With many people downsizing their living spaces these days, there’s a renewed interest in small space gardening. Just because you don’t have an expansive natural canvas upon which to paint doesn’t mean you can’t render a landscaping masterpiece that packs a lot of aesthetic punch in a reduced square footage. In fact, when properly managed, the condensed space of a small garden can amplify the effects of careful, well-planned design and make the garden even more impactful. When it comes to making the most of a small space, landscaping design in Houston is key to creating a memorable garden feature.
Designing in a small space can be a challenge, however, as every element must count, and nothing can be wasted. Whether it’s the plantings, hardscaping, or natural features, you want every component to resonate and support your design. Fortunately, there are some well-tested tips that you can use to make the most of small spaces. Keep reading to learn a few tips that can help you transform your small garden space.
Take It to the Next Level
When you’re working with a small space, it’s easy to feel restricted by the 2-dimensional square footage that may be available. However, why confine yourself to one plane when there is much more available space if you garden vertically? Height can be a game-changer in a small garden, and it’s worth the effort to come up with novel ways to use it. It may mean incorporating taller-tier plantings in your design, adding hanging baskets of cascading blooms, or planting trees to create multiple levels of growth. When your goal is to take a small garden space and fill it, don’t forget that your design can extend upwards as well as outwards.
Carve Your Niche
Compartmentalization is a common feature in many larger gardens, but it also works on a smaller scale in tighter spaces. Have you ever seen an alcove in a large garden that seems almost enclosed into a world of its own, such as a sheltered koi pond or meditation garden? Such spaces create interest in the garden and can make the space feel larger. You can do the same thing in a smaller garden by enclosing features and creating niches that will make your garden appear much larger than it really is. Start a small statue or water feature and build your alcove out from there with plantings and hardscaping.
Let the Color Pop
Another visual trick for magnifying the effects of a small garden is to splash bright colors throughout. Vivid color has a dramatic impact on the visual of your garden. Dark shades and shadow make your garden looks smaller, but by introducing light shades such as yellow, orange, and red in concentrated plantings, you can trick the eye into seeing additional light, which will, in turn, make the garden look larger than it is. If you want your garden to look more intimate, include darker-hued reds and oranges. Blues and purples provide a cooling effect on the landscape palette, but they also help make a small space seem larger.
Contain Your Design
While containers may be used sparingly in larger gardens, they can become a primary feature in a small space. Not only does container planting in a small garden give you total control over the spread of the plants you’re using, but it also allows you the ability to change your design up at will by simply moving the planters. Using containers in a small garden can help reduce the maintenance workload as well, which is nice when you’re already managed a small plot. There’s also the added aesthetic benefit that’s offered by container gardening, as you can incorporate a wide assortment of artistically rendered containers into your space.
Just because your garden space is small, that doesn’t mean your landscaping in Houston has to be restricted and lackluster. By incorporating these tips when planning your plot, you can maximize the available space and create a garden that will be the centerpiece of your landscape. To learn more about transforming your small garden space, contact Natural Wonders Landscaping at (832) 755-1384.
