SMALL-SPACE GARDENING

Fantastic ideas and advice from Isabelle Palmer, The Balcony Gardener

Whether you have a balcony, small patio or a corner of a garden, it can still be an oasis of beauty.

With a few clever tricks and a little imagination, you can make it work, not just as a place to potter with plants, but also as a dining room or even a workspace.

Use containers as physical partitions  to break up or define areas. Lockable castors or pot movers are great for repositioning larger ones throughout the seasons. Keep the look simple, by using the same or complementary materials and colours, allowing the plants to stand out.

Add colour Paler shades make a space  look bigger, so place them in the foreground. Vibrant hues are thought to help boost creativity, so surround yourself with these if you’re working outside.

Natural sounds are  considered therapeutic, so plant grasses that will sway and rustle in the wind, or consider including a water feature.

Use lanterns or uplighters to  enhance trees or statement shrubs, as this will create a magical setting for relaxation or alfresco suppers, as well as giving a wonderful view from your living space after dark. Include butterfly and bee-loving  plants and install a small birdbox or feeding table to encourage our wild friends to visit. For Isabelle’s plant picks, see over the page. Follow her on instagram @thebalconygardener

French beans need a support or stakes. This Barrington domed plant support, £30, Garden Trading, is ideal – and will add a stylish touch to your containers.