Small is beautiful

A tiny garden may seem like a challenge, but it has its advantages, too. This compact, enclosed space has been transformed into a cosy outdoor room

Turn a tiny outdoor space into a welcoming place to unwind

When My Mindful Home blog founder Marlène Fao and her partner moved into their house, the garden was a neglected grey box with mismatched, worn-out timber boundaries. In her new book, Green, Ula Maria shows how they slowly rebuilt it themselves and created the perfect place to unwind.

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF A SMALLER SPACE

CHOOSE PLANTS THAT REFLECT

THE STYLE OF GARDEN you’re trying to create. Here, a Mediterranean feel has been evoked by planting lavender, thyme, rosemary and olive trees – a celebration of the southern French landscape.

PAINT SURFACES IN A SINGLE COLOUR or two closely related tones, to help blur the garden’s boundaries and make it feel bigger. This works especially well if you have a mixture of walls and fences and you want to create a more unified look. In this garden, Marlène has used soft shades of lavender and white on the decking and boundaries.

INVEST IN KEY PIECES OF GARDEN FURNITURE that you’ll use regularly. There’s no better way to de-stress than by spending an afternoon daydreaming on a large, comfortable garden sofa while soaking up the sunshine.

CHOOSE ACCESSORIES THAT WILL MAKE THE SPACE FEEL MORE COSY. An outdoor rug, candles, lanterns and a drinks trolley or cart will inject the garden with personality and give it a homely feel, without breaking the bank.

• Adapted from Green: Simple Ideas For Small Outdoor Spaces (Mitchell Beazley,

£16) by Ula Maria

‘I love the smell of lavender and rosemary, and the calmness of the Stipa grass’ ‘This DIY garden was designed to be functional and low maintenance,’ says Marlène. ‘We measured it a few times to make sure the furniture and flower bed would fit. The raised bed was made by us with oak timbers, and we painted everything ourselves. For a first garden, we are really proud of it!’

CREATING A COSY CORNER Marlène has covered the back fence with a custom-built steel grid that she hopes will eventually become overgrown with climbing plants. Outdoor rugs are on-trend and are especially great for smaller city gardens, as they help to extend the indoor space outdoors.

PLANT POWER The long, narrow raised bed is home to a display of Mediterranean plants, including robust olive trees. ‘I love the smell of lavender and rosemary, the olive trees, and the calmness of the Stipa grass in the wind,’ says Marlène.

LIGHT FANTASTIC Candles and lanterns conjure up an enchanting atmosphere for a cosy summer evening in the garden.