked with its greater streetscape and
environment. The style has adapted in these terrains to be
more easy care. |
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2 Connect the Inside with The Outside
Opening up the house to the garden with bifold or French
doors means that the indoor space seems bigger and so
does the outside; the two borrow from each other.For best effect, try to them both on the same level, which
enhances the seamless flow from indoors to out, and even use the same or similar materials inside and out.
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3 Raised Beds = More Privacy and Instant Height
Built in raised garden beds have meant not only much better drainage for the plants within them but also helped
elevate the plants within them so that there is instant height and privacy. Also, screen the neighbours;
the more the neighbours are hidden from view, the more one feels that you could be anywhere.
Also, screening the fence line can blur the boundary so you’re not quite sure exactly where the garden may finish.
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4 Using Climbers and Supports
Vertical gardening up the walls with climbers and wire supports you are able to scale even greater heights.
Clever tricks with plant pruning, such as using espalier (growing plants like a flat pack against the wall)
can mean you have more room for more plants than you first thought as they are so much narrower and
don’t take up the depth as regularly grown versions of the same thing. Also pleaching and standardising work well.
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5 Create Focal Points and/or patterning
Plants, like camellia sasanquas, can be espaliered in a cross-hatch pattern that means not only do they not take up
much space, but they also help “hold court”. This creates a strong focal point; something that is often lacking in small
gardens and means your eye wanders about looking for more. Water features, specimen tubs and sculpture also
work well.
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6 Add Storage
Storage built in means everything has a place and tools aren’t left lying about cluttering up what little room there is.
Make the most of what you have available; tool cupboard in the outdoor dunny, cupboards in bench seating,
propagation shelves down the side alley of your house etc.
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7 Choose Furniture Carefully
Wire furniture adds to the sense of space and doesn’t block the views. Built in furniture and banquette seats make good
use of space.Wicker makes a space feel light and airy. Double use item make good sense.
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8 Use Pots for that extra WOW
Using pots means extra colour and portability in the garden. Small gardens often have sun issues (either too much
or too little) and this way you can chase the sun and hide from it, which ever is needed. Using annuals and bulbs
make the most of a small space by providing high impact for small size. They are breathtakingly beautiful and change
seasonally like a bunch of flowers from the florist, always new and enticing.
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9 Repeat plants to add impact.
This could mean 3 small trees in a row to create a small avenue, or a swathe of grasses used as a border.
If it’s good enough for one, often 5 are better. Select each plant on its all season performance, not just on aspect
such as flowers, as when these fade, you still want the garden to look good.
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10 Portable Food
Herbs and leafy greens are mostly used in the containers, as they don’t need much space. There are also many vegies
that come in dwarf forms now, perfect for smaller plots and pots. Many Fruit trees, such as citrus and dwarf stone fruit,
can also be grown in large tubs.
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