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Small garden at home


15 ways to maximize your space |

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Small vegetable garden ideas can turn even the tiniest space into a productive patch.  If carefully planned, you can grow all kinds of crops, from tactile herbs, through to root vegetables and fruit trees. These small vegetable garden ideas will help you to transform your plot into a highly productive, small-scale garden.

Whether you are starting from scratch and looking for vegetable garden ideas or just seeking ways to get the most from your plot, these tips and design ideas will give you inspiration for the best layouts as well as the best and easiest vegetables to grow for the highest yields.

Small vegetable garden ideas

Nothing beats the satisfaction of harvesting your first ripe tomato or pulling up your first carrot from the soil – edibles can be grown in the smallest of plots and now is the perfect time to have a go. 

By incorporating a vegetable garden into your small garden ideas, you can increase the productivity of your space while still retaining a characterful and abundant garden scheme. It is also a great way to engage the younger generation when gardening with children. So take advantage of your tiny spaces to grow delicious options that will add a special homegrown flavor to your meals.

1. Opt for a multifunctional greenhouse

(Image credit: Gabriel Ash)

Greenhouse ideas form an essential part of the vegetable garden, letting you start off as many seedlings as your heart desires, without the challenge of predicting the frost or worrying about where they are going to live. The benefits are not just felt at the start of the growing season, either, as even an unheated greenhouse can delay the effects of frost by several weeks, letting you maximise the yield of crops – such as picking fresh tomatoes well into fall.

However, when it comes to planning a greenhouse for your small vegetable garden ideas, you will inevitably be faced with the need for compromise; the most common being between a shed and a greenhouse. Both have benefits but often the necessity of a shed's storage potential will outweigh the botanical benefits of a greenhouse. This does not have to be the case, though. If you’re struggling to choose between a greenhouse and others shed ideas then consider a design that combines both elements. Here, the shed lets you store all your gardening tools out of sight while the adjoining lean-to greenhouse gives you plenty of space to raise your crops, making it a clever, compact solution for more petite spaces.

'In the summer months, a small greenhouse can be used to grow any of the traditional greenhouse plants, such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, or herbs and start off seedlings which you can later transfer outdoors. During colder months, a mini-greenhouse can also be used to plant more temperature-sensitive crops,' explains expert at Hartley Botanic .

Once you've got your greenhouse up and running, discover the best food to grow in a greenhouse to help you on your way.

2. Make the most of vertical height with hanging baskets

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The best plants for hanging baskets aren't just trailing blooms, in fact hanging baskets can also be used to grow a wide range of vegetables, helping to increase the productivity of your small vegetable garden ideas.  

Taking up no ground space, they provide a versatile growing platform for a wide range of vegetables, working particularly well with cut and come again lettuce, rocket, and spinach as well as being able to be used for growing tomatoes or as herb planter ideas. Since the vegetables are elevated above the ground they are inaccessible to slugs, snails, rabbits and other animals who may decimate your crops when grown at ground level – protecting them from this helps to boost your yields.

3. Grow vegetables over your pergola

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Vertical garden ideas are a great way to go when designing your small vegetable garden ideas. Traditionally rambling roses or the best flowering climbers are the natural choices for training over a pergola, however, you can also use them to support vegetable vines. The best vegetables to pair with your pergola ideas are cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and beans as these require a support system in order to grow.

Growing your crops vertically will not only make the most of the available space but will also help to protect them from slugs and other pests – they are also easier to care for. 'When growing vegetables over a pergola, it is easier to reach the fruit as it grows,' explains Lindsey Hyland, founder of UrbanOrganic Yield . 'You'll also save on your garden's water consumption since the plant's roots are confined to a much smaller surface area.'

If you're wondering how to begin growing vegetables over a pergola, then learning how to grow cucumbers vertically is a great place to start.

4. Grow vegetables in pots

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Shady areas are often a problem in smaller gardens, however, vegetable garden container ideas offer the perfect solution as you can move them to follow the sun throughout the day. This means that you're not just limited to vegetables to grow in shade but in fact can grow a wide array of edibles in your small vegetable garden ideas. 

Gardening expert Carol Klein says: 'There are loads of vegetables you can grow in pots. Absolutely masses of them. All the salad crops you can grow so easily.'

