Great Gardens In Small Places

Its only natural to have big aspirations when it comes to gardening. But if your available space resembles a window box more than a grand botanical garden, you still have plenty of options. With the right plants and planning, even small spaces can become great gardens, whether youre dealing with a postage-stamp-sized yard or simply want to pack more pizzazz into a patio.

Make every inch count.

* Plan the landscape in layers. Look at your space from ground to sky and the progressively fill each layer with plants; ground covers, perennials and annuals, then shrubs and trees.

* Double up on your plantings to create the feeling of a larger, fuller garden. Mix bulbs with your perennials, and annuals with your shrubs.

* Carefully pick and choose plants so theres always something blooming. Look for several seasons of color when planning a small garden.

* Include a space to kick back and relax, even if its only a couple of comfortable chairs for sitting and watching the bees work.

Think outside the box. You can create a small garden in a side yard, along a stone pathway, or even on a fence with a vertical garden consisting of climbing flowers and vines. Elements like trellises, arbors and vertical planters all help conserve valuable spaces. Even water gardens are fair game.

Containers and drip irrigation make it even easier.

Consider incorporating hanging baskets and container gardens; theyre a quick and easy way to add bright flowers, especially for hard-surface areas like porches, decks and patios.

Placing plants in containers means they cant obtain water and nutrients from the surrounding soil. To minimize problems use drought-resistant plants, large pots, and incorporate a slow-release fertilizer like Osmocote into the potting soil.

In northern climates its important to insulate the roots of perennials and trees planted in containers. Use pots at least 2 to 3 ft. deep and 2 to 3 ft. wide. And plant species that are at least one zone hardier than those recommended for your area.

Consider installing a drip watering system, available from most home improvement stores. Theyre reasonably priced, simple to install and, with an automatic timer, they minimize maintenance.

Why not herbs and vegetables too?

You can create a small-space garden thats not only a feast for your eyes, but for your stomach, too. Its easy to incorporate vegetables into your regular flowerbeds. Tuck tomatoes and peppers among sun-loving flowers, or train cucumbers and pole beans up a trellis. Some gardeners use lettuce as an attractive border plant or combine several varieties to create a unique low-growing bed.

Most vegetables and herbs will do well in containers, too. Think of them as miniature plots. One advantage of this approach is that you can find the best spot for your vegetables, tomatoes in a sunny area and lettuce in a partial shade, for example.

The portability also extends your gardening season. You can plant herbs in a sunny window in early spring, then simply move the containers outdoors when the weather warms, no transplanting needed! Plus, youll be able to prolong the bountiful harvest in the fall by bringing them inside on cool nights.

Small trees add scale and variety.

Even in tight spaces, its important to plant trees or evergreens to add a sense of scale and structure. There are many varieties of dwarf trees that are perfect for smaller landscapes. Small-scale conifers include dwarf Alberta spruce, Fat Albert blue spruce, Nootka false cypress and Gentschs white Canadian hemlock.

Another idea is to plant trees that grow on a smaller scale, but still are large enough to provide beauty. Japanese maples, dogwoods, redbuds and saucer magnolias are good choices, but be sure you know how wide these trees eventually spread. That way, youll avoid crowding your yard or creating more heavy shade than you bargained for.

Great gardens really can come from small sizes. So go ahead and make big plans for you little plot of land; limited space certainly doesnt mean limited potential or imagination.