Four Tips To Transform Your Tiny Garden For Spring And Summer
Does your home have a tiny garden? If you’re not naturally green fingered the lack of size may not be a problem. However, it’s not an excuse for not bothering to make the most of the outdoor space you do have. Giving your garden some attention doesn’t have to be taxing and it’s well worth making the effort. In fact, it could be the perfect Bank Holiday project. You’ll be glad you’ve done it once you see the transformation.
Did you know that having outdoor space can add up to 20% to the value of your home? Whether you want to make your tiny garden more attractive to enhance the quality of your outdoor living space, or you’re thinking of letting or selling the property, your efforts will be well rewarded. Here are 4 easy steps to get you there.
Declutter and repair
Start by clearing out your garden and get an overview of the actual space you’re dealing with. Get rid of any rubbish – dead plants, broken terracotta pots, unloved garden tools, unused bicycles and toys and any other random detritus. Next, jet wash the patio and fix any broken tiles, mow the lawn if there is any, and fix the fence if you have one. With just a few hours of elbow grease you will have made a significant impact and earned yourself a cup of tea. But don’t rest on your laurels just yet.
Add bursts of color
Your next job is to inject a bit of color into the garden. Spruce up a dull (though freshly cleaned!) garden wall with a new coat of paint in a sunny shade. White, cream or pastel color schemes have the most brightening and lightening effect in a small garden, but there’s nothing to stop you experimenting with a pop of color on an accent wall if the fancy takes you.
Adding more colour to a tiny garden has the effect of waking it up and making the environment more interesting. In addition to paint, use bright cushions, vibrant plant pots or tableware to create the beginnings of a welcoming oasis that you will want to spend time in.
A nice little trick to make your garden look bigger is to use a wall mounted garden mirror. Just remember to position the mirror so that it reflects lush greenery or other colorful vistas and not so that it reflects the sun directly.
Introduce furniture and fittings
However small your garden is, make sure there’s always room for somewhere to sit. You may not have space for a large table and chairs but how about a cute bistro table set for two? At the very least, a garden bench or a comfy garden chair should enable you to enjoy some alfresco living.
Where space is at a premium, it pays to think multifunctional. Choose a garden bench with useful storage, or an arbour where plants can grow over the top. A storage box could double up as a coffee table. You get the general idea.
If you’re lucky enough to have a small yet sunny garden, you need to think about sunshade too. Is there space for a parasol? Think of installing a wall-mounted awning above the patio doors as a space-saving and stylish feature that you can adjust according to your requirements.
Make an impact with easy planting
Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t need a lawn or flower beds, nor the maintenance that goes with them, to create a gorgeous garden. Use quirky pots, planters and hanging baskets to bring some of your personality to the space. Container gardening is a simple and manageable way to introduce interest through colors, textures and scents, and even wildlife, into your bijou outdoor space.
Nor do you need any particular gardening knowledge to make it work. Shop around for ready planted tubs and containers that would look great in your garden. All you have to do is to choose the perfect spot in your home where you can show them off. It really couldn’t be easier.
Finally, if you run out of space on the ground, the only way is up! Hanging baskets don’t need much space and can be planted depending on season, for minimum maintenance. Alternatively, find a garden wall or fence and plant easy garden climbers fixed to a trellis, or experiment with vertically arranged containers to create a green wall with a wow factor that will offer year-round interest.
