A home with a garden, however small the outdoor space might be, is high on many homeowners or renters' wish lists for their ideal house or flat. In towns and cities, where green open space is limited, a sizeable garden is even more coveted. With space at a premium in city homes, we demand the same from our outdoor areas as we do of our interiors; namely, even compact gardens must be multi-functional, practical and well-designed for modern life. We're not just talking about perennial planting, but outdoor furniture, lighting and garden accessories that turn an outdoor space adjacent to a townhouse into a secret garden retreat! Clever ideas for city gardens (and the furniture that fits in them) are out there - and often they're more inspiring than designs for larger garden spaces, simply because they're creative by necessity.
More than just an occasional outdoor space, townhouse gardens can (and sometimes have to) tick a lot of boxes to become an alfresco area with year-round allure. Whether you want your patio or decking to become a more child-friendly play area, or dream of the lawn or artificial grass housing an outdoor zone for entertaining – by making it an extra living room or welcoming dining area – there are plenty of ways to update the walled/ fenced/ rooftop/ balcony garden of a city home to create a secret retreat. Even if space is tight, you can almost certainly install some pretty planters to create a fresh herb garden... or, if you're lucky, a little inner-city vegetable patch! Can we have it all, you ask? Well we have a few clever garden ideas, ideally suited to today's city homes, to inspire you to make your outdoor area great...
1/20 Create a living room space
Take inspiration from your home's interior and find an outdoor equivalent. Rattan chairs, a sofa and wooden coffee table mimic a traditional living room design.
Argos (opens in new tab) has a great range of garden furniture to help complete this look at home.
2/20 Make the most of a narrow plot
Make the eye wander back with a raised garden path and strategically placed rose arches and low walls to break up its length and add interest.
Garden arches and arbours
Wickes (opens in new tab)
3/20 Create a garden on different levels
Link the spaces to avoid a disjointed design. A water feature, running from one level to the next, is a popular ploy. Use repetition: the same materials and similarly-shaped elements of hard landscaping (paths, paving, decking) can be echoed throughout the garden; planting with similar flora can also connect split levels.
Add a bistro dining table from Tesco (opens in new tab).
4/20 Gain some privacy
Planning permission is needed to erect permanent structures to screen your space. Use trees such as beech and hornbeam that will let light in and make you feel secluded. These need not take up too much space in a confined plot - the trunks can be trimmed of branches up to head height.
5/20 Make a roof garden
Select plants tolerant to wind (these tend to have smaller leaves). Steer clear of a muddle of small plants. Focus on fewer, larger planters, and choose trees or shrubs with sculptural silhouettes. Rubber is quiet, soft and hardwearing - tile your roof terrace or balcony garden (opens in new tab) with these tiles for easy cleaning and comfort.
Add a group of planters (opens in new tab) to your garden to complete this look.
6/20 Plan seating for a party
Incorporate some fixed seating into your design to save wrestling with numerous chairs, and add shelter, if you want year-round use. Invest in 'party' lighting (opens in new tab): spots at ground level that allow guests to find their way around in the dark; dramatic uplights under trees and shrubs, and in waterfalls and ponds.
7/20 Add mood lighting
White render garden walls will make the most of any sun. Good outdoor lighting on walls and at foot level can then supplement the daylight.
Outdoor lighting ideas
John Lewis (opens in new tab)
8/20 Grow your own vegetables
Tomatoes grow anywhere there is a sunny ledge and herbs are happy in small pots. Raised beds will take the backache out of more serious vegetable gardening to raise a range of edibles including salad leaves, asparagus and rhubarb, onions and carrots.
9/20 Opt for a low-maintenance look
Low-maintenance gardens are best for busy urbanites; how low you go is up to you. Automated watering systems are popular. Lawns can be swapped for decking; climbers, which need pruning, for a screen of evergreen bamboo; conifers can be substituted for deciduous trees.
10/20 Find a seculded spot
Screen off a secluded space large enough for a single lounger, add soothing scented plants such as jasmine, lavender and chamomile; the trickle of a courtyard fountain is the final touch.
11/20 Create a private seating area
Take advantage of the shade and structural support offered by a dividing garden wall to create a corner seating area with an overhead canopy - great for making a private space that is hidden from neighbours' view.
Amalfi sofa and ottoman
Indian Ocean (opens in new tab)
12/20 Dine with friends
Being short on space doesn't have to mean being short on style. Use a large folding screen to act as a dramatic divide between your inside and outside spaces, creating a distinguished dining area for entertaining friends. A graphic design makes a bold style statement.
Table and bench
Jennifer Newman Studio (opens in new tab)
Screen in Racing Stripe
Ralph Lauren Home (opens in new tab)
Vases
The Conran Shop. (opens in new tab)
13/20 Go for a small but sophisticated look
Pale limestone has been used to line the floor of this small garden helping to make it feel more open and spacious, while a water feature adds interest to this sophisticated space. "It feels like a Mediterranean courtyard."
Table and chairs
Heveningham Collection (opens in new tab)
Sofia stone flooring
Stone Age (opens in new tab)
14/20 Build a wooden pergola
Make the most of a shady corner by building a large wooden pergola over raised decking. Planks of wood along the top of the wall provide a handy place to sit and enjoy the setting, while plenty of climbers and plants make it cosy.
Pergola
Garden Oasis (opens in new tab)
Decking
Forest (opens in new tab)
Plants
Crocus (opens in new tab)
15/20 Keep it tidy
Limestone terracing and a simple planting scheme make this classically-inspired space easy to maintain and prevent it from being over-crowded or fussy. Lanterns, a barbecue and multiple places to sit make it and ideal space for summer entertaining.
Chairs
Gloster (opens in new tab)
16/20 Frame a patio with planting
Build up foliage and planting around a small patio area to create the illusion of a bountiful, blossoming garden. This small courtyard is screened by a laurel hedge, foxglove tree (Paulownia tomentosa), New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax), diamond grass, heliopsis and Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'.
17/20 Add a bistro table and chairs
If you've only got a small terrace space make sure you have enough room for a bistro-style table and chairs, some potted plants, and if possible, squeeze in a few flowerbeds!
18/20 Squeeze in an outdoor party area
Small town gardens benefit from being easily accessible and cosy - two key components of a good outdoor entertaining space. A single bench will offer guests a nice place to sit and relax, while a fun, tropical print fabric and potted plants add a fun and stylish touch.
Seating fabric
House of Hackney (opens in new tab)
19/20 Add pattern and colour
Swap traditional recliners for a large garden seating area. This decking has been warmed up with clever planting and colourful cushions - perfect for a relaxed evening with friends.
20/20 Bring the indoors out
Even the smallest of gardens can be used as a fully-functional space. This plot has been transformed into an outside kitchen complete with a dining area and a barbecue.
Fencing
Cuprinol (opens in new tab)
Table and chairs
Tesco Direct (opens in new tab)
Kitchenware
IKEA (opens in new tab)
Accessories
ASDA (opens in new tab)
Shelving, a food preparation area and even a clock on the wall add to the feeling of an outside room.
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