Those with small garden spaces know the agony – you’re blessed with an area that’s easy to maintain, clean, and organize, but which lacks the room to grow, play, and have fun in that your neighbour’s large garden seem to boast.

Fortunately, small gardens do offer all these things – you just have to be a bit creative in your attainment of them.

Grow Vertically

Whether you want a kitchen herb garden that you can pluck from while grilling, a miniature vegetable garden to enjoy during the summer months, or a pretty patio of flowers, gardening requires more than small garden spaces. Fortunately, plants don’t seem to care much about if that space is horizontal or vertical! Terra cotta pots can be turned into an airy, space-saving setup; rain gutters can be hung and stacked before loaded with little seedlings; or you can build a frame for more climb-motivated plants to enjoy (this can work great as a privacy fence!). There are even some ready made vertical garden facades that simply click together like Lego!

Think Multi-Purpose

When you start looking into furniture to stock your small garden spaces with, look for pieces that can serve multiple purposes. Maybe a table or bar with seats that fit fully underneath, would work equally well for sitting, as well as for playing a game of cards at (with some added water-proof poufs). Look for backless seats that can play double duty as end tables (or vice-versa). Also look for furniture sets that are folding, or tuck into one another. Maybe a daybed as an all-in-one outdoor living unit, a place to retreat to and relax with family and friends.

Don’t Clutter

One of the worst things you can do to small garden spaces is clutter it. The answer? Adequate storage! Benches that serve both for sitting as well as storing are miracle workers here, as they fall under the above rule of being multi-purpose. But what about your unwieldy gardening tools? Utilize a peg-board or other hanging system – this will allow you to nestle tools together and change the layout whenever you add something new, or take something away.