Potted edibles and other container gardening ideas are particularly convenient for small vegetable garden ideas. They are particularly useful for vegetable gardens that  are part of balcony gardens or placed on patio ideas since they don't require borders or raised beds.

Planting a large container with a mix of flowers – particularly flowers that attract bees – and a range of crops, such as different salad leaves and chillies, is both decorative and practical. Regularly harvesting leaves of vegetables, such as chard, and lettuce planted in groups, will avoid crowding. 

5. Embrace grafted fruit trees to maximize space

(Image credit: Alamy)

You don’t have to have an orchard to be able to grow your own fruit. Dwarf fruit trees are some of the best trees for small gardens and can be planted directly into an ornamental bed, valued for their pretty blossom as well as fruit, and intermingled with roses as ideal companions.

There are plenty of dwarf varieties that will thrive as part of your small vegetable garden ideas or even as part of your container garden. From apples and pears through to cherries and apricots, there are dwarf varieties available for most of the best fruit trees meaning you don't have to miss out despite your small plot.

If you are really short of space however, consider grafted fruit trees. In duo fruit trees, two different trees are grafted onto a single root stock, this means you can have multiple varieties of fruit from one tree. For example, this tree combines apples and pears on a single trunk – talk about making the most of your space! To ensure your new tree has the best start in life be sure you know how to plant a fruit tree.

6. Grow crops that offer rich rewards

(Image credit: Future/Camilla Reynolds)

The trick for a successful small vegetable garden is to grow small amounts of different crops that offer big rewards. Opt for easy bumper crops like cut and come again salad leaves, chilli plants, fresh herbs, leafy greens, and super-sweet peas straight from the pod. 

‘Over the years certain plants and varieties have emerged as front runners in the time/reward ratio,’ says plantswoman Sarah Raven . ‘They’re the ones that are quick and easy to grow, so they will do well even if you don’t have much gardening experience. Whenever I’m asked by new grow-your-owners which plants to go for I say cut-and-come-again leaves every time.’

7. Use trellis for compact small vegetable garden ideas

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

A super-smart small vegetable garden idea is to try vegetable garden trellis ideas, to make the most of the space by using vertical surfaces to grow crops up – this is particularly useful if you are looking for ways to incorporate vegetable plants into courtyard garden ideas.

Add in some herbs, which make excellent potted plants and can also be beneficial for companion planting, and you could have all you need to rustle up a delicious homegrown meal at your fingertips.

8. Position a small vegetable garden near the kitchen

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

'Most of the plants going into vegetable patches are annuals. They are working with a short timescale and need to grow rapidly. To enable them to put on this performance, they need all the help they can get and plenty of food to fuel this growing process. That's only possible in full sun,' explains expert plantswoman Sarah Raven.

This small vegetable garden idea allows placement of the crops closer to the kitchen for ease of use, and so you can pay close attention to any pests and diseases.

9. Combine small vegetable garden ideas with blooms

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

If yours is a small garden, you will want to plan for the best of both worlds, combining small vegetable garden ideas with flower bed ideas. If this is the case, treat your vegetables just as you would other plants, growing three of the same vegetables alongside repeated flower planting to create an impactful, cohesive look. 

10. Build a raised bed vegetable garden

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Raised garden bed ideas are a popular way to grow edibles as part of small vegetable garden ideas.

Wood, brick or sleepers can be used to frame your bed, and there are plenty of kits on the market – or you can follow Monty Don's raised bed tips. Fill your beds with good-quality soil, and then add your fruit or vegetable crops.

You may like to plant in neat rows or decorative patterns for a mini potager effect, mixing in some companion planting. 

Rotating the crops ensures pests and diseases don’t build up, and also makes the nutrients added by one plant available to the subsequent plants. 

11. Look to vertical vegetable garden ideas to save space

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Experiment with climbing crops to make the most of space when you plan a small garden:

Do some research for a system that suits your location, and experiment with which crops work the best. In general, go for reliable choices, such as clumping and running herbs that regenerate after being cut back hard, red perilla, salad leaves, sugar snap peas, edible flowers and strawberries.

TOP TIP: If a wall is in a shady spot, it can also be painted white to reflect light back onto a climber, which will also make a small garden look bigger.

12. Plant a small vegetable garden amongst flowers

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Small vegetable garden ideas require a bit of creative thinking. Mix edibles among your flowerbeds to emulate the traditional potager cottage garden ideas of the past, where flowers, vegetables, herbs and fruit were planted wherever they fitted.  

