Small Garden – Big Ideas!

Since the pandemic, our gardens have never been more important. With two years of restrictions on travel and socialising we have all appreciated how important it is to have some outside space. As a result, the property market has been booming and demand for homes with gardens has never been higher.

Even small gardens are in high demand – and being short on space doesn’t mean you can’t have a beautiful garden! There are ways to make the most of your outside space to not only make living in your home more enjoyable but to boost your property value or even your rental income. Gardens were one of the top ranking search terms this year according to Rightmove, so it could really pay to make the space the best it can be.

When tackling a garden project, plan it carefully and really think it through before starting otherwise you may run out of funds or the motivation to see the project through. Get advice and help planning the perfect garden. Even a small balcony or patio can look beautiful with the right amount of planning and you don’t often have to spend much to transform your space.

Consider the space

First, make sure you carefully consider the space available. If you have a small area there’s no benefit to dividing the space up into different areas or it could look even smaller. Creating a seating area – either something that can be changed depending on the sunshine – or a fixed area that gets the sun for most of the day. Think about the space first and design your garden from there.

Get inspired

Look at magazines, books and websites such as Pinterest and Houzz and even look at property listings to give you some ideas. Choose one theme with simple colour combinations. You can always add to them in the future.

Bold is beautiful

For a small area, simple bold plants, trees or flowers work best. A few large, plants work better than lots of little ones otherwise it could look less spacious and cluttered. Talk to your local garden centre about the best plants for the area you have and that thrive in the Scottish climate.

Create private areas

Privacy is really important to potential buyers and will make your experience of being outdoors much more enjoyable. You don’t need to block out everything but create a small private area where you will spend the most amount of time eating, drinking, socialising or sunbathing. You can use a trellis, tall plant or fencing to create a secluded area but be careful not to make it too shady.

Get the kids involved

With so many of us having stressful work and family lives, gardening can really help you to de stress and empty your mind and it’s a great way to get the children involved and away from their screens.

Avoid trends

Lastly, avoid trends because some garden projects can take years to mature so go for what you love rather than what’s fashionable.

Consider a summer house

With hybrid working set to stay, a garden room will add a huge amount of value and appeal to your home. It can be used as a home office, gym, playroom for kids, bar, hobby room…the possibilities are endless!