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The type of garden you will have and the space available to you will depend, to a large extent, on where you live. If you live in the suburbs then you may be lucky enough to have a conventional garden, albeit a small one.
Box gardening is a great idea for city dwellers because you can grow a number of different plants and flowers in a small space. The great thing about this idea is that boxes can be placed in all of those awkward corners, particularly if you have a patio.
The country’s current economic state has lead people – even those with very small gardens – to grow some of their own vegetables. It is much cheaper to grow your own vegetables than to buy them in the supermarket, and you will find the results much fresher and tastier. No matter what sorts of things you want in your garden, if you have children it is a good idea to get them involved in the process. Young children in particular often find gardening a lot of fun.
Planning the Small Garden
Even a small lawn is great in the summer if you have a well-maintained garden. Plant some flowers and maybe a bush, and then save the rest of the space for herbs and vegetables. If there is not much seating space then a bench might be better than a table and chairs.
Spend some time on planning your garden and thinking of ways to improve it without compromising on space. For example, is there room for a small deck or patio? Think about changes you can make that will allow you to enjoy your garden to its full potential.
Smaller gardens tend to be shadier and if much of your garden is in the shade for a good part of the year, consider growing a few root vegetables as they need less sunshine than some other plants. Make sure that you water the plants regularly, particularly during a dry spell. If you buy seedlings then start them off inside the house (or shed, if you have one) and transplant to the garden once they have some healthy shoots.
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Image courtesy of dekrisdesign.com.
Making the Most of Your Available Space
The key to getting the kind of small garden that you like is to make the most of the space that is available to you. A lawn is not a priority for everyone. If that is true for you then it is worth considering attractive paving.
Paving that is broad at one end of the garden provides space for a small bench or a couple of chairs, and perhaps a container and a couple of pots. As the path narrows, you will have more space for your flowers and bushes. If, on the other hand, a lawn is an essential part of a garden for you, you have to accept there will be less space for growing other things.
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Image courtesy of flavahome.com.
Using a Container in a Small Space
When you have a small garden, one or two containers on a small patio provide more growing space. A container filled with flowers will make your patio look bright and attractive. If you like to grow your own herbs but don’t want to crowd the patio, many people have successful results when they use a window box for this purpose.
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Image courtesy of kickstarter.com.
You can now buy tiered pot stands for a small garden, which gives you another means of increasing the number of plants that you grow. Tomatoes often do well in a large pot in the garden because you can move the pot around to make the most of the sunlight. When you use containers and pots, ensure that they have plenty of good drainage holes so that the plants don’t become water logged.
Once summer is over and winter is on the way, you will need to dead head any roses and clear away the leaves. Making sure that your garden is reasonably tidy early in the winter will guarantee an easier start for your next spring.
Having a small garden doesn’t mean that you cannot utilize it and should leave it neglected. Making the most of these small outdoor areas will improve the overall appeal of your home, as well as its selling potential.
Cover image courtesy of BHG.com.
You can also check our blog post about How Gardens and Outdoor Grounds Can Affect the Value of a Property.
Author Bio:
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Amy Elliot currently works for Stormclad Home Improvements. You can add her to your Google+ circles: +Amy Elliot.