1. You'll be able to see the entire garden at once. This means that everything is going to have to fit together in your design. If people will be able to look out and see your entire yard in one glance you won't be able to have small nooks or area that are "set apart."
2. You have to make choices about plants. They're just not all going to fit. So think carefully about your overall design to make sure that each plant that you buy will fit in it.
3. You will also have to limit your color. Think about just picking two or three colors and having your entire garden in shades of those few. Think about choosing cooler colors, like blues and purples (a border of lavender?) because they make your space look bigger. Instead of having a lot of colors, have a lot of textures in the leaves, the bark, and the flowers.
4. You will have to make sure that every plant that you have in your garden does something. Find plants that will bloom or be key players for at least two seasons. For example, a Japanese maple will look great both in the summer and in the fall, when its leaves turn. Design can be easier when you can take in the whole picture at once.
Here are some more tips that will help you design a perfect garden for your small space.
1. Pick a focal point.
Choose an antique bench, for example. Or perhaps a magnificent plant-that doesn't overwhelm your small space. If you have something in particular that you really want to show off, then place that item first. Plan the rest of your garden around that focal point, using it as a cue for colors, textures, and the mood of your garden.
2. Pick a theme.
Because you have a small garden, you need to pick one theme and go for it. Perhaps you'd like a shade garden. Then choose shade plants, and turn the entire yard into a shady bower. Don't compete with a corner devoted to your black eyed susans, no matter how much you like them.
3. Choose a color scheme.
Because you have a small garden, you don't have the luxury to have different color schemes in different areas. See this as an opportunity, however. You can really focus on your favorite colors-blues and purples, for example, or maybe yellows and reds. You can center your entire garden around this color scheme, playing up the effect with different shades and different textures. This can overwhelm your visitors-in a good way.
4. Play your advantages.
You have a small yard. Emphasize that. Not in a negative way, but think about what is normally associated with small yards. You can create a cozy, intimate space, where people feel comfortable. Plant a hedge around the edges, or have flowering vines, to create a secret garden effect. People with larger yards have to create certain corners to get this feeling-you have everything that you need. Emphasize the coziness of your yard, because it's your greatest asset.
5. Plan carefully.
Because you have a small yard, you need to choose where you plant things and how things look together very carefully. Think about your proportions. Use a 1 to 2 ratio for your borders. This means that if you have a border that's 6 feet long, you're going to have it only 2 feet wide. Make the border smaller, and then it will look less like an edge running along your flower beds. Play around with curving edges and lines. This adds more interest to your space. People won't notice the size of your yard if you have things to look at, and if you make them forget how small it is.