The vegetable or fruit plants can blend attractively beside other plants. Decorative choices to tuck in for small vegetable garden ideas include frilly lettuces and cabbages, architectural cardoons, runner beans and peas scrambling up tepees, rainbow chard and feathery asparagus and fennel. 

An informal scheme, with scattered edibles, allows for staggered cropping and avoids the situation of feast or famine and patches of empty soil. 

Smaller edibles, such as chives, parsley and ferny-topped carrots, make attractive edging to garden beds. Perennial herbs look good year-round, such as sage and ground-covering thyme with its pretty flowers. 

Adding veg and fruit among your flowerbeds has a further practical advantage of creating a mosaic tapestry of colors and scents that confuses insect pests, making it difficult for them to find the veg or fruit they want to feed on. Flowering herbs will also attract beneficial insects.

WARNING: Be sure, though, to avoid space-loving fruit and vegetable plants that don’t play well with ornamentals, including berries and larger root vegetables like potatoes.

13. Grow for color in a small vegetable garden

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Of course you'll want to grow what you love to eat, what suits your space, its position and soil type, but if you choose to grow crops for color in small vegetable garden ideas, you will be rewarded two-fold with a tasty harvest that looks good while you are growing it. This rhubarb is a case in point.

14. Create a small vegetable garden in a window box

(Image credit: Future / Joanna Henderson)

Window and planter box ideas are most suited to low-growing kitchen garden edibles, such as herbs and salad leaves, and need to suit the conditions that prevail at your window. 

Planting ‘recipes’ to try include a mix of different mints, strawberries interspersed with parsley, or a one-stop salad garden with micro greens, salad leaves, chives, basil and edible flowers. 

15. Grow fruit trees in containers

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

It is possible to include a lot of fruit in your small vegetable garden ideas. Most fruit prefers a sunny position, making them ideal when planning roof garden ideas, but if your garden is in semi-shade, many of the choices below will still do well.

These can also be lovely growing in pots in a range of patio ideas, so they are close to hand when you're tempted to pluck a ripe fruit off the bush as you sit outside enjoying your garden.

Gooseberry bushes can be trained against a wall and do well in a large pot or container with regular watering and feeding. They love a sunny spot but will also fruit in shade and need a free-draining moist soil. Prune annually in late autumn or winter.

Strawberries are easy to grow in pots, in the border or hanging baskets. They need rich, fertile soil and a sunny spot. Plant bare-root runners in late spring to early summer. Keep the compost moist and feed when the flowers appear. 

Blueberries need an acid soil to do well so use well-drained ericaceous soil for containers. Don’t let it outgrow the space, and repot into a slightly larger size. Feed with a rhododendron fertilizer and water well. They are self-fertile and you could have a couple in containers that fruit at different times.

Apples can grow in pots. Select ones that have been grafted onto a container rootstock. M27 is the smallest dwarf size and M9 is still dwarfing but more vigorous. You can also espalier as step-overs or against a fence, or plant into a flowerbed. Options include Fiesta, Discovery, Sunset and Falstaff.

Citrus trees, such as lemons and kumquats, can be grown in containers outdoors in summer and over-wintered inside. Mix one part sand or grit to four parts soil potting mix. Use rainwater to water – ideal for sustainable small garden ideas.

What can I put in a small vegetable garden?

In small vegetable garden ideas, it is sensible to plant compact fruit and vegetable varieties that won't take up too much space - many seed and gardening websites list the best compact crops to grow in a restricted space.

Choose vegetable and fruit crops that can be continually harvested, which keeps them producing, rather than ones that are removed completely. Your space needs to be as productive as possible.

How do you start a small vegetable garden for beginners?

It is easy to start a small vegetable garden – there are plenty of small vegetable garden ideas to get your started – and before long you can be enjoying the taste and flavor of your own homegrown crops.

To grow well and be productive, vegetable and fruit plants ideally need: 

How do you lay out a small vegetable garden?

Stagger the planting for small vegetable garden ideas so there is always something to harvest. 

Longer-term crops, such as cabbages and broccoli, can be interplanted with faster-growing options, including cut-and-come-again salad mixes, pea shoots, mizuna, rocket and radishes, which are ready to eat from about six weeks from seed.  

