Tactfully Tiny - How to Make the Most of a Small Garden

Size isn’t everything. Sometimes the smallest of things still bring us great amounts of pleasure, and just because you might not have the space for a large garden with a variety of flowers, herbs and vegetables, there is still a lot you can do with just a little space.

Plant a Garden of Pots

Make the most of your outdoor living area by creating a garden of pot plants. This is a low-maintenance approach to creating a garden that doesn’t need a garden bed. So, if you have a small paved area then add lots of pots filled with everything from flowers to bushy trees and create a luscious green outdoor living space that you can enjoy and rearrange as it pleases you. Another great thing about using pots is that if you feel a plant could do with a little more, or a little less, sunlight, then all you have to do is lift it across to the other side of your outdoor living space.

Boxed Garden Beds

If you do have room for a small garden bed, it doesn’t necessarily have to be dug into the ground. Turning an old pallet, crate, or wooden box into a veggie garden is becoming more and more commonplace and it’s a great way to create a small, neat garden bed without having to dig up the ground. This is especially handy if you are renting your house and aren’t allowed to start excavating whenever you please. Once you have your boxed garden bed in place, then put your watering can away and get a simple irrigation system and irrigation controller online with make your little veggie garden thrive, allowing you to reap the rewards all year long.

Create a Living Wall

If you’re tight on space, then why not start climbing the walls. Green walls don’t have to be inclusively used by designer interiors on Instagram and office block foyers. There’s nothing to stop you creating a green wall in your small yard by planting a range of small plants in a structure that is attached to the wall. Fruits and vegetables like cherry tomatoes and strawberries do great on green walls, as well as herbs and grasses. Anything that isn’t too heavy, or that likes to climb will be perfect for your green wall.

Kitchen Window Planter Boxes

When looking to maximise your space one great idea is to use sleepers to create troughs under your kitchen window. These make great planters to grow herbs, and the best thing is the convenience. All you need to do is open your window, reach out and grab a handful of basil or oregano to throw into your latest pasta dish. The shade from awnings and the ease you will have watering these planters from your kitchen window should also help keep them alive and thriving.

Mind the Furniture

Garden furniture takes up a lot of space, so if you are trying to maximise the greenery in your outdoor area try to think about how you can double up. A garden bed could be raised to double up as a coffee table or even bench. Shelving can be used to house pots as well as garden utensils. The more creative you can get with combining your furniture with your garden, the better. Japanese gardens can offer some great inspiration for creating neat areas that can be used for wandering or sitting and thinking.

Get creative, mix and match, and don’t be afraid to rip off ideas from a variety of sources to create your own little green haven. You don’t have to have a lot of room to really enjoy the benefits of inviting vegetation into your home.