Table of Contents
Introduction 6
1 Assessing your space
First things first 10
Looking for light 14
Going underground 16
2 Design tricks for small spaces
Visual illusions 20
Where does your garden end? 24
Thinking diagonally 26
Less isn't always more 27
Filling the space effectively 28
Interesting the feet 30
Injecting detail 31
Introducing focal points 32
Taking the gaze up 34
Combining functional spaces 35
Including sensory experiences 36
Linking the house and garden 37
Case study 38
3 Layering with plants
Nature's way 42
Structural plants 44
Sculpting with woody plants 48
Herbaceous and short-lived plants 54
The lawn 60
Visual plant layering 62
How to layer with plants 64
Naturalistic plant layering 66
Case study 72
4 Plants for small gardens
Choosing plants 78
Seasonal changes 80
Plants with staying power 82
Late-season blooms 84
Two-season plants 86
Focus on foliage 88
Using colourful leaves 90
Choosing evergreens 94
Including structure 96
Designing with grasses 101
Introducing scent 102
Cultivating the exotic look 104
Case study 106
5 Vertical planting
Climbing high 110
How plants climb 112
Right climber, right place 114
Trailing and flowing effects 118
6 Mini wildlife havens
Small sanctuaries 122
Nurturing environments 124
Providing water 126
Selecting plants for wildlife 128
Wildlife-friendly garden features 132
Case study 134
7 Sustainable small spaces
Designs for compact eco-friendly gardens 138
Managing water in urban gardens 140
Planning and planting a mini rain garden 142
Making hard surfaces porous 146
Introducing recycled and reused materials 148
8 Containers for small plots
Creative displays for containers 154
Choosing containers 156
Top container design tips 160
Container care 162
Choosing plants for pots 166
Case study 168
9 Making space for food
Creating a tiny fruit and vegetable plot 172
Types of vegetable 174
Types of fruit 176
The home vegetable-growing revolution 178
Choosing a productive site 180
Protecting crops in tiny plots 182
Case study 184
10 Plant selector
Trees 188
Shrubs 188
Sub-shrubs 192
Perennials 193
Grasses 198
Climbers 200
Bulbs 201
Designers' and Garden Contacts 202
Index 203
Acknowledgements 208
