Monty's Tips for a Small Garden
Monty Don: Who doesn’t know him? The well-known (and immensely popular) English gardener and TV host of *Gardeners’ World* appears on TV every week from March through November, sharing tips on what to do in the garden (and how to do it).
A few years ago, Monty hosted the show *Big Dreams, Small Spaces*, a gardening show in which people with small gardens received advice from Monty on how to create their dream garden—however small it might be. Monty was often called upon to help shape the plans or guide them in avoiding common mistakes. Naturally, this gardening show offered plenty of tips for small gardens—tips that are also appearing more and more frequently on *Gardeners’ World*. We’d like to list a few of them for you:
Just get started!
Don't be afraid to get started. Just dig a hole, put the plant in it, fill the hole back in, and you're done! Of course, good preparation helps, but that should never be an excuse to start later (or not at all). You’re bound to make mistakes anyway, and they’ll only help you get better at gardening.
Draw a scale plan
Always measure your garden as accurately as possible and draw up a scale plan. Use this floor plan to design your garden. That’s the only way to see what will and won’t fit and work in your small garden.
Small garden? Think big!
Don't go for lots of small elements and plants; instead, choose just a few that really make a statement. Lots of small pots and planters, or lots of different small plants, can quickly make your small garden look cluttered or chaotic.
Seating as a starting point
One of the most important elements in a small garden is a place to sit. Make sure you have a comfortable seating area in a good spot in your garden. Then plan the rest of the garden around your seating area, so that it becomes the starting point for your design. After all, you want to be able to enjoy all that beautiful greenery, don’t you?
Make the most of the vertical space
Be sure to make the most of the vertical space in your garden. No garden is too small to have some vertical space to use. So don’t forget your vertical surfaces! Make use of every wall, fence, or partition, and incorporate them into your garden.
No lawn
Do you really need a lawn? Unless you have small children, it’s often better to skip the lawn. A patio is much more practical and the ideal spot to fill with pots and planters full of beautiful plants. Instead of a lawn, you could also consider some larger flower beds.
Up to 7 plants
Dare to choose: limit the number of plants in your garden. This will create a more peaceful atmosphere and a more beautiful overall look. Monty often says that 7 different plants are more than enough for a small garden or flower bed. And believe us: that’s quite an art in itself!
Consider structure and (leaf) shape
Don't just think about a plant's flowers; consider its structure, leaf color, and shape as well. After all, for much of the year, the flowers aren't visible—you only see the plant's color, shape, and leaves.
Plant them close together
Feel free to plant them close together! You can simply thin them out later. This way, you’ll avoid seeing mostly bare soil during the first few years. Planting annuals is also a good way to fill in your initially bare garden with flowering plants.
Invest
Keep in mind that a garden is expensive. The costs can quickly end up being many times what you’ve budgeted. This is especially true if you don’t want to wait years for plants, shrubs, and trees to reach maturity (and therefore invest in larger plants right away). Your garden is definitely worth the investment, because, of course, you get to enjoy it every day.
Still, you can make big changes even on a small budget. You’ll just need a little more patience. Think about sowing seeds, taking cuttings, and getting free plants. But watching your garden and plants grow little by little over time is also very rewarding!
It's your garden!
Perhaps Monty Don's most important piece of advice:
A garden is mainly for yourself (or your own family). So, first and foremost, create a garden for yourself!
With these tips in mind, you’re sure to be able to turn your small outdoor space into the garden of your dreams. By the way, we’re still secretly hoping that this show will be rebroadcast—or better yet, that new episodes will be made.
See more tips for designing a small garden