Landscaping: 7 ways to transform a small garden

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
Sommergarten, Pflanzenfreude.de Pflanzenfreude.de Modern Garden
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It doesn't matter if your garden is small, there are still many ways to ensure that it makes an impact—and it's not that hard to manage!

“Welcome! Please excuse my garden, it’s a mess”. Not the way you want to greet your friends or guests, right? More and more people are seeking new and unique ways to bring beauty to their front façades, and this very often includes the addition of a striking garden. Not only does a beautiful front garden earn you points on the entrance factor, but it certainly increases your neighbourhood’s aesthetic quality as well. 

Whether you’d like a garden outside your fence and gate to boost the beauty of the street, or right in front of your house, there are a few things worth taking into consideration – especially when you have limited space to work with. Although the presence of plants and flowers can transform a space instantly, it is more than adding just a few pots and plants and calling it a day. You don’t want to go too elaborate, and you also don’t want it to seem like an unfinished piece of work. 

So, let’s review our homify-approved ideas for your small yet stunning garden.

The importance of harmony

Before we lose ourselves in what colour flowers will fit into what colour pots, we need to take a step back and determine the flow of the garden. Obviously the idea is to design a well decorated space, but it must fit into the ambience already created by the architecture and decor of the house, as well as your lifestyle. And, of course, you need to be honest with yourself about your available time in terms of garden labour. 

Courtesy of Monica Khanna Designs, we are here presented with a fresh combination of soft pinks and purples, which stand out rather lusciously from the darker green vegetation. And we just love how the smooth flow of the garden design contrasts with the rigid structure of the house – a unique, noticeable effect.

Determine your house style

Before creating your front garden, first determine the style of your house – after all, we want our facade to be one perfect vision instead of different mismatched elements packed together.  

The idea of the garden is to bring a natural batch of peace, harmony and colour to the area. For this reason it is important that it flows into your house’s style (or offsets with it uniquely as shown in our previous example – but that doesn’t always work out too well). 

Notice our example above: the plants are all spaced far enough from each other to “breathe”, yet close enough to form an oasis of greenery. To break the monotony slightly, some stones have been added. And just observe those striking exterior lighting elements that seem to copy the curvy flow of the plants. 

See what some simple planning beforehand can accomplish?

Horizontal or vertical?

A very important question, as the approaches and possibilities between horizontal and vertical gardens are quite dissimilar. Vertical gardens are sometimes chosen because of a lack of floor space. However, as shown here, a combination of the two is not out of the question and can make for a versatile and dynamic vision.  

We have numerous ways of mounting and structuring our vertical gardens. Here we see how floating shelves following no set pattern can make for a lush composition when pots of different sizes are added. Add a few more potted plants, a prime colour that is copied in the petals, pots and seating areas, and we have a striking (yet very natural-looking) garden space!

Sizing and location

If you have a small space/house to work with, accepting it can go a better route than ignoring it and trying to stuff an Amazon-like jungle into your space-pressed area! Size should not be an issue; it’s what you do with it that counts.  

Notice in this example how only a handful of plants was needed to transform this facade into a welcoming and lush-looking entrance. We love how the plants protrude through the gap in the roof, making for a unique look that will have passersby looking twice.

An assortment of plants and flowers

A colourful garden is certainly pleasing to the eye, but we advise the gardening novices to stick with two or three colours in the beginning. Once your green fingers have begun to blossom, you can start by incorporating more colour and species of plants into your garden space. 

Think of your colourful garden in the same way that you would one of your interior rooms: warm colours enhance the warmth and cosiness of the area, while cool colours can help to make the space appear larger than it really is. 

See here how the dominant greens make the garden appear more spaced out, with the bright spots of reds and pinks jumping out for a vivid effect.

Symmetrical or not?

枕木木の庭, domus domus Eclectic style garden Plant pots & vases

Conventional gardens tend to follow a geometrical or symmetrical pattern with its plants and precisely spaced elements and structures. Gardeners who wish to bestow a more natural look upon their creations opt for more irregularly spaced plants and flowers. 

Both symmetrical and natural-looking gardens can be great solutions for your front area; however, choose which one would look best with your relevant house and style.

When it comes to pots

By no means does anybody expect you to start digging some holes in your front yard to house your new garden – plant pots work equally well for a lush and colourful welcome. 

We are certainly spoiled for choice when it comes to plant pots: plastic, cement, concrete, natural glazed ceramics, wood… and then we haven’t even touched upon the colours or styles. 

Notice that the pots in our example blend in with the dominant colour of the façade – that is always a winner. And remember that less is certainly more, as only a handful of flowers was needed to spruce up this front entrance. 

Your guests have made it past your small yet stunning front garden – now what? See how to: Give Your Entrance Hall Some Wow Factor!

Is your small front garden in need of some attention? Do you plan on using any of these tips? Let us know your plans!

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