Landscape Design Ideas For Small Spaces

Whether you’re working with an urban courtyard, a small garden or a rooftop terrace at home, there are lots of landscape design ideas to make it work. Using the principles of scale, colour and plant groupings will make it feel spacious or cozy, so you can use it as a space for entertaining, relaxing or growing vegetables.

Get creative with the planting, introducing a riot of colour to draw the eye up and make the space feel bigger. Using the right type of shade is also important, with a pergola or canopy providing a respite from the sun’s rays and the shade of a tree or shrub keeping the ground cooler.

A sculptural focal point makes the garden feel more like a room and is a great way to frame a dining or seating area. It can be as simple as a stone trough and water spout, or you could incorporate a structure that doubles up as a bench and seats, such as the antique trough incorporated into Butter Wakefield’s Ribbon Wheel garden (above). The addition of mirrors is another clever idea that creates a sense of depth, as well as hiding unsightly fence lines and giving you a vista to admire your handiwork from all angles.

Rewilding is one of the fastest-growing landscape design ideas and it’s a good choice for family gardens as it’s both visually appealing and low maintenance. You can start with just a few trees or shrubs and then add herbaceous plants and flowers to fill gaps. Aim for an informal, asymmetrical style that feels relaxed and natural.

Rather than laying out large areas of paving, use grass to create steps that integrate with the lawn. This softer approach helps the garden look bigger and means you can get out of the car and into your garden in summer without having to walk on stones or concrete. If you want a hard landscaping element, herringbone brick or travertine paving will create the look of a cottage garden, while pea gravel provides a modern feel.

Make a shady nook in a corner of the garden with a hammock and plant it with herbs to make the most of its sheltered spot. It’s the perfect place for relaxing after a long day, and you can dress it up with exotic cushions to match the planting scheme.

A garden bench is a practical and stylish option for making the most of your shady spot, but it can take up floor space so consider having a portable seat that you can move around. You can even buy folding chairs that fold flat to save storage space when not in use.

When choosing a chair, opt for one with a tall back to keep the ground clear and the sightline open so you can enjoy your garden from a high vantage point. Choose a rattan effect piece that will blend in with your surroundings, or go for a wooden one painted in a bold colour to complement the plants and foliage.