Many crops can be continually picked, including cherry tomatoes, chillies, chard, beans and snow peas. 

For north-facing or spaces with less sunlight like some narrow, long gardens, try shade-tolerant edibles, such as spinach, chard, kale, rocket, sorrel, Asian and salad leaves, Alpine strawberries, rhubarb, currants, mint, bay, coriander, chives, parsley, chamomile and tarragon. 

Also take into account when to plant vegetables as well as where to place them, this will help you to design your small vegetable garden.

What vegetables can you grow in a small space?

There are many crops you can consider when planning small vegetable garden ideas, but here are some of the best crops for small spaces:

SALAD LEAVES AND LETTUCES are easy to grow, great for beginners and definitely taste better picked fresh. Cut-and-come-again leaves will give you a selection for weeks, months even, and by sowing a succession you can enjoy them through the year.

BEANS, including dwarf varieties, are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. They need full sun, good drainage and are frost sensitive, so plant after frosts have passed. Choose a pot at least 16 inches in diameter, and make a tripod using three sticks tied together.

KALE lasts well into winter. Just a few plants are enough to keep you in supply for nearly the whole year. They are frost hardy – in fact a light frost improves the flavor, making leaves that may have become bitter at the end of summer, sweeter.

BEETROOT seeds are a cluster of four or five separate seeds, so planting a single seed in a 5-liter pot can yield a number of plants – ideal for small vegetable garden ideas. Look for smaller baby beets for growing in containers. Grow in full sun, although they can survive some shade. 

CHARD is very productive as well as stunning to look at, and the leaves are cut-and-come-again so won’t leave holes in your ornamental planting.  

TOMATOES, especially the mini varieties, grow well in pots, grow bags and hanging baskets. Plant young plants in May, water evenly and feed with a tomato fertilizer for continuing cropping, and consider the best crops for tomato companion planting.

CURRANTS are space saving trained on walls, or can also be grown in containers. They prefer well-drained, moisture-retentive soil in full sun, but tolerate part shade. Water well in dry periods, prune when dormant and harvest them in clusters.  

This feature was created by H&G's sister brand, Period Living magazine

Subscribe to Period Living for more inspiration Period Living is the UK's best-selling period homes magazine. A subscription provides you with all you need to know about caring for and improving a traditional house and garden.

Leigh Clapp is a professional photographer with over 25 years experience, primarily as a garden specialist photojournalist but also with food and travel.  She delights in exploring gardens, discovering the tiny elements to their overall essence and meeting lots of enthusiastic gardeners along the way. Leigh’s work appears in magazines, newspapers and books, both in the UK and abroad, including Period Living, Country Life, and Gardens Illustrated; as well as being sole photographer for a number of books, including Garden Details, Feng Shui in the Garden, Vertical Gardens and From the Garden – fresh seasonal cooking.

52 Best Small Garden Ideas

Rosmarie WirzGetty Images

While outfitting a small outdoor space can be challenging, it's certainly achievable. With a little creativity and a few clever design tricks to maximize space, there are so many small garden ideas to be inspired by. Double-duty patio furniture, vertical gardens and unique planters are just some of the simple and budget-friendly ways to make the most of your small garden.

If you're not sure where to begin before the warm weather arrives in your area, you'll appreciate this selection of inspirational landscaping tips and hacks that are too good not to try. Bonus: We've included an impressive range of DIY small garden projects from some of our favorite lifestyle bloggers. This list is full of genius ideas for balconies, tiny backyards, petite patios — you name it! In short, you don't have to call Versailles home to design a stunning outdoor space: Even with a small patch of green, the plants, flowers and landscaping ideas here will make your small garden fit for a queen.

A Beautiful Mess

1 of 52

Vertical Herb Garden

Whether you have a small yard or lack outdoor space altogether, a vertical garden can be a charming addition. You can create one on your own with landscape fabric and copper pipe.

Get the tutorial at A Beautiful Mess »

Bless'er House

2 of 52

Repurposed Shelf Garden Box

If you're partial to vintage-inspired decor and happen to have an old shelf that's been collecting dust in your home, consider turning it into a garden box. It's the perfect spot for herbs like mint, thyme and parsley.

