Gardens are supposed to provide a retreat from the modern world and create a peaceful, relaxing environment. Unfortunately, too many of us have tiny terraces and overgrown lawns that accomplish the complete opposite. In this article, we’re going to give you five easy ways to improve your garden area, whether you have a bijou balcony, terrace, patio or modern garden. We’ll focus on methods that don’t cost much in terms of time or money and include ideas that can have a dramatic effect on the look and usability of your garden without having to totally make over the space.

Create a Plan

Before you start making over the garden, create a drawing of what you want the end result to look like. What do you want to keep? What would you be able to reuse, even if you’re going to relocate it? The next step is to measure out the garden. There’s no point in buying items that won’t fit in the garden space or that will make it too crowded. You’ll also be able to avoid wasting money on materials that are the wrong size.

If you have a plan to follow for next spring, you can keep an eye out for tossed-out outdoor furniture you could recycle for personal use. Someone else may be tired of that brown chair, but it may fit in your garden and look great after you’ve painted it a better colour.

Research design elements now that make the garden look bigger. Diagonal paving, for example, makes the green area look larger. Or create interlocking green zones that overlap with the patio or deck.

Mixing decking, stone slabs, and stone chips or gravel is a great way to create a visually appealing area. You could line the area with potted plants or let plants explode through to create a lush look. Clearing the space before you begin again is the best first step. If the garden has been neglected for a while, you might need to consider using a professional weed killer to clear the space. Whether it is grass coming up through a rock garden or a strategically placed vertical garden, you’ll draw attention to the living matter.

The goal, however, is to have a plan for a garden that feels spacious, regardless of its actual size. If you have a plan in advance, you can create a classic formal garden or an elegant modern garden that will look amazing.

Go Vertical with a Living Wall or Trellis Panel

An excellent way to expand the garden when you have limited space is to go vertical. You can add a trellis panel to give climbing plants something to grow upon. They lift up flowers and foliage off the ground, which can provide better light for the plant. It will certainly draw visitors’ attention to the blooms or fruit and distract from the compact size of your garden. Retailers like Fencestore (who actually have a summer sale on right now) offer a wide variety of garden trellis and trellis panels to choose from. Then you only need to select what you’d like to grow on them.

A living wall adds so much green to a small garden. You can grow herbs, fruits, vegetables, small shrubs and some perennials in a living wall. This is an ideal place to put seasonal flowers or scented plants.

Go for Touch Ups and Repairs

You may find that painting the fence gives you the look of a new one without the associated cost. Painting your walls white will brighten the area, and it can improve the lighting in the garden as well. Another option is painting outdoor furniture bright colours to attract attention and invite people to use it.

Remove old plants and plant what you’d like to be there instead. Clear the garden of weeds. You’ll need to do that anyway if you’re going to put in new garden beds or lay a new path. Fix the planters under your kitchen window. Fix any shelves that line the exterior of the home or your walls. Then you’ll have space for pots or accessories. The ideal shelves are mounted into brick, since a garden fence may not be able to support the weight of numerous pots.

If you have muddy trails through the garden, save yourself some work and lay out a gravel path. This is cheaper and faster than a stone or brick pathway.

Revive any neglected spaces that you have. Maybe you need to remove that old sandbox or do something with that slab covered in old tools. Every bit of space is something that can and should be integrated into the garden area. Alternatively, if you have little ones, find small spaces that you can dedicate as play areas.

Find Multi-Purpose Solutions

Multi-purpose solutions can save money on a large project and maximise space in small gardens. For example, if you’re going to install a low wall in your garden, ensure that it can double as seating. You could have raised beds surrounded by walls that people could sit on. Your guests will then be able to sit by the gardens and enjoy them, and you don’t have to buy or find space for an outdoor seat.

Another solution is fold-up furniture that’s safe to use outside. You’ll have something elegant to sit on outside when desired and fold up wooden chairs can be stacked away in the winter or used inside the home. Or you could select garden storage units with built-in seating. If you need shade, place living walls and trellises where they can provide it.

Adopt Potted Plants

Potted plants are a versatile solution, especially when you don’t have access to soil or don’t want to have to maintain it. You can create a lush garden out of plants raised in containers. They could be put on low maintenance surfaces like gravel, stone patios or shelves. A side benefit of potted plants is that you can move them around to find the best light for them or make space for garden furniture. When you have tables and flat walls, you have a place to put potted plants, as well. Use plantings to draw attention to central elements, such as putting plants along walkways or beside an outdoor seat.

These are just a few easy ways to improve your garden area. The only questions now are what you’d like to do with the space and how you’ll end up making it look amazing.