How To Optimise Space In Your Garden

Now that the outdoors growing season is beginning to wind down, you may want to consider thinking about re-designing or improving your garden. There is plenty that you can do to optimise use of space in your garden, whether it is large or small. Autumn is a good time to get all your paths and garden structures in place. This is also the time to consider choosing trees to plant during their dormant season. Here are some ideas to help you make the most of the outside space you have:


Green Roof ShedGarden Buildings:


Garden buildings, subject of course to any necessary planning consent, can really help you to make the most of your outside space. But having a garden building need not mean that you have to cut down on growing area. To optimise space, a garden buildings could have a 'green roof', which could be planted up with low maintenance perennials and grasses, or could even be used to grow some food. Garden buildings can also have green walls, and be clad with trellis up which vines can climb, or with vertical garden systems. These things could be considered on existing garden buildings too.


Vertical TrellisVertical Structures:


Other vertical structures such as arches, pergolas, trellising, wigwams and arbours can also help you to maximise space in your garden. Even an old bookcase or step ladder with pots and containers placed on it can really help to make the most of the space you have. Over the autumn and winter, you will be more likely to have the time to get these vertical structures ready and you can populate them next year.


Espaliered AppleTrees for Small Spaces:


Layering in space can help us to make the most of space in our gardens. We should plant trees, and underplant these with shrubs and beneath these, low-growing crops. You may be surprised by the potential to have trees in even the smallest of spaces. Trees can be espaliered flat against a wall or fence and you can also purchase a range of dwarf varieties that can even be grown in containers. Trees can be a way of extending a garden into the vertical plane and making them more productive and bountiful places.


Autumn Planting:


As well as layering in space, you can also layer plants through time to make the most of your garden. For example, planting garlic in the autumn it will fill space in beds or borders over the winter and it can be followed in June/July by a summer vegetable crop. You might plant cabbages, for example, and while they are small, enjoy a crop of lettuce leaves with which they were inter-planted. The lettuce will be ready long before the cabbages need the space and resources.