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Small Gardens: Less Is More

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Scale and Proportion
Photo Credit: Lynn Means
This small space is a great example of scale and proportion at work.
Are you a baby boomer who’s downsized to a condo with a patio, or are you a busy parent or professional with a small yard or balcony? Or maybe you’ve got a spacious landscape, but you’re having a difficult time carving out an intimate area to enjoy. No matter what your situation, keeping a small-space garden simple doesn’t mean settling for less.

Planting a small garden sounds easy at first, and many a gardener has sighed with relief thinking, “This is going to be a piece of cake.” Enthusiasm usually runs high in the beginning – until you find yourself with too many plants or not enough of the right ones. You persevere, making multiple trips to the nursery, all the while wondering how on earth your “small, easy garden” got so complicated!

What happens to many folks – myself included – is that we plan for size, thinking things like scale and proportion aren’t a big deal. And that’s partly true: You don’t need to overthink them, but you do need to consider these important elements of design. Working in a small scale is simple, but the details need to be well-thought out.

Tips
  • Too many different-colored flowers in a small area make a garden look cluttered. Keep the color scheme simple.
  • Hang a large mirror in your small garden – or apply mirrored tiles on a wall (or even your fence) to visually expand the size of your area. (It works outside just like it does in the house!)
Facts
  • If you live in drought-prone areas, small gardens can provide you with splashes of water-wise beauty and color – if you make the right plant selections.
Faqs
  • Q: My small yard is fenced. Is there anything I can do to make the space look larger?
    A: If your garden has a drab privacy fence or wall as a backdrop, paint it white for a larger, lighter effect.
 
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