Get the tutorial at Bless'er House »

Scared Thoughts of a Crafty Mom

3 of 52

DIY Bubble Fountain

With just a few supplies, including a submersible pump, a waterproof pot and decorative river rocks, you can make your garden more zen with an eye-catching DIY bubble fountain.

Get the tutorial at Scared Thoughts of a Crafty Mom »

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Mistana

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If you've been longing to give vertical gardening a try, now's your chance. Go for one or two planters, depending on just how green your thumb is.

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H&M

Large Metal Candle Lantern

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Lighting is important for an outdoor space, especially if it's on the small side. Illuminate yours with this stylish metal lantern that fits one large pillar candle.

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Herb Garden

There's something special about an orderly display of potted plants, especially when they're in vibrant colors that showcase the beauty of the season.

Get the tutorial at A Beautiful Mess »

Sugar & Cloth

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Faux Grass Stepping Stones

You might not have a huge lawn, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a bit of grass — even if it's faux. These faux grass stepping stones are inexpensive to make on your own.

Get the tutorial at Sugar & Cloth »

Crafts by Amanda

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Mason Jar Planters

Add a country-chic touch to your garden with these mason jar planters (pint or quart size), which are perfect for herbs of all kinds.

Get the tutorial at Crafts by Amanda »

9 of 52

Safavieh

Stella Glazed Ceramic Decorative Garden Stool

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You can't go wrong with a versatile piece of decor like this garden stool that works for resting drinks, reading material or even a plant or two. Plus, it's designed to withstand the elements, which means you'll be able to use it season after season.

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Terrain

Canvas Carry-All Garden Stool

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Small gardens call for double-duty essentials. The perfect example? This nifty tool bag that doubles as a foldable chair.

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Lattice Green Wall

Obsessed with lattice? For an unexpected touch to your garden, let the pattern set the foundation for a green wall.

Lisa Romerein

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Fold-Out Shelf

Brian Woodcock

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Patterned Hanging Planters

andreusKGetty Images

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Hammock

Play up your garden's cozy factor with a stylish hammock, designed for an afternoon nap or getting lost in a good book.

Alex LevineGetty Images

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Globe String Lights

Any outdoor gathering would be so much more fun if classic string lights are in the mix, whether you choose to hang them on a fence or under a pergola.

Courtesy of manufacturer

16 of 52

Fence Planters

Window boxes can be used in so many creative ways. Fill one with vibrant blooms—a great match for a white picket fence.

GAP Photos/Clive Nichols

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Vibrant Chairs

Outfitting a small space doesn't mean you have to settle for drab furniture. The brighter, the better is the way to go to bring your space to life.

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Sol 72 Outdoor

Aanya Hardwood Dark Red Meranti Potting Bench

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With a roomy shelf underneath, this wood piece doubles as a mini garden "shed" for storage.

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Society6

Floral Still Life Sling Chair

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When it comes to an impromptu yard game, consider folding furniture, like this floral style, to easily free up space in an instant.

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20 of 52

Square Foot Gardening

This highly efficient method divides raised beds into a grid. Vegetables then get planted in one or more squares at a density based on plant size (e.g., you’d plant about 16 radish seeds per square, but only one tomato plant).

RELATED: The Pros and Cons of Square Foot Gardening

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Buy Ecopots Hanging Pot

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Ditch those unsightly plastic hanging pots for a sleek bowl like this waterproof design that's available in four colors: charcoal, stone, clay and slate.

Mike Garten

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Flower-Filled Planters

Instantly boost your home’s curb appeal with bright blooms on each side of your front door. Expecting guests? Steal these tricks
from our home team: Add stems from a supermarket bouquet for extra fullness and mint for a fragrant burst.

Buff Strickland

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Container Gardening

SHOP POTS

Green up your patio or deck with oversized terracotta or plastic planters overflowing with anything from tomatoes to wildflowers. (The lush lineup here creates a pretty privacy wall!)

RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About Container Gardening

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Potted Fruit Trees

SHOP ORANGE TREES

If you've got a tiny patio or balcony, you can grow a fruit tree. Calamondin orange or fig trees especially do well in pots at least 1 foot in diameter and 1 foot deep. Just watch out: Choose a variety that can survive at least two zones colder than where you live, because planters will freeze faster than the ground.

