Big ideas for small spaces.
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Border planting ideas for small gardens- how to choose the plants and combinations that will make your garden look gorgeous.
A small California yard has everything one needs for the perfect pool hang.
Create a beautiful yard with these creative landscape ideas with big impact.
Wooden or metal framed pergolas are simple structures that add shade to your yard—without interrupting the breeze or blocking the natural light. On roof decks, over patios, next to pools, and above outdoor dining areas, these pergolas make it easy to create pretty, comfortable outdoor spaces you can use all season long.
A small California yard has everything one needs for the perfect pool hang.
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Recycling and starting small can lead to big things in the hands of a passionate gardener.
Plant lovers in cramped quarters needn’t give up their garden dreams. RHS young designer of the year Ula Maria explains how to go big in small spaces
“Urban and suburban aren’t so different anymore," writes author Susan Morrison in her new book The Less is More Garden: Big Ideas for Designing your Small Garden. And it’s so true! Suburban houses are about the same size, but the lots that they sit on seem to be getting more and more modest in size. A "small" urban garden no longer refers to the outdoor spaces offered in townhouses, condos, and apartments. Tiny backyards are the new normal even in the suburbs. Susan is a landscape designer with a long, successful career, so it's no surprise that the focus of her book is garden design. It is is a practical, “less is more” approach to gardening that links the design of a garden to the lifestyles of the people who will be using and enjoying it. This book is aimed primarily at young professionals juggling careers, kids and busy lives. The goal is to get the most out of an outdoor space with the least amount of effort. From the book, The Less is More Garden: Big Ideas for Designing your Small Yard by Susan Morrison published by Timber Press in 2018. Excerpted with the permission of the publisher. When it comes to gardens, bigger isn't always better at any rate. A small garden requires fewer plants and less time to design, install and maintain. Susan's new book aims to help homeowners make the best use of every square foot of space. When she tallies up her less is more approach to design, there are actually a lot of pluses: • Less space, more enjoyment • Less effort, more beauty • Less maintenance, more relaxation • Fewer gardening-by-the-numbers, more YOU. From the book, The Less is More Garden: Big Ideas for Designing your Small Yard by Susan Morrison published by Timber Press in 2018. Excerpted with the permission of the publisher. I found another review that broke the book down into chapters really helpful, so I thought that I’d take a similar approach: Chapter 1 poses the questions that will help you match the design of your landscape to your lifestyle: What time of the day and in what seasons are you likely to use the garden? Who will be using the garden? Chapter one also guides you through the process of making allowances in the design for children, guests and even the family pet. Chapter 2 tackles a variety of possible design approaches. Chapter 3 helps homeowners use a small space to its best advantage. Growing vertical, creating an illusion of space and the debate of lawn/no lawn are some of the issues covered. Chapter 4 addresses sensory elements. Topics covered include attracting wildlife to the garden, including scent, adding color and the relaxing sound of water to the garden. Chapter 5 looks briefly at a variety of different hardscaping options. Chapter 6 touches on plants that will make a garden attractive and yet keep it low maintenance: plants with four seasons of interest, dwarf shrubs, long-blooming plants and easy perennials. Chapter 7 helps you add in personal touches that give a garden style. From the book, The Less is More Garden: Big Ideas for Designing your Small Yard by Susan Morrison published by Timber Press in 2018. Excerpted with the permission of the publisher. This book represents a modern, realistic approach to gardening where the lifestyle and design intersect to create outdoor spaces that are suited to a family’s needs. In short: gardens that don’t involve a ton of traditional gardening. I closed the book wondering if this is the way of the future? My own garden is old-school cottage garden. It’s pretty, but it’s high maintenance. As I set the book down, I began to feel a bit like a dinosaur...but then I paused to reconsider. The thing I am most passionate about as a gardener is Nature and the outdoors, not the labour. Every family deserves a private haven where they can enjoy being outdoors. If Susan Morrison's less is more approach means that more people are doing just that, then we are actually on the same page. After all, reconnecting with nature is where a passion for gardening is often born. The Less is More Garden is filled with the wisdom honed from Susan's experience as a designer, lots of practical advice and stylish examples of her less is more approach. There may come a time in the not so distant future when my creaking back and rickety knees see me trading in my high maintenance plot for a garden that is much smaller, but hopefully just as beautiful. Thanks to Timber Press for providing a copy of The Less is More Garden: Big Ideas for Designing your Small Garden for me to give away. Because this book will go to a winner through the mail, we will have to limit entry to readers in Canada and the USA. Please leave a comment below, if you would like to be included in the book draw. The draw will remain open until Saturday, March 31st. If you are not a blogger, you can enter by leaving a comment on the Three Dogs in a Garden Facebook page (there is an additional link to the Facebook page at the bottom of the blog). You are also welcome to enter by sending me an email ([email protected]). About the Author: Susan Morrison is a nationally recognized landscape designer and authority on small-space garden design. She has shared her strategies on the PBS series Growing a Greener World and in publications such as Fine Gardening. Morrison has also served as editor-in-chief of The Designer, a digital magazine produced by the Association of Professional Landscape Designers.
