How to make a small garden look bigger in 6 easy steps

Saturday 20th June 2020

Any outdoor space is welcome, but wouldn’t it be nice to make even the smallest of gardens feel a little less cramped? A gardening experts reveals six simple ideas for how to make a small garden look bigger.

From planting ideas to using mirrors, these are easy to do tips and tricks to make the most of any outdoor space.

‘By thinking outside the box and making a few small changes, you can give the illusion of a much bigger space,’ explains a Gardening Express spokesperson. ‘Or really create the extra space that you want.’

‘Consider completely changing the layout of the space if size is something which is high up in your list of priorities.’

1.Add Mirrors

You’ve heard the phrase smoke and mirrors? Create the illusion of extra space with a simple mirror trick. ‘Mirrors are great for making any space look bigger and your garden space is no different’ says the gardening expert. ‘A large feature mirror will give added size, or even consider putting mirrors along the whole length of a wall in order to double it – just make sure no one walks into the mirror!’

To prevent any accidents, it might be worth using window film to add a subtle pattern to your mirror.

2. Plant vertically

‘In order to create more ground space, and to make the grassy area of your garden larger, plant vertically. This removes the need for borders around the edge of the garden, meaning these can be filled in.’

You could try planting a living wall, or using hanging baskets at different levels to add colour and depth to your space.

3. Remove bushes

Take out bulky shrubs and bushes. ‘Big bushes commonly found around the outside of garden spaces can take up a lot of space’ explains the spokesperson. ‘Consider removing these and replacing with a fence, if security is needed, or grass the new space over and use planters full of colourful flowers to help increase the curb appeal.’

4. Create zones

Think of your garden as having a floor plan. ‘Applying certain zones and differing the furniture and flooring of the area could give you the illusion of extra space. Furniture lying around the garden can make it look cluttered and therefore smaller,’ they rightly point out.

‘But with distinct zones, where your BBQ and table and chairs all look at home will give a more organised, and larger feel.’

You could also use outdoor rugs to perfect this step.

5. Furniture

‘Make sure all your furniture looks at home in the space and isn’t too big,’ advises the gardening expert. ‘If a table looks huge, that will become the focus of the space,’ rather than the beautiful plants and flowers you’ve lovingly planting around them. ‘Ensure that each item works well with one another and doesn’t overpower the space.’

6. Check boundaries

Check the deeds to reclaim any extra space. ‘It may be that previous occupants of the house have put a fence further into the garden than your boundaries state. By checking your house deeds, you may discover that you have more space around the edge of your fence, meaning a boundary move might be just what you need.’

Source Ideal Home

Image: In this small Brooklyn backyard, garden designer Brook Klausing used imported marble pavers and wooden decking to delineate garden and entertaining areas. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Gardenista