As the spring starts to warm up, many of us start to think about getting out in our gardens. If your garden is a small one, then there are plenty of ways to create a welcoming space that you’ll make use of throughout the summer. Regardless of whether you have a large budget, or you only have a small amount to spend, there are some fantastic ways to decorate a small garden.

 

Start with careful planning

Creating your dream small garden is much harder if you jump in and start buying without planning – you’re more likely to end up needing to return items that don’t fit, and the space won’t feel put together properly. Before you do anything, measure your garden, decide which plants you’re going to keep, and if there are any elements such as a shed that are already in place. Will you need to work around these features, or can they be resituated?

From there, think about how you want to use your garden – will you want to cook in the garden, by adding a barbecue set up or an outdoor pizza oven? Are you likely to have visitors to entertain? Do you need to think about keeping children safe? Will you spend time in the garden into the evening? If so, how will you add lighting to your design?

After you’ve done your planning, and you know your budget, if you’re only planning a small makeover then you can start shopping, potting, and planting. It may be a case of just a few pounds, with some new lighting and cushions to do the trick, and you can get out there and start enjoying the sunny days.

If you’re planning a garden makeover that will be a bigger project, then once you’ve established how you want your garden to work for you, you can sketch out your vision or use a garden planning app to try different layouts, and to ensure that everything you want fits in perfectly, before you get to work planting and rearranging.

 

 

Mark out your space

Even with only a small amount of space to work with, there may still be possibilities to create separate areas of your garden for different uses – depending on exactly how small your space actually is, of course.

Creating zones within your garden might feel counter-intuitive if you don’t have much space – but in practice, having clearly demarcated areas can help you to use the space more effectively. Use paint on floors and walls to help mark out your sections, add lighting to divide space, and add tall plants to create privacy and boundaries between sections.

If you’re going to be using your garden a lot into the evening, then strings of fairy lights (or net versions like this one) or festoon lamps, or strategically placed outdoor feature lighting such as the Edit Cloud 300 Outdoor Ground Feature Light can mark out the separate areas.

 

 

For gardens that are simply too tiny to create different areas, you can still create an amazing space that you can use in different ways – you just have to get a bit more creative.

 

Small, flexible garden spaces

There isn’t any reason that you should have to commit to using your garden in just one way – especially if you want to use your garden for exercise, entertaining, and simply lounging at different times. It is easier than ever to create gardens that can be flexible, and used for different purposes.

Rather than having permanent planters or plant beds in the ground, consider having your plants in decorative pots that are on caddy trays with castor wheels. These can be found relatively inexpensively online, and mean that you can rearrange your garden easily – perfect if you end up needing a bit more space for guests, or you need a bit more room when you’re moving through a yoga flow or a skipping and bodyweight workout.

 

 

In addition to being able to move your plants around, opting for folding furniture means you can change the usage of the space easily. Bistro style table and chairs are a great space-saving option, and can be found in a range of colours, but if there really isn’t space, then rather than having furniture, you might opt for an outdoor rug and lounge cushions for an informal, picnic style feel when you want to be out in the garden.

 

 

Don’t forget about shade either. Parasols and sail design shades are easily added to change the look and feel of the area, and can be taken down and stored quickly when the weather changes.

Lighting options can be flexible, and in many cases, don’t need to depend on electricity being available. Solar lights, or USB rechargeable LED lights are options that can be added to your space without needing to get permission from a landlord, or require you to have an electrician to come and do costly work. We love this 365 Industrial Lantern Solar LED Stake Light, which is a stylish choice that can be easily taken out when you move home, while these Easyfit 12V Squirrel Cage LED Festoon Lights can be added and removed as you need them.

 

 

Use lighting effectively

If sitting out in your garden into the evenings with dinners or drinks is part of your plans for the summer, then having lighting available is essential. There are plenty of options that can be used to great effect in small spaces.

As recommended with indoor lighting, having a range of lighting solutions available in your garden is a good idea, since it allows for the space to be used differently. If you’ve got children in the garden into the evenings, you’re likely to need the garden flooded with light to help avoid accidents, whereas if you’re enjoying an intimate, romantic evening with your significant other, then you’ll want more atmospheric lighting solutions.

Permanent solutions include wall lighting – and many types of wall lights are able to come on automatically with a sensor, so you don’t have to remember to flick the switch before you leave the house. They’re also space saving, as they can be fixed a little higher. Depending on what style you want your garden to take on, you might add high powered lights to completely fill your space with light, traditional lanterns (either hanging or upright), up and down lighting or more minimalist designs.

 

 

For party situations, there is absolutely nothing better than festoon lighting and fairy lights to create a festive atmosphere – and these are easily added. We love these Edit Pastel LED Green Micro Wire Fairy Lights for a colourful effect that doesn’t suggest you’ve raided the Christmas decorations, and if you have a garden table, this Filament Battery Operated LED Festoon Spiral Chandelier makes for a great talking point.

There are plenty of solar powered LED options that allow you to make the most of your space – since as long as the sensor sees the sun throughout the day, you’ll have light through the night, no matter how late your party goes on! We love the effect that these Edit Solar LED String Lights create.

 

 

If you’re using your garden as an extension of your home, with an area for lounging and eating, then you might want to make use of ‘indoor’ style lighting. If you have a pergola, or a permanent structure, you can add outdoor pendant lights, such as the Battery Operated LED Festoon Pendant. If not, there’s always the opportunity to add table style lamps such as the Alfresco Table Light to your space to make it feel even more like an outdoor-in situation.

