How Garden Designers Make Small Gardens Seem Bigger by Nicki Jackson

It’s a common dilemma. Gardens appear to be getting smaller and smaller – especially in new builds – and clients are often seeking to make their small spaces seem more expansive. Luckily though limited space doesn’t always have to mean limited potential. With the right techniques, a small garden can feel expansive, layered, and full of personality. Here are some of the key principles and tricks we garden designers use to transform compact spaces into generous, inviting retreats.

1  Use Perspective to Stretch Space

One of the oldest tricks in the design book is forced perspective. Just as painters use vanishing points to create depth, garden designers guide the eye through space using narrowing paths, staggered planting, and diminishing scale.

For example, a pathway that starts wide and tapers toward the back of a garden gives an illusion of distance. Similarly, placing larger plants or features closer to the viewer and smaller ones further away mimics natural depth. Even simple paving laid at a 45-degree angle can elongate a space visually.

2  Divide to Conquer

It might seem counter intuitive but breaking up a small garden into zones can make it feel bigger. Rather than exposing the entire space at once, we designers often create “rooms” or distinct areas - such as a seating area, a dining nook, or a planting bed - connected by paths or screens. This introduces an element of ‘journey and discovery’.

A well-placed pergola, trellis, or a change in paving material can delineate these zones while maintaining a cohesive feel. Screening part of the garden encourages movement and curiosity, allowing space to unfold gradually rather than all at once.

3  Go Vertical

When space is scarce, we designers will usually look up. Vertical elements like wall-mounted planters, trellises, green walls, or espaliered trees draw the eye skyward adding layers to the garden.

Incorporating vertical planting not only maximizes space but also softens hard boundaries such as fences or walls. Climbing plants like clematis, jasmine, or climbing roses, bring height, fragrance, and seasonal interest without taking up ground space.

4  Use Light and Mirrors to Expand

Lighting plays a powerful role in spatial perception. Strategic uplighting on trees or feature walls, under-bench lighting, or backlit planting creates depth and ambiance, especially in the evening. Another visual trick is the use of mirrors. A weatherproof outdoor mirror, cleverly placed, can reflect planting, sky, or light, making the garden feel double its actual size. To avoid confusion or bird collisions, position mirrors thoughtfully, angled slightly or partially obscured by planting.

5  Choose a Cohesive Palette

In small gardens, too many contrasting elements can feel chaotic. A limited, harmonious palette of materials, colours, and plants helps unify the space and reduce visual clutter. Sticking to two or three hard landscaping materials and a restrained plant palette can make a garden feel calm and coherent. Repetition - of shapes, colours, or textures - creates rhythm and flow that enhances the feeling of spaciousness.

6  Create a Focal Point

Every garden, no matter how small, benefits from a focal point. This could be a sculpture, water feature, specimen plant, or a gorgeous bench, for instance. A focal point draws the eye and anchors the space, giving it purpose and depth.

Placing a focal feature at the far end of the garden or just out of immediate view can encourage exploration and create the illusion that there’s more to discover.

So now you know; designing a small garden is all about creating illusions, managing perspective, and guiding the viewer’s experience. Through thoughtful zoning, vertical interest, cohesive materials, and clever use of light and space, a small garden can feel much larger than it is. Our goal as garden designers is to make every inch of the garden work harder for our clients – using these techniques allows us to do that.

© Nicki Jackson, Blue Daisy Gardens 2025