Make the most of your urban garden

If you live in the urban jungle, your green space needs to work hard – it’s a place to entertain and relax, unwind and escape from the pressures of city living. Even the tiniest spaces can provide a green retreat: here are some top tips for making the most of an urban garden.

In the shade

Create interesting displays in gardens with high walls, using shade lovers

Variegated means having leaves or other plant parts with streaks, blotches or patches of different colours. Typically, these would be a combination of two colours, such as green and gold or green and white.

variegated

No soil? No problem!

Choose pots with interesting shapes, in different heights and sizes, to make an impact

Create a private haven

Pleached trees make an attractive boundary and create a sense of privacy

Being in a town or city inevitably comes at a price in terms of privacy. Nearby properties can overlook your garden and roads can create noise and pollution. Luckily, plants are the ideal solution and there are many ways to create your own private haven and make an ideal space for entertaining. Small trees, climbers and bamboos can provide living green screens; while pergolas, fencing and trellis are useful ways to build in privacy.

Make the most of extra warmth

Enjoy being able to grow a more exotic range of plants

What you lose in space and country views you often gain in terms of warmth and shelter by having an urban garden. Many exotic plants thrive in towns and cities that would struggle to live in the countryside, such as palms, cordylines and succulents. Extra warmth and shelter is enjoyed by people too, making urban gardens perfect for outdoor entertaining.

Turn a lack of space into a design opportunity

Make the most of every bit of space, and you could even include some edibles

Urban gardens often have limited access, sometimes only through the house, and bonfires to dispose of waste aren't an option. And with limited storage space, who wants to be tripping over a lawnmower? So why not ditch the lawn and opt for a well-designed layout featuring plenty of evergreens for a stylish, low-maintenance look? Here, a decent-sized paved area is balanced by deep borders, giving plenty of planting space. A raised bench underplanted with ferns helps allow every bit of space to be used, and they have even included some edibles.