There are several ways you can maximise the functionality of your backyard garden area – even if it is a small space.
Building a small garden can often take more effort than a large garden. Why?
Because it requires clever and thoughtful planning to get the most out of compact spaces.
While creating a small backyard garden, the important thing is to ensure that your garden doesn’t feel cramped or cluttered.
In this blog post, we’ll give you ideas, tips, and techniques to build a functional outdoor space that looks breathtaking all year round.
5 Best Small Garden Ideas For Your Outdoor Space
1. Create a plan
A well-designed garden provides beauty and a functional space that can improve your lifestyle. To get the most out of your small garden, in-depth research and planning are the key to a successful project.
There are a plethora of small garden design ideas on Pinterest that you can use as an inspiration to find your preferred garden style.
First, spend some time understanding what you need from your space and what you will use your backyard for – entertaining, kids/pets play area, relaxing, etc – and define your budget and then create your plan around these two key factors.
Visualise your garden plan on paper first if possible -t’s easier and much less expensive to correct a mistake on paper.
Measure your backyard and take note of problems that you may need to resolve. Does your drainage system need to be revamped? Does your garden not include a shaded area large enough for you to build your sitting space?
Survey the area that receives the most sunlight and plan your planting areas accordingly.
If you want more from less space and don’t want to dedicate your small backyard garden entirely to plants and flowers, make it multi-purpose.
You can have your standard dining area and create a romantic setting with a swing chair and string lights.
And, of course, you have your garden, too.
2. Keep Plants Vertical, Not Horizontal
In small spaces, less is always more. So instead of trying to cram plants on the garden floor, spruce up your wall.
Vertical gardens are extremely practical, especially in small spaces.
This gives an excellent illusion of being surrounded by greenery everytime you’re in your garden, and it doesn’t take up the much-needed space.
Try adding one big pot instead of several small potted plants, this helps with reducing visual clutter and makes your small garden landscape look more spacious and elegant.
3. Create a Backyard Focal Point
Creating a sitting space at the end of a narrow garden will create an illusion of a larger area.
Position your furniture at the back of a paved area and build a pathway leading to this sitting space to draw attention to this space.
This is a great alternative to a common method of creating your focal point in the centre of your garden. Use the rule of thirds; plan your focal point on the left-third or right-third of your garden (typically away from the entrance).
One tip to make your garden look bigger is by taking advantage of optical illusions with a contemporary garden mirror panel.
4. Choose the Right Plants
Take advantage of foliage and the texture of tropical plants. Plants with large leaves like the Elephant Ear plant will change the scale of your small backyard space.
You can create a sense of depth in your small garden with your choice of plants. You can do this by simply playing with the heights of different plants to create a layered look.
You can try layering colour, too – you can either include gradations (reds, oranges, and yellows) or go for a classic combination like red and purple.
If you want, you can even stick to one variety when it comes to your flowering plants, for example. It gives your small backyard garden a consistent aesthetic and reduces the work you have to do to maintain your plants.
5. Choose the Right Furniture
Get functional furniture for your outdoor space that helps you save space by doubling as a storage unit for things like your gardening tools.
Use portable furniture that you can effortlessly bring out, put away, and roll around (coffee table on wheels) as and when you need them. Choose flexible pieces of furniture like collapsible tables and foldable chairs that can be easily stored.
Hang furniture to create an illusion of more floor space. All you need is a nook of your garden to mount a hanging chair and make it your own cozy reading corner.
You can even hang a relaxing hammock under shade for a lazy afternoon nap. When not in use, you can simply hang both ends from the same hook and make use of the additional space.
If you don’t have a shaded area in your garden, you can easily create it with a large patio umbrella.
You can also use perspective to add different levels to your garden.
Raised garden beds, sunken fire pits, and a raised platform will open up more creative ways for you to optimise your small backyard garden area.
You can even stack container plants on multiple levels to add dimension. You can integrate large terracotta with slender and tall glazed pots.
Outdoor fireplaces are even more suited for small backyard gardens than large ones because they bring in an element of coziness and intimacy.
And that’s it!
Those are our 5 best small garden ideas to help you get inspired and create a perfect backyard!
If you want someone to help you install your new garden, get in touch with us, and we can supply and install your new plants, garden beds and mulching, etc. Or, get in touch with our sister company at Perth Landscaping Experts to install the entire project! Together, we’ll create a yard that’ll amaze your entire neighbourhood.
