Description

A wonderful opportunity to create asensationalgarden is small backyard. A restorative green space tosit, relaxand entertain is almost a necessity with more and moreof us livingin urban environments. It doesn't matter how small thespace thereare ways and means of creating your own backyardparadise-whetherit's an apartment balcony or a tiny backyard.

Getting Started

When space is at a premium, planning is essential. In ordertohelp you visualize what you want, it's worth mapping outtheavailable space. Get busy with the tape measure and create ascaleplan of your backyard. It can be done on graph paper. Be suretomark in doors, windows, fences and gates. If you have a sewerlineor gas meter, then mark them in too.

One major mistakes people make when designing a small gardeniscramming too much into the space which results in thegardenfeeling crowded and even smaller. Every plant, paver andpiece offurniture has to be an important part of your outdoorretreat.Elements that can work double duty should be used such as:a benchwith in-built storage, a decorative vine that bears fruit orashade plant that acts as a privacy screen.

Layout Design

It's important to design it for maximum use when youroutdoorspace is limited. Determine how you spend most of your timein thegarden. It may be a place to barbecue, a play area for thekids, aquiet retreat to read a book or a social hub to catch upwithfriends. Whatever the purpose is, design to fulfill thegarden'sprimary role.

When all the elements are in place, you can work out the feelofthe garden.

- formal, highly manicured garden or more of an informalarea

- plants that suit the space without taking over the area

- welcoming garden with enough room to feel light and airynotcrowded

Ground Options

A patch of law is always great, but if grass is animpossiblechoice due to excess shade or lack of room, then pavingor deckingis an attractive option. Paving should be simple and freeof stronggeometrical design. Highly patterned areas make the spaceseemsmaller. Another option is synthetic grass. It can workinconjunction with a paved area, is extremely hard wearing, andgivesthe kids somewhere to roll around.

Plants

Simplicity is the golden rule when it comes to planting asmallgarden. A few well-chosen, optimally-positioned plants aroundthespace is the way to go. Trees are usually too big forsmallgardens. If you choose to plant trees, think carefully abouttheirplacement. That sapling might look great next to the backdoor, butin 10 years' time, could be a nightmare

Tall, leafy shrubs work well in small gardens. If space isreallyshort, you might consider adding a trellis to a wall tosustainclimbing vines. A dull exterior wall can be transformedinto a riotof color and greenery with a vertical wall.

Terraced outdoor shelving which hold different sizedpottedplants help create a lush look.

A corner dedicated to herbs can add color and make mealsevenmore delicious.

If your outdoor space is a balcony or concrete slab on arentalproperty, you can still transform it into a green space. Usepottedplants, hanging baskets or planter troughs to fill the areawithgreenery. They come in a large selection of shapes, sizesandtextures to help create any feel you desire.

Container gardening, as it is commonly called, is a funandsometimes necessary way to establish your backyard garden.Somepeople use containers because they think they're pretty,whileothers use them because they just don't have the room intheirbackyard for a larger garden. The truth is there are manybenefitsto using containers and I've highlighted three of myfavoritesbelow:

1. Space Savers - If you already have an established gardenfullof shrubs and flowers and you like it as it is or there's noroomfor additional plants, then containers are a great option foryou.Or, maybe you live in an apartment with only a smalloutdoorpatio?