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June 17, 2012

Gardening in a small space – solutions

-by Debra Anchors


Try these strategies to make the most of confined areas:

Organize the garden vertically rather than on a horizontal plane.  Gardeners with limited space have learned to grow up, not out.  Vines and climbers will draw the eye skyward, limiting emphasis on the floor plan.

Employ a focal point.  Statues, birdbaths, pergolas, arbors, and benches lend interest and help break up a small space into distinct areas.  Permanent garden structures also manipulate and reflect the light, always an asset, especially in winter.

Apartment Cottage Garden
Campbell, CA
Use containers to soften boundaries and utilize corners.  For added height, stack pots on crates or other inverted pots, and then accent the area with more containers set at ground level.

Think foliage.  In a small area, it’s just about impossible to achieve the ultimate goal of so many gardeners – to have something in bloom all season long.  However, careful selection of foliage plants will fill your garden from spring through autumn with a wide range of colors, from blue-green to chartreuse to bronze.

Erika Vetrini shares helpful tips on how to maximize your gardening space in the video below.



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Leave a legacy, but garden like you’ll live forever! 
-Debra

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4 comments:

  1. Tree Service CharlotteJune 18, 2012 at 12:20 PM

    Hey Debra! Just wanted to stop by and say that simplicity is the virtue of good nature! Small tricks like stacking and using pots to create a scene and elevation level that shows off all of your flora and fauna (what have you) are what keep gardens alive! Awesome vid

    -Tony Salmeron

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    1. DebraJune 18, 2012 at 1:05 PM

      Hi, Tony - And, when you create the scene and play with elevation, it can be changed-out at will! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. -Debra

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  2. GazJune 26, 2012 at 9:07 AM

    Lovely ideas, I do like to use height in the garden helps also blur boundaries in a small plot and make the place feel more secluded.

    Gaz Alternative Eden

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    Replies
    1. DebraJune 26, 2012 at 9:37 AM

      Hello Gaz - thank you for stopping by.

      I completely agree with you. And, vertical gardening has many benefits when applied within a larger garden, too. I enjoy using the principle to create the illusion of a garden "room". -Debra

      P.S. I love your website! Visitors, be sure to follow the link, above, to Alternative Eden.

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