Now we understand that not everyone likes to work outside in a cold rainy Perth Winter, and not everyone can afford to spend hours in their garden to keep on top of all the gardening tasks – life gets busy right?
At Perth Gardening, all our Landscape Gardeners are tough (and own sturdy rain jackets!) and are dedicated to create outstanding gardens. Get in touch today to discuss your garden maintenance requirements.
You may be looking for ways to build a low maintenance garden, but you’re doomed if you don’t design your garden with your dog in mind. How to keep your dogs out of your garden should be your primary concern when you start planning your garden.
But don’t worry.
In this blog post, we’re sharing 9 simple things you can do to keep your pet from mauling your plants.
They help preserve biodiversity because, without native plants, the wildlife, local birds, and insects that have evolved with them can’t survive.
Here is a list of the 7 best native plants that grow in Perth that you should consider while making your landscaping decisions.
1. Encourage Digging!
This is the first tip on our list because of how easy it is to implement.
Your dog can’t wait to dig and trample everything you’ve worked so hard for. But instead of punishing your dog for digging, encourage it!
Create a designated digging area in your garden and cover it with sand and dirt that your dog will enjoy digging through.
You can even hide a few toys in the Dig-zone to make it more fun for your dog.
If your dog has a weird obsession with digging in places you don’t want them to, blow up some balloons and bury them in these areas.
When your dog digs, the balloon bursting will scare them off, and they’ll be wary of digging that area again. Of course, it may take a few tries before the message sinks in.
TOP TIP: Don’t run your reticulation system when your dog is in the yard. They can hear the water running underground and will want to dig to investigate – potentially damaging the retic along with your garden.
2. Garden Edging.
If you don’t want to build random cages and fences around your plants, you can go for a simpler option.
Decorative fencing may sometimes shade small plants that need the sun, so you can surround your flower beds with chicken wire, keeping your dog from ruining them.
Since edging creates a clear, visible barrier, it’s also easier to train your dog that stepping over the edging isn’t allowed – like stepping over the line from the living room to the kitchen!
3. Use Deterrents.
You can grow plants with strong scents that dogs don’t find off-putting to keep them away from your garden beds.
Or you can simply use animal deterrent sprays. Some scents that most dogs don’t prefer are: Hot pepper sprays Coffee grounds Crushed red pepper Orange peels Ammonia Tabasco sauce Vinegar Ground mustard Black pepper Apple bitters Cayenne pepper
You can also plant motion activated sprinklers that sprinkles water when your dog is in the area – this only works if your dog doesn’t like water!
4. Dog-friendly features.
Instead of taking measures to keep dogs out of the garden, create a raised and shaded dog bed where your dog can relax while you work outdoors.
Dogs love playing with water, so build an outdoor pet shower station or a dog fountain that will keep your pet cool, hydrated, and happy.
If you have a large garden, you can even create a designated play area for your dog where they can run and play around.
5. Raised Garden Beds.
Using raised garden beds is not only great if you want to build a low maintenance garden, but it also keeps your dog from ruining your plants.
Raised barriers are harder to reach and uncomfortable for dogs to stand on, so they are less likely to pee on your plants or dig into the soil.
6. Plant Densely.
Grow your plants close together. This reduces the chance of your dog ravaging all over your plants.
Choose sturdy shrubs and hardy perennials that can withstand an occasional stomp from your dog. If you want to grow delicate plants, keep them in containers or go for vertical gardens.
One tip to avoid a mess when your dog overturns a potted plant is to cover the soil in your pot with cardboard and cut out areas for your plant to grow.
7. Double-check the plants you choose for your garden.
While you may be worried about your dog ruining your garden, take a step back and ensure that the plants you select to grow are not hazardous to your dog.
Common garden flowers like daffodils and tulips are toxic to all dogs, but there may be others that your particular pet may be allergic to.
One easy solution is to take advantage of Vertical Gardens to keep these plants out of your dogs reach.
8. Cover Ponds and Pools.
All dogs love playing and swimming in water. If you have a pond or a pool in your garden, it must be a common enough scenario for your dog to march into the house after a session in the garden pond.
To avoid this, simply cover the pool when not in use. This is also an added measure of safety if your dog is small or your pond big.
9. Protect your garden from your dog’s urine.
Your dog’s urine is high in nitrogen which damages plants.
Dead brown patches in your lawn indicate that your pup’s pee is destroying your lawn. But there are simple steps you can take to limit this damage.
Another solution is to dilute the area with water when your dog is done peeing.
