SMALL GARDEN IDEAS TO MAXIMISE SPACE

Those of you who have been living on the North Coast for several years, will have noticed a definite shift towards more apartment-style living with smaller gardens , mainly in courtyards or around ground floor apartments.

With this in mind, we offer our TOP 5 TIPS on how to maximise your space in a small garden:

1. USE SPLIT LEVELS

Raised and sunken levels in gardens have been around for centuries but with some clever modern adaptions in materials used, they help us to make great use of a small space. Consider how a set of wooden stairs leading down to a grassed area, with concrete seating and a table as the centre piece, creates a very useful, peaceful space.

Equally, walking out up onto a raised deck, arranged with containers dripping with aromatic Jasmyn creepers, to watch the sunrise or sunset, ads a ‘country feel’ to any small garden. Click here for a great article on raised deck ideas by SA Garden and Home magazine.

Different levels created using different materials, add different depth perspectives, shows a creative flair and adds a spacious feel. Create split levels by using retaining wall blocks, wooden planting boxes, small concrete walls, wooden decking, or even rock or stone packed walls.

2. CLEVER USE OF LIGHTS

In a small garden, integrated lighting will add a charming elegance and an element of depth. Use of lighting will also mean that you get to use your garden in the evenings, thereby giving it additional life.

There are various lights or lighting effects that you can use in your small garden:

• Smart spotlights that are sensor-activated

• Solar lighting along pathways or other areas that get lots of daylight to power the solar

• Uplighters that can accentuate your building design

• Lighting inside or around water features

• Fairy lights hung from roofs or around structures like pillars

• Candles! Don’t forget what a wonderfully romantic effect a candle has in a secluded garden on a starry night

3. FIRE PITS

Don’t you just LOVE sitting around a warm fireplace with friends on a cool crisp evening?  Firepits add an attractive flair to any outdoor area.

If you’re building a fire pit, remember these 3 safety tips:

• They  should be constructed from fireproof material on a flat, level area away from any trees, shrubs or buildings

• Surround them with a border of sand,  gravel or stones. 

• Find out what the building regulations are in your area applicable to building a fire pit, and adhere strictly to them 

4. USE GRAVEL INSTEAD OF GRASS

Small gardens lend themselves to low-maintenance areas. It would thus be wise to consider replacing higher-maintenance grass with gravel or concrete pavers. The great thing about gravel and concrete pavers is that you can tailor the colour of the stone and or the pavers to suit your chosen palette. Gravel and stone paving come in all colours, and great contrast can be achieved using terracotta or white pebble stones against the bright colours of your outdoor seating, or the soft gentle green or your garden.

5. POTS AND HANGING BASKETS

Of course, don’t forget the plants! It’s easy to get really creative with container gardening in a small garden. By using the available variety of pots, containers and hanging baskets to showcase your chosen greenery, it’s easy to get a lot of life into your small garden.   It’s also a great idea to plant into the material used to create split levels, for example planting into your retaining wall, or wooden planters. Cement walls used to create different levels can also be built in such a manner so as to become planters.

We hope you have great fun with these ideas. If you need to call in the professionals, feel free to contact us.

Listen to our recent interviews with Dave from Radio Life and Style as we chat about small gardens