Where it is possible to use different levels in your garden, adding low-level, or in-ground lighting can be a good option to create atmosphere too. Stake lights are a great option to light along a path edge or border – this set of five Flame Torch Solar LED Stake Lights that can be added and removed easily, and are low maintenance options that look great – while deck and ground lights can be fitted to increase safety.

If you’re really pushed for space, there are still options. Consider adding planters that have the lighting built in – this LED Plant Pot Light is a great example of how lighting can be added without the need for installing your lighting separately in the garden.

Don’t forget to use accent lighting to show off features of your garden that you’re particularly proud of – add an LED garden spotlight, so you can see it all through the night.

 

Use height to create the feel of spacehttps://www.lighting-direct.co.uk/edit-alfresco-led-outdoor-table-lamp-white.html

Your garden may be at ground level, but if there isn’t anything preventing you from using height, then there are plenty of ways to create the illusion of space. Lighting is one way, with up and down lights added to walls helping to add an airy feel to small spaces.

If you’re in need of space to accommodate plants and greenery and want to make the most of floor space for relaxing, then there are some great options that don’t take up much ground at all. Trellises have been popular in gardens for years, particularly for climbing plants, and living walls have broken through to become incredibly popular in recent years. There are plenty of different spins on the living wall, from creating beautiful displays of flowers to creating a vertical vegetable patch. They can be created pretty simply, with many versions being shared online being custom made by thrifty types using old pallet wood, leaving cash available for other garden accessories such as lighting.

It isn’t just trellises and living walls that can be used for planting. Less expensive, and more versatile options include using garden shelving, hooks and hanging baskets to get plants and flowers at different levels, while window boxes and fence planters allow for growing in space that wouldn’t otherwise be used.

 

 

Use colour to create an impression

If your garden is really small, or it doesn’t get a huge amount of sunshine because it is north facing, then you might paint walls and fences as you would inside – white certainly brightens spaces up! But that isn’t your only option, and bright colours can be really invigorating, particularly when you consider what you’re planting. A bold shade allows foliage to really pop, and if you pick a colour you really love, the shade you choose can really help to boost your mood.

Mirrors have been used by interior to walls to create the illusion of space, and to bounce light around indoors for years – and it is possible to do the same in small gardens. There are plenty of options available online at varying price points, but scouring vintage stores can yield some incredible finds at low prices. Add solar powered fairy lights that come on automatically at dusk for a magical effect.

 

Choose furniture carefully

If you’re going to be spending a lot of time in the garden relaxing, then you might want to create an ‘indoor’ outside space. This might involve adding a garden rug, floor cushions (which are more comfortable for lounging than fold-away chairs), or if you have potential attachment points, add a hanging hammock, or a swing seat that is easy to fold away. If you’re adding raised flower beds, consider adding wide edges so that you can add cushions when you have guests – it makes for easy additional seating space, without taking up too much space.

 

 

Where you’re planning to be hosting guests in your garden for drinks throughout the summer, then you can wall mount furniture such as fold-out cupboard to add as a bar cart, or mini bar. This makes entertaining easy, since you won’t need additional table space for glasses and drinks bottles, or need to keep popping in and out of the kitchen! Party lighting is of course optional, but definitely recommended – and we know that many of our customers have found that our Konstsmide Assisi LED Planter Feature Light in large size doubles up well as an ice bucket!

For particularly small gardens – such as in a starter home like a garden flat – then having an outdoor table set might not be a realistic possibility. But if you’re the only person that is likely to be in your garden, then adding a half-sized table to a wall, with a chair will give you an al fresco dining area – and maybe even occasionally even an outdoor desk, if you’re working from home still and your Wi-Fi reaches that far! Don’t forget to add suitable lighting above your table – we love this Edit Battersea Half Lantern Outdoor Wall Light in rust brown finish to create a rustic effect, or use an up and down wall light like this sleek Edit Fog style in dark grey.

 

 

If you’re short on storage for your garden accessories, even with a small garden, a shed may not be out of the question – particularly if you can use it for multiple purposes, such as a bar area in the summer, and for storing your furniture in the winter. There are some incredibly small designs that might be just big enough for keeping your tools, foldaway furniture, and your outdoor lighting through the winter months – just search ‘tiny shed’, and you’ll find plenty of designs.

 

When the budget is tight

If you don’t have a lot of money to spend on your garden, or you aren’t in your ‘forever home’, search thrift stores and charity shops for indoor furniture that you can upcycle by sanding down and treating. It won’t last as long as buying furniture that has been designed and built specifically for outdoor use, but it certainly gives you options on a budget – and even when you factor in the cost of the paint, you’re likely to save significantly on brand new furniture.

You don’t have to spend huge amounts of cash on your plants in the garden centre either – especially if you can plan ahead and buy seeds and plants at the end of the season. If you’re surrounded by people that have wonderful gardens or are particularly green fingered, you can ask for cuttings, or swap seeds for free. You just have to be a little patient – it doesn’t take long for plants to grow, and the feeling when it all looks exactly as you want it is incredibly satisfying.

Lighting your garden can be relatively inexpensive – strings of solar fairy lights start at less than £15, and packs of solar stake lights are very affordable too.

Whatever the size of your budget, we hope you have an incredible summer, with plenty of time spent out there well into the evenings, courtesy of your outdoor lighting, and that you continue to enjoy your small garden well into the autumn months. Ready to get started? Browse all of our outdoor lighting here.