Not all gardens are the perfect square or rectangle, sometimes they are an awkward and odd shape. Don’t let that put you off though. There’s some really simple steps you can take to transform any awkward shape garden into a beautiful one.
Step 1
The 1st thing you need to do with any awkward shape of garden is to find a way to disguise the awkward angles.
Circles are fabulous at making small spaces look larger, and they also make you focus on the shape of the circle, not the shape of the garden.
Basically, your job is to disguise that angle in any way you can. So, you can see from our case study garden below, your eyes are focusing on circular shapes and the intricate paving detail and the planting fills in the rest of the area and hides the awkward shape of the garden.
Step 2
Adding in a vertical element like a pergola or arch is also a good way to help take the eye off any awkward angles. The use of strategically placed focal points like an urn or statue, will also help take your eyes away from any awkward angles.
Step 3
The most vital part of using clearly defined shapes is that they must be lined up with the house and not the angle. Now obviously for circles, it doesn’t matter, but if you use any straight lines, then make sure they are at a 90° angle to the house, and whatever you do don’t follow the angle of the fence or wall as that will accentuate the problem.
The garden featured above was on a slope, and by creating different levels and terracing it, the raised retaining timber wall around the circles added interest with the height and also accentuated the circle more, by taking the eyes further away from the angled corners.
Want to learn all the steps involved in creating a gorgeous small garden?
Or do you need step-by-step help with your small space garden?
If you’d like to learn more about the exact steps involved with making a small garden look larger and more interesting then take a look at the Small Garden Formula course at: https://www.successfulgardendesigner.com/small-garden-formula
