Six small garden makeover ideas

Posted on 28th February 2019 | Posted in Home & Garden

If you’re stuck with a small garden, it can be really easy to think there’s not very much you can do with it.

No matter how compact your garden may be, it’s still possible to transform it into an outdoor sanctuary. A lot can be achieved with a little imagination and once the ideas start flowing, then who knows what can be achieved?!

Here are six small garden makeover ideas to get you started:

IDEA 1: Add some greenery to your windows

Have you got a window/windows that look out on to your garden? If the answer’s ‘yes’, you can effortlessly create planting space by installing some window boxes.

Regardless of how small your outdoor space might be, there’s always room for window boxes. Use them to plant seasonal flowers, such as pansies or marigolds, or turn them into mini herb gardens. Either way, they’ll instantly add some colour and interest to your garden.

IDEA 2: Create raised bed seating

This is ideal if you like to entertain in your garden, but don’t have the room to put many chairs out for people.

Building raised beds will add a splash of colour and interest to your garden. And what’s particularly great about them, is the fact they can double up as valuable seating space too. You may want to make the seating that little bit comfier by placing removable cushions or seating pads on top of the walls.

Depending on how limited you are with space, you may even be able to incorporate an actual seating area into your raised beds too, like in the picture below…

IDEA 3: Use mirrors to create the illusion of space

You know how you can put up a mirror in your house and suddenly the room where you’ve hung it, suddenly seems like it’s ten times bigger?

You can apply the same principle to your garden. In fact, as unusual as it may sound, putting up mirrors in gardens is actually a growing trend. Position them correctly, and the reflection of the light will instantly make your garden feel much larger than it actually is.

IDEA 4: Paint your walls/fencing white

We all know that white/cream is the colour we use when we want our rooms to look light and spacious.

It can also have the same effect when you paint your walls or fencing in the same colour too. You don’t have to paint everything white/cream either. For instance, you can use another shade (providing it’s light) or just paint one side of your fencing or a back wall – they’re all tricks that can make all the difference.

IDEA 5: Turn your wall space into planting space

Wall pots are a hugely effective and relatively affordable way of using space that usually gets wasted into a practical garden feature.

As well as hanging planters off your walls, you can also buy fixtures that enable you to hang them off your drainpipes and hook them over the top of your fence panels. These planters are especially useful if you don’t have put space to put pots out on the floor or want to keep them out of reach of children or animals.

IDEA 6: Install an outdoor canopy

Depending on how much space you have to play with, you may have enough room to install a canopy.

Going down this avenue means you can use your outdoor space all-year round, not just when the weather’s good. And, of course, you’ll also have more space to use within your home too. Most market-leading canopies can be tailor-made, so if your garden is on the smaller scale, you’ll be able to have a canopy installed that perfectly fits your dimensions.

Small gardens may mean you have limited options, but it doesn’t mean you should give up on them. The six ideas above show there’s all sorts you can do, just make sure you plan what you’re going to do first to make sure everything all works in harmony together.

Are you planning on doing some home improvements in addition to making over your garden? Check out our infographic, ‘These upgrades have the biggest effect on property value.’