RELATED: 8 Fruit Trees You Can Grow Right on Your Porch

nicolas_Getty Images

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Companion Planting

Placing flowers and veggies together in the same beds doesn't just save space. It'll help boost your yields and keep plants happy by attracting more pollinators.

Mike Garten

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Fairy Garden

Think small — really small — with this adorable project. Outfitted with a mini birdhouse, rustic stones, and teeny-tiny accessories, this planter is the perfect thing to make with kids.

Get the tutorial »

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The Backyard Homestead

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If you have ¼ acre of land (or even less!), you can produce your own vegetables, fruits, grains, eggs, and more — this book shares garden plans, landscaping tips, planting tricks, chicken coop ideas, and more.

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Dwarf Trees

Averaging about 15 feet tall and wide, many ornamental or dwarf tree varieties can handle tiny spaces. Crowd-pleasers like dogwoods, camellias, crepe myrtle, and crabapples offer both flowers and foliage too.

RELATED: The 9 Best Trees for Small Yards

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AMAZON BEST SELLER

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Mid Century Plant Stands

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Amazon shoppers are obsessed with this cute wooden plant stand that can fit just about anywhere. Consider your yard officially Instagrammable. (Note: The plant and pot is not included. )

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Habit + Form Rectangle Trough

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If your outdoor dining spot could use a little green, try adding one of these long planters to the table. The cold-rolled steel can stand up to the elements, and succulents will adapt to even the shallowest containers.

How to make a small garden visually more spacious: 10 clever tricks

1 Move large plants closer to the house

Large trees and shrubs at the edges of the site will hide its contents from strangers, but if the area is small, they will deprive the sun and create the feeling of a box. Therefore, it is better to limit yourself to a low hedge and flowers along the edges of the garden, and plant high volumetric trees closer to the house and other buildings. This has its own plus: in the hot summer, they will cast a shadow on the house, helping to avoid too much heating. nine0005

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2 Zoning the space

A clear division of a small garden into several small components makes it visually more spacious. To do this, you can use, for example, a different lawn pattern. Dividing into zones with a low decorative stone wall or hedge is also suitable.

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3 Leave the center of the site open

Determine the visual center of the site and try to leave it open, this solution will create the effect of space and air. You can install a deck chair in this place and make a recreation area. Try to add some bright accent to this area: a parasol, a garden sculpture, or a miniature flower bed with bright flowers.

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4 Planting Trees with Uplifted Branches

When choosing trees to plant, look for those with upward branches, such as softwoods. A weeping willow with a lush crown hanging down will look better in a spacious area.

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It is not necessary to design a pond that looks like a natural one; a shallow pond of a regular rectangular shape will also look interesting. nine0005

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6 Lay winding paths

Try laying winding narrow paths around the garden from small tiles so that it is not immediately visible where they lead. This will make the landscape more interesting and make it possible to walk around the garden without spoiling the lawn.

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7 Plant a mini-alley

A small plot is not a reason to completely abandon trees and alleys. Choose varieties with an elongated thin trunk and a crown that can be shaped neatly. Such an alley will fit beautifully even in the smallest garden. For her, the holly maple Globosum, catalpa bignoniform and pink shrub Schneewittchen are suitable.

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8 Rhyme plants in different parts of the garden

Plant plants with colored leaves, such as barberry or red-leaved photinia, on different sides of the plot. The site will look more spacious due to these overlapping shades.

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9 Create perspective

If possible, try to plan paths and planting trees and shrubs so that you cannot stand at one end of the garden and immediately see the other. So it will look more spacious and it will be more interesting to walk along it. nine0005

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10 Arrange islands in the middle of the lawn

If your area is covered with a lawn, do not forget to arrange low islands with dwarf shrubs and flowers. They will break up the space and make it visually larger.

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Prepared by

Maria Revina

Planning a small garden: how to plan a small garden so that everything fits in

So, you have finally bought (inherited or received from the state, under the program to support large families) a precious plot of land. The first thought is to move in as soon as possible: to repair or build a house, and do everything else later, over time. But therein lies a huge mistake. Firstly, without a well-thought-out plan, you can do something that will be difficult to fix later. And secondly, there is nothing more permanent than temporary. Therefore, it is necessary to master the site in stages. nine0005

David Scott Interiors

1. Draw a plan
First, determine the cardinal directions. First of all, this will be useful to you when designing a house (if it is not already on the site), so that it does not have purely southern or purely northern windows - it will be uncomfortable to live in this. Also, the orientation of the site is important when arranging the plants. Some will be comfortable only in the shade, on the north side, others need the sun to grow.

