5:24pm Monday 10th November 2008
IF you live in town and have a busy lifestyle but want to jazz up your small garden, Limited Edition may have some solutions.
It does not have to cost a fortune to decorate your urban outdoor space if it is looking a little tired and neglected.
BBC Gardeners' World presenter Joe Swift said: "I've worked on many garden makeover television shows and, although they have received bad press for rushed work and a superficial approach, many of the quick fixes we used considerably improved the style and look of the gardens we worked on.”
So what can you do to give your garden a visual boost?
“Boundaries are really important," he added.
"If you have really ugly walls try and clad them or cover them with something such as plyboard, which you can paint, or screening, which comes on a roll.
"Cover up an unsightly boundary because it's the first thing that you see as you come out and it can be the most depressing and claustrophobic part of a small garden, where everything is at eye level."
Under pressure
Clean up old paving, walls and pots by hiring a pressure washer or if you can afford it, think about resurfacing, but consider the tones you are going to need.
In a small shady garden, go for a lighter shade of sandstone or a lighter colour paving, mixed with light coloured aggregates to save yourself some money.
Lawns simply do not work in small, shady gardens, but if you have a big space and you want a lawn, think about edging it with timber to define it, which will instantly make the garden look tidier.
Paint is another option, which, though once popular, is now underused.
"I use quite a lot of paint on boundaries, brickwork and walls," said Joe.
"It's such an easy and cheap thing to do. If you have a dark shady garden look at lightening it up. Don't use pure white, which is quite a demanding colour. Look at natural tones of off-white, creams, taupes or mushroom colours, which work well in shade.
"The more light you have in your garden, the more daring you can be with colour, using terracottas, purples or reds to set off the plants and intensify the greens of any plants you put next to them."
Go large
Also, do not feel limited to buying small plants just because you have a small space.
Joe added: "People think: 'I've got a small space, so I'll put in a small plant' but actually the opposite is much more effective.
“If you have a small space put in a few large plants. If you like the architectural look there are some great palms and bamboos."
Trachycarpus fortunei (the chusan palm) is great for creating a tropical look. Banana palms are not particularly expensive but very fast growing.
They go up rather than across so in a small space you are getting a lot of height for your money.
"Box is also great, not just the rounded box. You can buy box cubes and quite funky, more contemporary shapes. You might look to get three and put them in a line to help break up a wall and create instant impact. Box will work in sun or shade, in a container or in the ground."
With a little imagination, your urban garden can quickly become a little piece of paradise.
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