PETITE AND PERFECT

Whether you’re a city dweller or you live in the suburbs, it will come as no surprise to learn that our backyards are getting smaller. Today, houses are bigger, blocks smaller, so the amount of outdoor space is decreasing. Townhouse or duplex living, where courtyards or pocket-size gardens are the norm, is on the rise, as is apartment living, where balconies provide us with our only opportunity to enjoy the outdoors or get a little green into our lives.

While lack of space is no barrier to creating a lush outlook, establishing an edible garden or achieving a pleasant outdoor lifestyle, there is an art to making the most of small outdoor spaces as well as a few tried-and-tested design tricks you can employ. Fundamentally, a small garden can offer the same amenities and bring the same degree of pleasure a big backyard can. You just have to be more creative — and strategic. In some cases, investing in a professional designer can pay for itself in the long run, showing you how to get the most from the space and using it in ways you may never have considered if left to your own devices.

THE CHALLENGES

“Depending on location and site specifics, small gardens can be complex,” says