ABOUT IT…

  • Garden shade plants
  • Garden sun plants

How to do it? Of course, you can look for moss in old trees or watch the sunrise when you are on the site (just kidding). The easiest way is to fill in the cadastral number of your site on the site of the public cadastral map: all plans on the site are placed so that the north is always at the top. This will help you get oriented.

Smart Garden

2. Make a wish list
Be sure to interview all family members who will live or visit the site for an extended period of time. Yes, the territory can be only two acres, and you have to choose. But having such a list makes it easier to come to compromises. In your wishes, take into account the number of cars, the number of beds, gazebos, greenhouses ... Maybe someone wants a playground, a pool and a slide? Or do you need a place to play chess, a Japanese garden, and a corner to sleep outside? We write everything! nine0005

3. Think of a building plan
Take a list and think about what you can put in your house out of everything you want? Large buildings such as a garage and baths will “eat up” all the free space of the site. In addition, it will be very difficult to arrange them according to the law: with regulatory indents from neighboring plots and legally laid communications (after all, making a sewer drain from a bathhouse to neighbors is not our way, right?).

For example, if a house is just being planned, look for projects with a garage and a terrace - this will save a lot of space! You can find projects of houses with an attached greenhouse or winter garden. And even with a compact steam room / sauna - then you don’t have to put a separate bath on the site. nine0005

Kitchen Architecture Ltd

In the photo: how do you like this idea - a winter garden as a "passage vestibule" between the house and the summer kitchen?

World Wide Stereo

Pictured: Greenhouse and conservatory attached to summer kitchen

Mark Hickman Homes

Tip: When designing your home, don't forget storage space for garden tools. It can be located next to the garage or just in the house - with its own exit to the street. nine0005

It is also convenient to remove water here - to make a washing area for dug up vegetables, dirty boots and choppers. If the house is already standing, then a terrace and a storage cabinet for inventory can be attached. Or arrange in the manner of a built-in wardrobe, “deepening” into the house (example in the photo).

Tom Howard Garden Design and Landscaping

In the photo: it’s hard to even immediately see that the hedge hides a utility room for storing utensils in the far part of the site

Agava-M Landscaping your site

4. Find a space for a garden
Consider how many beds you need. It all depends on the purpose and size of the site. If you are going to eat from your beds, of course, you will need a significant amount of them. If you plan to mainly relax in the country, then only two or three will suffice.

Fact: To design a garden on the plan, you need to find a southern sunny place and arrange the beds from north to south with a long side.

Designscape Inc. nine0005

Take a closer look at the house! If he has the desired sunny side, then the garden can be organized right next to the blind area. The house will protect the landings from the wind, proximity to communications will enable the withdrawal of water and electricity.

The shape of the garden can be any, make the garden beautiful! The beds can be square, rectangular, triangular, can be sectors of a circle, or even arranged in a tape along the path. Which will be the most compact and suitable for you? Draw different options! It is important to remember that the width of a full-sized bed should be 0.7–1.0 m, and the spacing 0.4–0.7 m (for high beds, the distance should be greater). nine0005

CplusC Architectural Workshop

Tip: If the site is very small, you can arrange a mini-garden in long planters by hanging them on the wall of any building. Just keep in mind that the earth in a flower pot bakes faster in the sun and freezes faster during frosts. Therefore, it is better to place such mini-beds in a small shade - for example, next to a tree with small leaves and a loose crown. And for the time of frost, the pots should be brought into a warm room (immediately think over exactly where you will put it). nine0005

Made of Wood

In the photo: an example of a combination of boxes for growing greenery and a garden gazebo

cruse consultants

In the photo: a flower bed in a container outside the window is no worse than the usual

In the photo: we are certainly not in Los Angeles, but container gardening is quite applicable in the Russian climate

The Garden Builders

5. Plan the remaining zones
Here you can (and should) show your imagination. Do not scatter sites throughout the site or “glue” them all to the fence. Try to choose a pair of sites that are far from each other and combine the maximum number of zones on them.

