Garden and landscaping ideas for small gardens

Got a small space to work with? These gardening tips to optimise the space should help.

Inner city life can mean large outdoor spaces are hard to come by, so you need to figure out gardening ideas that work in smaller spaces.

Read on for some creative gardening and landscaping ideas for smaller back gardens:

Add a mirror to your outdoor space 


Who doesn’t want double the amount of green space in their garden? You might not have the acres, but you can fake a few extra metres with this simple gardening tip. Mirrors are a simple but effective way to make smaller gardens look larger and also reflect light, bringing ambiance to your outdoor space. Whatever style you choose, a mirror will make an immediate difference to how large your garden looks and feels.

Add a mirror to your garden

Grow some ivy


Using crawling plants such as ivy or jasmine can spruce up a boring wall without using up any precious garden space. All you need to do is put up some wire and attach the crawler. No need to prune it as it grows – just wrap the tendrils back around the wire to ensure it keeps growing in the right direction.

Add a water feature


Adding a focal point such as a water fountain or pond is a lovely calming solution and creates a great focal point for your outside space. This type of installation can be great for creating a space of serenity for city dwellers.

Orange and White Koi Fish Near Yellow Koi Fish

Incorporate some grass


Adding grass to you outdoor spaces will make the area seem larger and is also great for kids and pets. It can be real or not, depending on how much time you’re willing to put into maintaining your garden.

Edible plants


Even in a small space, you can still have a herb garden by building up and utilising some blank wall space. Turn it into a DIY project by recycling old pot plants or even a shoe holder to plant all your favourite kitchen herbs.

Add some height


Horizontal gardens are the way to go if you have a very small space and still want a striking outdoor space.  For these types of installations, it might take a bit of landscape design to ensure it’s all done correctly. Or if you seriously want to engage in the arrangement of your land, then you may need a specialist in land management, which will prompt and help with the nuances.

Need help with gardening tasks? Find trusted and rated gardeners with Airtasker. Also, if you’d like to know how much landscaping costs, visit our updated landscaping price guide.

  • Other GB

You might also be interested in

Lisa A.

What began as a side hustle soon became an “accidental” business. After years in a corporate job she didn’t enjoy, Lisa took a friend’s advice and joined Airtasker in 2017.
She took on gardening jobs, using her skills as a qualified horticulturist, with her very first task involving planting and weeding for a client, whom she is now good friends with and still works for nine years later.
Lisa says Airtasker gave her direction when she felt stuck, helping her turn practical skills into a career she truly loves.