Small Garden Made Big

A small garden can be made to feel much bigger with a few simple tricks.

In this example, garden bed ‘shoulders’ either side of the centre line of the pond, create an element for the eye to push through and past. The space is narrower but seemingly longer.

The shape of the garden/ lawn edge is reinforced with a simple low hedge, which the eye also follows. It is a slower, and longer journey than a straight line from A to B.

The proportion of the space is now compressed, making it feel wider. Now the garden feels long and wide. This is reinforced by the paving which extend the full breadth of the garden.

One of the most overlooked devices to create space is what I call ‘vertical lift’. Tall elements will subconsciously suggest a vertical volume above the ground plane.

It is a common misunderstanding that by enlarging the lawn a much as possible, to the edges of the property, that the garden will feel bigger. It is in fact the opposite. A simple fenced lawn space spells out where the property ends.

By hiding the edges and corners with planting, the space will feel larger.