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Urban Botanics

Why waste such a design? If you extend the roof rails a little and make a few additional pillars, then you can hang a swing or a rope for children on such a pergola. The side wall of the canopy can be designed in the form of a chalk board, immediately place a sandbox. And now the parking lot is combined with a playground. Perhaps someone will be confused by the proximity of the playground to the car park. But think about how often you have cars with a running engine in your country house? nine0115

Jarret Yoshida Design

The seating area is conveniently located in the center of the site. From other areas, such as a garden, it can be closed with a wooden lath wall. And on the other hand, decorate with beautiful plants or hedges.

To save space, it is better to place the hozblok next to the greenhouse or garden - on the north side, so as not to interfere with the plants. Garden pergolas for climbing plants (cucumbers, beans, peas) can also be used for zoning or hanging various chairs and hammocks. Such pergolas are made more capital, made of wood or metal, with metal mesh or wooden slats! nine0005

Studio TOOP

Photo idea: garden as a room concept

Terra Ferma Landscapes

6. Select plants
It is good if the buildings can be placed so that the entire garden is not visible from one point. If this was not possible, the role of visual screens can be given to plants. Place small plants closer to the paths, taller plants in depth. At the same time, do not forget about the sun and the location of the shade: if light-loving small plants are shaded by large ones, then it will be difficult to expect complete decorativeness from them. nine0005

It is difficult to place a separate orchard on a small plot, so fruit trees can be planted throughout the plot, especially since there are very decorative varieties. What could be more beautiful than the spring flowering of apple and cherry trees? Yes, and fruit bushes (irga, honeysuckle, red currant, wild rose, chokeberry) will also easily fit into the decorative edge.

Craig Bergmann Landscape Design

Even garden crops can fit into a decorative mixborder: cabbage, beet tops, dill umbrellas will look good in a flower garden. In addition, this is a fashionable trend in landscape design. It is better to have dill and sorrel in the flower garden than roses and astilbes planted in the form of a bed. nine0005

If there is absolutely no place for planting, again, look at the tubs and vines. A group of tubs and flowerpots on the terrace and lawn, hanging planters - will perfectly cope with the role of landscaping. A pergola with climbing plants does not take up much space.

Tip: Make a calendar of plant care: when to water, when to feed, when to prune. Divide responsibilities among family members. An abandoned garden with dried flowers and neglected shrubs will visually appear much smaller than its well-groomed counterpart. nine0005

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Chris Snook

Photo: When there's not enough land, plan your gardening vertically. Watch the full footage of this British project - there are a couple of acres at the most. But the garden seems solid if not spacious

Agence Faure

Landscaping Solutions

7. Do you need a lawn?
Sometimes it happens that the lawn is not destined to appear on the site: tall old fir trees, numerous dogs, the northern slope ... In this case, you can use small gravel backfilling or lay flagstone with small gaps filled with granite chips - this is very beautiful and convenient. Or even make a wooden flooring. It will be a real green room under the open sky. The absence of a lawn will not affect comfort, will not make the site visually smaller, but it will save you from many problems. After all, even a small lawn with a lawn requires a lot of care and does not tolerate constant trampling and the presence of dogs. nine0005

Frings Garten GmbH

8. What to do with garden waste
A small garden should never be littered. Consider a storage system for logging residues and uprooted weeds: these can be neatly decorated free-standing tanks or a dedicated place near the garage or hozblok. If you decide to make your own compost, consider installing a compost bin.

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Good question: How to make compost in the country and not overwork

Charlotte Rowe Garden Design

9. Add light…
Once you have planned all the necessary areas, decided on the number and type of plantings, it's time to plan the light. Depth and volume in the garden are created not only by properly located buildings and plants, but also by lighting. Let accent plants, paths, retaining walls be highlighted (this is not only beauty, but also safety).

FineLines Design Studio

Lead waterproof sockets to the playground and recreation area to connect the garlands. It’s a good idea to put an outlet near a spruce or fir - and in winter create your own New Year’s miracle. nine0005

And in the summer, these sockets can be used for electric lawn mowers or brush cutters. Do not neglect decorative light even in the tiniest gardens: lighting can work wonders.

Architectural Bureau of Oksana Kostyuchenko&C

10. …and textiles
Also, don't be afraid to use textiles and decor in the garden! Pillows, blankets, rugs, candles, bird dishes, birdhouses - there are a lot of options, not only garden gnomes and wicker cars .

Learn more