10 Ideas for Designing Smaller Gardens The lovely, warm, summer days are upon us! As I laze about in the heat of my little garden space, I find myself desperate for a cool shady area, somewhere tranquil I can relax in, maybe even invite friends over. But where to start? How do I turn this little patch of ground into something special? Firstly, its important start with a basic garden plan. Unplanned or haphazard gardens can make the space seem smaller! The first rule for any small garden is that even if it's tiny it should have a coherent design. A good idea is to start with a simple geometric layout for your garden beds and paving and seating area. Here are some great suggestions from the team at Monkton Elm: 1. Make use of focal points A good tip is to create a focal point. Using an arbour or pergola in your little garden is a classic landscaping hack, adding height and depth to a small space. You can do the same with vertical or raised beds, small trees, or garden sculpture