Always keep a water bowl outside and encourage your dog to drink more water since this dilutes your dog’s discharge and makes it less harmful to your garden.
Training your dog to pee in a specific spot in your garden will make your life easier in the long run.
And that’s it!
Those are our top 9 simplest ways for keeping dogs out of gardens.
If you would like help planning and building a dog-proof garden, we recommend getting in touch with our sister company, Perth Landscaping Experts. From a Landscape Consultation to provide advice and create a plan, to the full construction, they can help create a garden that both you and your dog will love.
Find out more about our planting services, give our team a call now on (08) 6263 4645.
Native plants are not just beautiful; they are sustainable, water-saving, cost-effective, and are perfectly suited to the unique local Perth climate. This means you don’t have to spend as much time or effort to maintain them and they are ideal for people wanting low-maintenance gardens who might not have a green thumb. Native plants occur naturally in the area that they have evolved. But they are not just ornamental; they serve an ecological function.
They help preserve biodiversity because, without native plants, the wildlife, local birds, and insects that have evolved with them can’t survive.
Here is a list of the 7 best native plants that grow in Perth that you should consider choosing while making your landscaping decisions.
1. Coastal Wattle – ‘Acacia lasiocarpa.’
This is a small and dense plant with ornamental golden flowers which blossom in the winter and spring.
They’re a low-spreading species and grow around 0.3 to 0.5 m with a 1 to 1.5 m spread.
They’re versatile and can withstand drought and coastal conditions. Since they don’t require much water, they are ideal for the hot or dry spots you may have in your garden.
If you have a small garden or are looking for potted plant options, the coastal wattle is an excellent choice.
They can grow happily in full sun as well as part-shade conditions
This species gets its name because of its exceptional, wine red and ‘toothbrush-like’ appearance.
Its flowers flourish throughout the year with a mass display in spring.
Be it drought or frost, this tough native shrub can withstand the harshest climatic conditions of Perth.
It can spread up to 2 to 3 meters and grow up to 50 cm.
Toothbrush Grevillea is ideal for mass planting, rockeries, slopes, and banks.
Plant it in a full sun region in your garden and water regularly for the first 12 weeks until it reaches its drought-tolerant stage.
This plant grows fast and will attract native wildlife like frogs and lizards, bees, nectar-sucking birds, and butterflies.
3. Bottlebrush – ‘Callistemon Kings Park Special.’
Callistemon Kings Park is an extremely popular and fast-growing bottlebrush with deep red bottle-brush flowers.
Like the Toothbrush Grevillea, Callistemon Kings Park is drought tolerant once established. But while you need to water it regularly, let the soil dry out between watering because this plant, like us, doesn’t like having wet ‘feet’.
They are usually bunched together and create a brilliant display during the spring and autumn.
It will brighten up your garden with its abundant flowers and is ideal for windbreaks, screens, small hedges, and erosion control.
It can cover around 3 to 4 meters and grow up to 5 meters. It is frost sensitive and can grow in full sun or part shade.
4. Common Everlasting – ‘Chrysocephalum apiculatum.’
This is a fast-growing perennial herb with golden-yellow button flowers that grow from late spring to early summer.
It ranges from a sparse erect plant that can grow up to 60 m high with narrow leaves to a much lower ground-level sprawling plant with fleshy leaves.
If you have a garden full of rockeries, this is your best choice since the Chrysocephalum apiculatum loves living amongst the rocks.
While it prefers full sun, it will grow well in light shade, though there may be fewer flowers.
It prefers well-drained soils.
5. NSW Christmas Bush – ‘Ceratopetalum gummiferum.’
This is an evergreen native shrub with small star-shaped creamy flowers in spring that turn a stunning rusty red around Christmas.
While they are easy to grow, the NSW Christmas Bush can be slow to establish.
Ceratopetalum gummiferum truly thrives in full sunlight, but it can grow in semi-shade, too.
The Christmas Bush can achieve a height of 5 m and spread up to 1.5 m.
6. Bower Plant – ‘Pandorea jasminoides.’
Pandorea Jasminoides is a frilly climber Vine that is extremely easy to grow.
It has clusters of small trumpet shaped flowers with petals whose shade ranges from white to pale pink. It also has a striking dark pink throat that makes it stand out beautifully.
Under warm frost-free conditions, the heaviest blooming takes place during the spring and summer.
While it is adaptable to most soil types, they thrive in full sunlight, growing up to 20 to 30 feet long.
This Bower plant is a popular choice for wall gardens, pergolas, and archways.
