14 Clever and Creative Garden Ideas for Small Spaces

If you have a small outdoor space, it might feel like your gardening options are limited. We’re here to tell you that doesn’t have to be the case. Whether you’re in a townhouse, condo or high-rise apartment, you can have beautiful flowers anywhere with our creative garden ideas. 

How To Design a Flower Bed for a Small Yard

Even if you don’t consider yourself artistic, start your flower bed design with a sketch. It doesn’t have to be perfect or even to scale. It’s more important to get an idea of what you want your space to look like. If you do want to draw things to scale but aren’t confident in your artistic skills, graph paper can help.  

Do you want colorful flowers? A minimalist garden? A sketch will help you envision your space as it could be, not as it is. So, get your flower garden ideas down on paper. 

Don’t just focus on the plants, either. You should include lighting, water features, sculptures and, of course, somewhere for you to relax, too.

Not one for hand drawing? You’re not out of options. Try to find a software program that will help you design home garden ideas online. 

How To Choose the Best Flowers To Plant in a Small Area

The first thing to look at when researching potential plants is the amount of sunlight they need. When you’re working with a small area, your entire space likely receives the same amount of sunlight. You won’t have one place that’s in full sun and another that’s part shade. 

The amount of sunlight your space receives limits your plant choices, but so does how much space you have. Some plants get big, while others spread. You want plants that are going to stay relatively small.

Keep the difference between the two primary plant types—annuals and perennials—in mind when you’re shopping. You will need to replant annuals every spring. Perennials will come back again and again. Look for a flower guide that offers all of the information you need. 

Ingenious Garden Ideas for Your Small Space

When we say small garden ideas, we mean it. You don’t need a ton of space to enjoy pretty flowers or fresh produce.

1. Window Boxes

If you don’t have a yard but still want a small garden, consider installing window boxes. Window boxes are relatively low maintenance, and they add beauty to your home. 

Who doesn’t love fresh herbs for cooking? You can grow your own in a window box.

If you want garden color without the garden, plant annuals that you can refresh every year. 

2. Recycled Upside Down Garden

If you live in an apartment, it’s challenging to come up with flower garden ideas. You probably don’t have much space. Even a traditional houseplant might seem out of reach depending on your layout, and it might be.

Small spaces require creativity. Rather than taking up valuable floor or shelf space, try an upside-down garden. Making your garden from recycled materials is a fun, eco-friendly DIY project. 

Strawberries, tomatoes, geraniums, petunias, basil, thyme and oregano are all good candidates for growing upside down. It might seem odd, but harvesting tomatoes and strawberries is actually easier that way.

3. Vertical Garden

Whether you want to grow vegetables or a small flower garden, consider a vertical garden. It may be the space-efficient solution you’re looking for. An over-the-door shoe rack is a great option. 

4. Hanging Gutter Garden

Hanging gutter gardens are another vertical solution, although they require more assembly than a shoe rack. Creating planters out of old gutters lets you easily grow small flowers, leafy greens and herbs. They also lend a modern and sleek look to flower gardens. 

5. Kitchen-Inspired Garden

If you have old and unused kitchen implements lying around, turn them into planters. Put succulents in muffin tins, and grow herbs in old pots or pans. When it comes to developing flower bed ideas, having a theme is invaluable. 

6. Vertical Pallet Garden

Do you have old wooden pallets sitting around? Turn them into a vertical garden. Pallets are great if you want a more rustic look than a shoe rack or gutter would provide. 

Use the pallet itself as a planter or attach terracotta pots to it. Depending on the plants you choose, you can create a fun flower design, too. 

7. Kiddie Pool Garden

Kiddie pools have a surprising number of uses beyond keeping your children cool and occupied on a hot summer day. They’re the perfect size to use as a planter, too. At a loss as to how to start a flower garden? A kiddie pool is a great way to begin. 

If your outdoor space is paved or you don’t want to tear up your yard, get a kiddie pool. Fill it with potting soil and grow just about anything you want.

Unfortunately, kiddie pools are one of the fastest ways to ruin beautiful landscapes. They’re usually bright blue and covered in cartoon fish. Consider surrounding the pool with bricks or stones to give it a higher-end appearance. 

8. Portable Container Garden

If you have a yard, you have probably worked hard to keep your lawn green and healthy. The idea of tearing it up for a garden might be a little painful. That’s especially true if you end up having to move your garden and regrow the grass. 

Instead, consider keeping your garden in portable containers. That way, you can move them as needed. Keeping the containers on the pavement or hanging up means you won’t end up with dead spots on your lawn.

9. Tiered Garden

Tiered gardens are among our favorite creative garden ideas. To create one, all you need is terracotta pots of progressively smaller sizes. Fill them with potting soil and stack them from largest to smallest. 

From there, choose from among the easiest flowers to grow in pots and enjoy. Creating a beautiful miniature garden is that simple.

10. Garden Bench Planters

Turning an old bench into a planter is a charming and clever way to reuse it. Raised flower beds add depth and complexity to small spaces, so that’s an added benefit. 

The easiest option is to set flower pots on the bench. Consider removing the seat and replacing it with planters. 

11. Wooden Frame Fence Planter Boxes

Right now, reclaimed wood is one of the trendiest crafting and landscaping materials. Capitalize on that by using scrap pieces of wood to create wooden fence planter boxes. 

For a more modern appearance, create a box that looks more like a shelf with a frame. Attach it to your fence, and place the pots or planters of your choice on it. It’s one of our favorite ideas for a space-efficient small garden design. 

12. Raised Plant Spiral

Planting flowers or herbs in a raised spiral is an aesthetically pleasing way to take advantage of a small space. As far as garden beds go, this design is neat and elegant. 

It also allows you to grow a variety of plants in a small space. Herbs like rosemary that prefer drier soil grow well near the top of the spiral. Moisture-loving plants will grow better near the bottom. 

Depending on the height of the spiral, it may offer shade for some of the plants you’re growing in it. This is especially useful in areas that would otherwise bake beneath the sun.  

Unsure how to build a spiral? Landscape contractors can help. 

13. Vertical Soda Bottle Garden

If you’re a big soda drinker, incorporate that into your flower garden ideas. Two-liter soda bottles work best. For smaller plants, though, you can use regular bottles. 

Simply cut a hole in the side of the bottle and fill it with potting soil. From there, hang it wherever you’d like and plant anything you want. 

Soda bottles don’t necessarily make for pretty pictures. Exterior painting can make the bottles more aesthetically pleasing without introducing potential toxins to your homegrown food. 

14. Small Garden Fountain

Everyone loves a water feature, so the last of our beautiful garden ideas is a fountain. The sound of running water is a relaxing addition to any space. The presence of a fountain can improve any patio, balcony or deck. 

If you’re looking for flower garden ideas with more utility, consider a fountain that doubles as a birdbath. You’ll enjoy the local wildlife and your garden. 

Are you in the Greater Cleveland area or Northeast region of Ohio? If so, Exscape Designs is here to help you create the outdoor space of your dreams. Whether you’re working with acres or just a few square feet, we’re here for you. 

Our experienced and talented team wants to make your vision a reality. To find out how we can help you, get in touch with us today. We’ll answer any preliminary questions you have and help you schedule a consultation. We can’t wait to get started!