Unlock the secrets to turning your small patio into an enchanting and functional space with our expert design ideas. Explore how minimalist designs, lush greenery, and clever layout choices can revolutionize the way you perceive and utilize your compact outdoor area, creating a haven of style and comfort.
Dreaming of a garden this year? Whether you are growing a few flowers, landscaping a yard, or starting a vegetable garden, follow these steps on how to set up a garden journal.
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The world’s first grass-free lawn has landed!Imagine we are playing the name association game. If I say ‘lawn’, what do you think of? Most likely it would be ‘grass’. Half right! It could now also …
Are you struggling to come up with landscaping ideas for your small backyard? We've got you covered with these 9 small backyard landscaping ideas you must see!
Landscaping ideas are aplenty when you truly want to get creative about revamping your yard. It deserves to be taken care of, and you can set it up beautifully. Here you will find a list of ideas that will help you make your yard look appealing to anyone who visits your home
I love spending time in my backyard, especially during the warmer months.
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I paid a local landscape design professional to create a landscape design plan for our property that sits on one acre in Zone 8.
There are many small backyard ideas to enhance the appearance and functionality of your home if you don't have a large space. Living with fewer outdoor areas is simple for people who practice smart design on a smaller scale. You may still create a yard with soil, trees, plants, patios, sitting areas, and even water features whether you live in an apartment, condo, townhouse, or home with more interior than exterior space.
Every year, lawn care consumes trillions of gallons of water, millions of gallons of gas, and millions of pounds of pesticides. Traditional turfgrass provides little to no habitat for pollinators and other animals and plants that make up a healthy, diverse ecosystem.
These 12 DIY backyard ideas are great if you love spending your time outdoors. Each DIY is perfect regardless of season so get ready to party!
Explore small backyard ideas to unlock the full potential of your outdoor space. From cozy patios to lush gardens, find inspiration for every corner!
Use plants, hardscaping, and other backyard landscape design elements such as water features, fencing, and arbors to create privacy and beauty.
Are you struggling to come up with landscaping ideas for your small backyard? We've got you covered with these 9 small backyard landscaping ideas you must see!
While many old homes require some (or a lot) of repairs and updates to make them comfortable, some old house owners get lucky with places that were maintained with care over the years.That was fortunately the case for Kristy Hootman and her family, whose 1961 home was in great shape when they moved in. “We made a handful of updates like painting the walls, but overall, the interior space was liveable,” Kristy says.
A sun deck is the ultimate outdoor entertaining space, featuring a terrace or balcony that is positioned to catch the sun.
Got a small outdoor space and looking for tiny backyard ideas to make the most of it? My tiny backyard update will give you inspo to maximize your space!
How do you know if the lawn issue you are dealing with needs professional attention? Here are three specific signs that you need help from the pros:
From DIY fire pits to backyard landscaping ideas, these cheap and easy DIY backyard ideas will give your outdoor space a makeover on a budget.
Small gardens don't have to be one dimensional. With some well thought out design, there's no reason why you can't make them a flexible space for the whole family to enjoy. Follow our small garden renovation story.
Outdoor decorating ideas to make your backyard the ultimate cozy and fun haven. Outdoor decor ideas in various price ranges for different size spaces!
Our plans for the backyard
Looking for a project this Labor Day? We took 3 days to transform our side yard, add a pathway, disguise ugly utilities, and fence off a neglected part of our backyard. It's not maintenance free and looks better than ever- get the details on the blog!
20 inspiring before and after backyard makeovers. Find ideas and inspiration for your next DIY outdoor project!
