When I began designing gardens more than 20 years ago, I was surprised to find that smaller spaces were often more challenging to plan than larger ones. In those early years, clients with tiny lots would come to me with extensive lists of their must-have items, and I would struggle to fit everything in. It was a huge breakthrough when I finally realized that identifying the specific features and details to include in a garden should be the final step in the process, not the first. Since then, every consultation I have with a new client begins with three questions that I’ve nicknamed “the three W’s.” These prompts help my clients to envision themselves interacting with their redesigned spaces, and while they are useful in reimagining gardens of all sizes, they are particularly helpful when space is precious. When my husband and I recently moved into a new home with a small backyard, we had the opportunity to use the process for ourselves. Here’s what we discovered.
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See the planting plan for this garden
In designing my new back garden, I asked myself the same three basic questions that have helped countless clients of mine figure out how they want to use their outdoor spaces.
For my husband and me, the garden is a refuge and our favorite place to relax. So I started the design by finding a spot for our lounge chairs that would maximize views of the garden and minimize sight lines toward the unattractive utility pole at the northwest corner of our yard (photo above). I created a patio oriented away from the offending pole just large enough to hold our chairs (photo right). We enjoy watching the birds and other wildlife that visit the garden, so I sited plants such as Ultra Violet™ dwarf butterfly bush (Buddleia
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