We may be a nation of gardeners, but we’re not exactly spoiled with real estate to garden in. That’s why we have a proud tradition of making the most of our back yard space. So, if sitting in your garden leaves you feeling lost like you’re in a hedge maze, this post is for you. Let’s take a look at some small garden ideas on a budget!
Keep a Low-Maintenance Garden
First off, consider trimming back on the amount of work you need to put into your garden. This helps maximise your space, albeit in a roundabout way.
Let’s say you have a lawn—well, you need to keep it trimmed, so for that you’ll need a lawnmower. Add in a hedge—you need shears. Do you switch up what you plant each year? Then you’ll need somewhere to keep compost, soil and maybe a wheelbarrow too. For these things and everything else, you’ll need a shed.
Cut the need for maintenance and you cut the need for tools (and the cost, too). You could have a setup with a simple patio, garden furniture and easy-care plants. What’s even better is that renovating your garden can add thousands to your house price.
Simple Garden Ideas Work Best
The first step is to accept your limitations. Aiming for the stars is all well and good, but if you have a 6ft wide garden, there’s only so much you can do with it.
So, when you’re wanting to spruce up your small garden, less is more. Simple ideas work best. Avoid clutter—think Zen. Depending on your style, this could mean anything from clean minimalist lines to a pretty open lawn. But whatever you do, don’t clog up your garden space in an effort to make it big, varied and interesting.
One way you can put this into practice is by using bigger pots and bigger furniture in your yard. Before you start, yes, it does sound counterintuitive! But the idea is that you avoid clutter by only having a few potted plants, or one or two chairs, and can cut down on clutter.
This is easier said than done. Some spaces are just too small to work with. If you look out your back window and wonder how you could do anything with your garden, then it may be better for you to move house.
Do Fences Make a Garden Look Smaller?
Next up, consider changing how you use fences in your garden… Or whether you need them at all! This isn’t always an option, but if you can switch out your fence for a new one or get rid of it altogether, you can make your garden seem much bigger.
Let’s say you have a small terraced house with a normal, if small, back garden. Getting rid of your fence isn’t an option here, but you could replace your tall fence with a shorter one. Being able to see over the fence into the distance gives you more perspective, so your garden won’t feel so hemmed in. This is especially the case if you have a fence as tall as you are.
Alternatively, changing your fence colour can make your garden look bigger. A colour that contrasts with the background looks stark and obvious. A colour that blends in doesn’t. So, for example, a dark plain wood fence would blend in well with trees behind it; or, a rich green fence would look similar to a lawn. By making the fence less obvious, you make your garden look much bigger.
Use Short Plants, Not Tall Plants
Possibly the worst thing you could do with a small garden is plant lots of tall plants like trees or sunflowers.
Have you ever been in a cornfield? One where each ear of corn towers over you and you feel like an ant lost in a lawn? Too many tall plants can make even big gardens feel small and oppressive, so the effect is even worse if your garden is on the titchy side.
So last but not least, flower beds or windowsill-style planters give your garden colour and beauty but without the height. If you want to give your garden height in certain places, use hanging baskets instead. Just make sure you don’t block out a line of sight over a fence or into the street, because that’s what would make your garden feel small.
Or… Move House!
If none of these ideas work for you, consider entering into a boundary dispute with your neighbour… Or maybe selling up and moving to the country! At British Homebuyers we specialise in helping people sell quickly and at a fair price—with no fees or hidden costs. To get your free valuation and offer today, use our online valuation portal, or call us at 0800 566 8164. Our friendly team are waiting to help!
