

Tropical gardens evoke a sense of the exotic, a mysterious lush glossy landscape paradise.

Tropical landscape plants, garden ideas and plans. Inspiration for your tropical landscaping. An obvious technique is using similar flooring materials indoors and out: timber flooring indoors leading out to a wooden deck matching styles of paving or polished concrete floors leading to a concrete terrace.Tropical garden Ideas, tips and photos. Try to create a harmonious union, as visually extending the sense of indoor/outdoor flow also has the effect of making a small garden feel larger. In small spaces, the house and garden are often viewed in unison. Stick to one strong idea and follow it through with every decision you make. In a small space, you can fulfil your creative vision without breaking the bank. But a courtyard garden has one big advantage over a 10-acre block: it's affordable to stylishly kit out from scratch. Tiny gardens are more difficult to design than larger ones because if you make a mistake, it's right in your face and not easy to hide with planting. If you're determined to squeeze in as many plants as you can, make sure they earn their keep by performing at least two practical functions as well, be it screening wind, providing privacy from neighbours, offering summer shade, absorbing traffic noise and/or filling your salad or fruit bowl. Sarah Caughley says choosing the right plants for the right place is the key. Do your research and select plants with more than one attractive attribute: interesting foliage, architectural form (shape), seasonal flowers and perhaps fragrance, or autumn colour. Again, in very tiny spaces such as courtyards, this could be further reduced to just one species for each.Ĭlever plant choices are critical. Key structural plants such as specimen trees, hedges and focal points should be restricted to as few as three species for each category. Too much going on in a confined courtyard can make it feel hectic and cluttered rather than tranquil and inviting.Īim for a similarly rigorous approach to your planting palette (admittedly, a hard ask for the plantaholics amongst us).

Keep a firm hand on the number of different materials and colours you cram into a small space. Layered textural greens create depth within the narrow garden beds.

Or build their playhouse with a high enough stud (adult height, that is) to use as a potting shed or studio in years to come.Ī wide decking board and carefully chosen furniture combine to give a feeling of greater space in this enclosed courtyard garden. If you're putting in a sandpit for your toddlers, locate it in a sunny corner so that it can be conveniently converted into a raised bed or a formal water feature when they're older. Broaden the capping on raised beds and deck treads so they can also be used as seating and widen that shell path so it can be put into play as a compact pétanque court. Built-in furniture will save space and seating can double as storage for tools and pots. When every square centimetre counts, you have to be extra clever with your design. This works on every level from construction materials to paint colours, plant choices and the shape of major elements such as lawns, decks and paving areas. Successful small gardens are all about simplicity, balance and unity, with each element complementing the other. Get the most out of a garden with postage stamp proportions.
