How to Design a Small Patio Garden

A lush patio garden

Having a small living space makes it difficult to maintain a gardening hobby, but keeping up with a small patio garden makes for an enjoyable alternative. Designing your garden for a small patio space requires only the desire to beautify your environment with fresh flora and decorative coordinates.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Assorted planter boxes
• Assorted established plants

Instructions

1. Measure the square footage of your patio using a tape measure. Knowing how much space you are working with makes choosing planter boxes an easier task.

2. 

   A rectangular planter box

   Choose rectangular planter boxes to border the walls and railings of your small patio area.

3. 

   A hanging planter basket

   Choose two or three hanging flower planters or baskets to keep the floor space free while providing extra foliage.

4. 

   A cosmos flower

   Choose a variety of plants that will thrive in the climate in which you live and accentuate the small patio space. If your patio is in a shaded area, choose shade-loving foliage plants like hosta and English ivy. For sun-drenched patios, a variety of spring and summer annuals, such as daisies, asters, and cosmos, will brighten up the space.

5. To create shading in a sunny area of your patio, use a sun-loving planter containing a single orange tree. Orange trees, as well as other types of trees like peaches, plums, and apricots, thrive well in planters and produce enough foliage to shade even the sunniest patio. They also add flavorful fruits and scented blossoms to a patio garden.

Resources

• Garden Patio: Design Tips and Ideas