Clever utility of a small space Garden

Clever ways to maximize the utility

When designing a garden with a minimal footprint, you may find it helpful to rethink the sizes, locations, and traditional definitions of key elements. Here are a few examples of how I did this in my own backyard.

1. GO VERTICAL

The fences and walls of a home provide a wonderful opportunity to expand garden spaces upward. Mounting succulent containers and art to the wall behind the barbecue grill has turned an otherwise utilitarian area into an extension of the garden.

2. PUT A NARROW BED AGAINST A WALL OR FENCE

Tomatoes and herbs are tucked into a custom 2-foot by 8-foot bed against the fence that follows our western property boundary, and eye-catching annual flowers fill a similarly sized foundation bed that wraps around the corner of the house. A tall planter adds height and helps to hide the drainpipe and wires.

3. TUCK WORK AREAS OUT OF SIGHT

With 15 succulent containers to fill, I need a spot where I can keep a constant supply of these versatile plants on hand. My succulent nursery is located on the side of the house, making it invisible to all primary lines of sight. It is a comfortable, out-of-the-way place to craft and refresh containers.

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