How much does it cost to landscape a small garden? ItвЂ™s possible toВ grow enough to eat five a day from just 10 sq m of raised beds. Potatoes, beans and onions are also fairly simple to grow successfully вЂ“ and you donвЂ™t need acres of space to cultivate them. Is there anything more rewarding than harvesting your own fresh crop of lettuce or strawberries? You could also plant fruit trees and fill raised beds with veg. вЂPlant a mix of bulbs that will flower in winter, spring and autumn in easy-to-arrange pots to add drama вЂ“ theyвЂ™re also low-maintenance and look great in the high-traffic areas such as around the patio or a favourite bench.вЂ™Д¬limbing plants are great for small gardens вЂ“ clematis are easy to grow, while honeysuckle and jasmine will fill your garden with fragrance. вЂInclude evergreens for year-round interest, use shrubs and trees for structure and height, and soft grasses and herbaceous perennials to add pops of colour and soften the architectural elements. вЂStart by working out the type of soil, the soil pH and the conditions in the garden, then buy the best plants for those surroundings,вЂ™ says Sally Tierney of Yorkshire Garden Designer. What are the best plants for small gardens?

Paving and gravel courtyards are still popular, while concrete is right on trend. вЂIf youвЂ™re time poor, more hard landscaping and sturdier plants will require much less attention than a lawn and beds with complex planting.вЂ™ вЂThink really carefully about how much time you are willing to dedicate to maintaining the space,вЂ™ says London-based garden designer Charlotte Rowe. Also is there any dead space? Or a shed keeping your garden in the shade for half the day?вЂ™

If itвЂ™s a lunchtime gathering, youвЂ™ll need some shade too.

вЂIf you like having the gang round for dinner, for example, youвЂ™ll probably want to position your dining table and chairs where itвЂ™s sunny. вЂLook at what plants are thriving and think about where the sun falls,вЂ™ advises Katrina Wells of Earth Designs. If your want to change your small garden layout, start by looking at the existing space. Naturally, you can do this with planting, but there are other ways вЂ“ such choosing a brightly coloured bistro set, or even by painting your fences or shed in a vivid pink or blue. Ask your garden designer to incorporate a built-in fireplace into their plan, or head to AmazonВ for a good selection of freestanding fire pits, from ВЈ30.Д«right colours will also make a small garden really sing. Living green walls are ultra-fashionable and can be used to hide unsightly boundaries and add lush foliage even in a garden where space is limited.ДЄ funky fireplace makes for a quirky focal point in the garden and allows you to enjoy summer evenings even longer (or even gives you a place to store your wood).

Small garden design ideas