Don’t lose your garden just because you’ve downsized – you can still make an impressive impact in a tiny space!
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creating a little garden – on a balcony or courtyard – allows you to stretch your imagination, especially if you have moved from sprawling, park-like grounds. You no longer have to think about plants that just fill a space, but those you do choose need to make an impact without being too dominating. A bonus of working in a small space is you can put in little things – be they plants or garden art – with the intricacy and detail that would be missed in a more expansive area. So don’t think of a small garden as a challenge. Instead, think about how it can allow you to unleash your imagination!
IF YOU LIKE IT HOT
A small bush with furry foliage makes a quiet statement in a small space, but the Uruguayan firecracker (Dicliptera suberecta) is all roar during summer and autumn.
love your neighbours!
Look at all those trees! When your garden is confined within a courtyard, broaden your horizons to include your neighbours’ plants in your view. There’s no need to worry about care, responsibility or the chore of raking up leaves. Just trim your box hedge, prune your patch and sip a drink as you enjoy the scene.
go high-rise
A design trick for small gardens is to aim tall and skinny – and to think out of the box. A row of bananas with their lower leaves trimmed doesn’t impose on the limited space. Add different foliage at ground level with mass plantings of shade-loving bromeliads. Then top the scene with a flowering shrimp plant (Beloperone gu ata).
ABOVE LEFT Create a vertical garden without effort, such as air plants on a bright ladder. ABOVE TOP RIGHT Tall plants such as delphiniums, with their long clusters of power flowers, bring seasonal change to a garden. ABOVE BOTTOM RIGHT Begonia flowers are so prey, and you have the year-long privilege of their foliage. BELOW LEFT Put art or memorabilia in your garden – especially things that have special meaning for you. BELOW CENTRE Begonias are renowned for their showy leaves, so the flower clusters are a prey bonus. BELOW RIGHT A red-leafed cordyline adds dramatic colour and height.