10 ideas to create a beautiful garden in a small space

Sunita Vellapally Sunita Vellapally
Mostra de Ambientes de Sete Lagoas - Cozinha Gourmet e Área Livre de Lazer, Lider Interiores Lider Interiores Modern Garden
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A beautiful lawn, lush greenery, colourful flowers and comfortable seating are the essential components of a lovely courtyard or patio. However, quite often, an outdoor space is neglected because it is considered too small, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Take a look at the 10 professionally designed courtyards featured in this ideabook, and you will realize that your small outdoor space can be converted into a relaxing oasis. Copy some of the ideas if you like, and create a charming patio in your home.

1. Miniature garden

Think small when you are creating a garden from a tiny space. Instead of planting grass all over the area, make a narrow pathway using gravel and place a low seat as well as dwarf trees to create a miniature garden that is cute and charming.

2. Infuse with freshness and natural materials

Use natural materials such as wood, bamboo and stone to create a relaxing ambiance. Place taller plants along the border and add hanging pots and a few planters with green plants or colourful flowers.

3. Go minimalist

One of the easiest solutions for making a small area look spacious is to decorate with a single colour. White gives a modern minimalist look to the courtyard. Keep the foliage to a bare minimum and carry through the white to the furniture to achieve a cool look. Trail a flowering creeper on a trellis for a splash of colour.

4. Create a tropical highlight

Utilize the small area to create a tropical garden with a slatted wood wall, bamboo and clay urn water feature as well as palms and ferns. Place pebbles to create a walking path where you can step out to enjoy the greenery.

5. Flower borders

The burst of colour that flowers bring to the garden is uplifting to the soul. For a small space, another great solution is to place the seating in the centre and surround it with flowering plants grown in planters or trailed on a trellis.

6. Wood as decor

For a terrace that extends to a small open space that has a lawn, trees and shrubs, you can create a wooden pathway with tree trunks to provide an interesting relief from the shades of green. It doesn’t have to be real wood. Faux tree trunks can work just as well.

7. Rustic charm

If you prefer to use the small yard as a seating area, you can create a relaxing rustic theme with cane swing chairs, a matching coffee table and cane lampshades. Drape sheer curtains at the side for a lovely whimsical feel.

8. Textures on the wall

Don’t let the narrowness of an open area prevent you from converting it into a relaxing zone. Place the seating against the wall. Use floating shelves for planters to keep the floor space uncluttered, and add interest to the area by using different textures on the wall such as cladding or stucco coating.

9. Go vertical

If the space is too small for more than a plant border, you can consider building vertical shelves or ledges on which pots and planters can be placed.

10. Create depth using lighting

When the space is too small for infusing it with greenery, you can play with the lighting to create depth and make the area look more spacious. This lovely patio has diffused lighting on the ceiling, hanging lampshades as well as tiny spotlights from the built-in concrete benches.

For more ideas on using lighting to decorate your home, see Lighting Ideas for Every Mood.

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