Green space, especially in a city, is incredibly limited. If you’ve found a home, flat or townhouse with a garden, whether that be a rooftop garden, back garden, or even a small terrace, you should count yourself as lucky. But, now that you have one, you might be at a loss in terms of design. At Floral & Hardy, we know that there’s a lot to consider.
Before you can even think about the layout of your garden and what plants and flowers you want to incorporate, you’ll have to take into account the size of your garden, proximity to neighbours, and what purpose you want your space to serve.
To help inspire you, we’ve put together city garden ideas for everyone, from the entertainer to the urban farmer.
1. Ensure Everyone Has a Seat
Especially if you’re keen to host dinner parties and other functions in your city garden, it’s important that everyone has a place to sit. With larger gardens, this will be a bit easier. Opt for built-in benches and other customised furniture that makes use of all the space you have. If you have a smaller garden, you’ll have to get a bit more creative. Use fold-up chairs and floor cushions that can be easily moved and stored to free up space when they aren’t being used. Also consider a multi-purpose feature like a raised garden bed. Not only are these great in terms of growing plants and flowers, the low walls of the garden bed are a great place for guests to sit.
2. Grow Your Own Vegetables
Source: Good Housekeeping
Just because you live in a city, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy farm fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs. How you choose to grow your veg depends on how much space you have. With a ceiling structure or mounted hooks, you can plant strawberries, tomatoes and mint in hanging baskets. Just make sure you poke holes at the bottom of your containers to ensure the baskets drain well.
No ceiling or wall to mount on? Build small window boxes filled with fresh herbs, especially if you’re limited to a terrace. With a larger back garden, build a raised garden bed. While raised garden beds can grow just about anything, we recommend root vegetables, leafy greens and onions.
3. Bring the Inside, Outside
Whether you have glass doors that open up onto a terrace or a traditional back garden, it’s easy to bring the inside, outside. Again, you’ll have to think about what function you want your garden to serve. If you envision preparing dinners throughout the summer, plan an outdoor kitchen. If you’d rather create a space to relax, create a comfortable seating area. In either case, make sure you install outdoor heaters so that your space can be enjoyed year-round. Draw inspiration from your home to create cohesive spaces that naturally flow, one into the other.
4. Keep Your Space Private
While planning permissions might be required to erect permanent structures that will screen your space, trees, hedges and Topiary plants can be used to surround your garden. Not only will your space feel private and cosy, the greenery will add texture and layers to your space, making it look larger. If you’d rather build up, consider using a trellis or two, or a ‘living wall’ to separate your garden from your neighbours.
5. Choose a Design Aesthetic
City gardens don’t have to be modern. Instead (as we mentioned in #3) your garden should complement the existing style of your home. Choose materials that represent a clear point of view. If you do opt for a modern garden, use stainless steel, glass and artificial turf. For a Japanese style garden, incorporate water features, stone pathways and zen spaces that create the feeling of a tranquil place that’s outside of the city. For a cottage style garden, make use of wildflowers and quirky, unexpected planters like wellington boots!
For more City Garden inspiration, check out our Floral & Hardy’s portfolio here or get in touch with us today.