7. Aniseed Boronia – ‘Boronia crenulata.’
It is a small ornamental shrub with ball-shaped or cup-shaped lilac-pink flowers.
It flowers from late winter to spring and can tolerate a light frost. Boronia Crenulata has small and uniquely aromatic leaves.
It likes moist but well-drained soils and is suited to Perth’s climates all year long.
It grows well in containers and can grow up to one meter with a similar spread. You can also plant this along the borders and shady rockeries.
One important thing to note is that Aniseed Boronia doesn’t tolerate root disturbances very well. So you have to be extra careful when choosing its final location and transplanting.
Those are our top 7 recommendations for native plants for Perth gardens.
But while we have given you some of the best native plants in Perth to choose from, you still have to decide which plants can grow well together and which are best suited for your specific location and garden design.
If you’re not sure how to choose the right native plants for your garden, and would like advice on what to choose, along with professional help when it comes to planting them, we are just a phone call away!
Find out more about our planting services, give our team a call now on (08) 6263 4645.
Roses can be intimidating but they are actually easy to grow even at home. Passionate growers can try propagating roses from cuttings just by following simple instructions. There is no training necessary to create your own beautiful rose garden.
About Rose Cuttings
Cuttings come from the stem and may be taken at various points in a plant’s life. Roses are more forgiving than some plants. Rooting hormones may be used to stimulate development.
Planting Preparations
The softwood cuttings must be planted as soon as possible. This means that the spots should be prepared in advance. They can be placed at the outdoor garden or in deep trays. Be sure to avoid direct light to avoid excessive heat. However, the spot should still be bright enough during the day. The north and east sides of the house are good options. The soil should be cultivated up to 6 inches deep. Add sand to help the roots penetrate with ease. For planting in trays, use a soil mix consisting of vermiculite and coarse sand in equal measure. Add plenty of water.
How to Get the Cuttings
Understand that there are no specific calendar dates for this activity. Everything depends on the weather, geographic area, and plant readiness. Start by gathering the tools needed such as a sharp knife, a small dish, a stick, and some warm water. Get the cuttings early in the morning from the healthy plants.
Find stems located between a woody base and a withered bloom. This portion can be turned into a few cuttings. Slice in a 45-degree angle and place it in the water at once. Moisture is essential. A stem may be divided into several 6-inch cuttings. Take out all leaves save for a set on the top. Dip their bottoms into the rooting hormone.
Take your stick and create holes on your rooting bed. A pencil will do just as well. Every hole must be around 4 inches deep and wide enough that the cuttings can be inserted without removing the hormone. The bottom half and two nodes must be covered by the soil. Ensure that the base surrounding them is firm.
Caring for the Fresh Cuttings
Provide ideal conditions by creating a small greenhouse from an upside-down jar over the cuttings. If you have clean plastic bottles, then remove the cap and cut the bottom to use them here. You could also insert twigs around the edges and cover the top with a clear plastic sheet. Water the container regularly but be careful not to overdo it. Expect roots to start showing in around two weeks. Fish-based fertilizers can add vital nutrients to the soil. Once they are ready, the new roses may be transplanted to their permanent spots in the garden.
Perth Gardening
If you want professionals to create your own beautiful rose garden, contact our team at Perth Gardening today. Our skilled employees have the knowledge and experience to create top quality work with top-notch customer service. We will help you create a garden that fits your space and your personal taste, reflecting your needs to ensure you will get the most enjoyment possible from your outdoor space.
Do you want to create a garden that’s as beautiful as the great outdoors?
We thought so.
Well, if you want to make the most of your garden, you will need to spruce up your landscape.
To ensure you can enjoy your garden come rain or shine, here are 5 useful garden maintenance tips.
1. Tidy up
If you want to give your garden a new lease of life, it might be as simple as giving it a through tidy-up.
You can do so by raking the leaves, removing fallen tree branches, mowing the lawns, pulling up any weeds, pruning the hedges and giving your porch, deck and paving a much-needed pressure or power wash.
You can also freshen up your landscape by repainting the deck, mulching the garden beds, and topping-up any gravel you might have lost from rain or summer games which got out of hand.
You will be surprised at the difference a really good cleanup can bring to your garden!
Garden Cleanup BeforeGarden Cleanup After
2. Add more trees or shrubs
Nothing brings the great outdoors to your garden quite like lush trees and shrubs.
Yet, don’t go overboard or you could make the garden appear too crowded and cramped.
While they can be a beautiful addition to your garden, they will need maintenance in the future.
