Creating a grand garden in a small area

Having a serene, green area with fresh air and open views adds value and above all quality of life to a home, regardless of whether it is located in an urban, country or suburban setting, but not all properties offer the same space. Here are some tips to make the most of your particular space and create a wonderful garden or terrace in a compact area.

 

 

Space-saving ideas

When space is tight, you have to get clever and creative. Most challenges have a solution, and often they produce a fun, attractive outcome, so take the first step by carefully analysing the area available to you – its dimensions, characteristics, material surfaces and also details such as its outlook, orientation and views.

This allows you to plan the space and create a functional design that is also attractive, in the first instance by using the direction of the views as your focal point. Also bear in mind how the sun affects your terrace or garden. If it’s subject to very bright light, create some intimate shaded areas that are cooling, perhaps adding water features, and if it’s darker optimise the light as much as possible.

 

Functionality and style

Tighter terraces and gardens usually require space-saving ideas that can perform double functions or indeed fold away when not needed. In this way, you can design wonderful bespoke solutions made from wood that transform a bench into a table or sun lounger, with storage space for cushions under the seats. Instead of a fixed umbrella that takes up a lot of space, use a canvas cover that can be rolled back and forth and adjusted to your needs.

Create flower beds and creepers that add colour and vibrance without needing a lot of space, project ambient lighting against walls so that your small garden doesn’t look too enclosed, and add a small but attractive fountain whose trickling water produces both a sense of intimacy and transcends the space it’s in. If you have a nice view, make the most of it by turning it into a visual focal point with the help of taller trees or shrubs framing the vistas.

A table and benches built into a niche or wall makes good use of space, and forms the heart of a garden or terrace that exudes a sense of natural serenity enhanced by floral colours, textures and fragrances, complemented further by the trickling of water. Your benches provide storage space for comfy cushions and functional tools, while lighting (built into walls) and shades are adapted to the movement of the sun and the intimate feeling you want to create. Also, if you can’t extend your space horizontally, why not dig down a little and make a seating pit – besides being fun it really does add to the perception of area.

 

 

Sure, the kids may not be able to play football in such a space, but it will be a personal paradise in which to relax, entertain and add to your living area and quality of life. Use the walls well, for they are friends both in terms of flowering creepers, lighting effect and providing space for storage, and set your lounging and dining furniture against them for optimal space-saving.

Large trees, lawns and the elaborate garden features may be impossible, but sometimes a cosy, well-designed garden or terrace is even more enjoyable than a big one – and if you’ve outdone yourself with creativity and spatial efficiency there may even be room left for a hot tub or built-in barbecue!