City gardens offer a place where you can relax and lose the hustle and bustle of towns like Carlisle, Workington, Whitehaven, Penrith, and Hexham, and connect with nature. Although they are small, they can be very challenging to design and build because everything must look good all the time and access into the garden is difficult. There are no sweeping borders to allow for lots of different plants with seasonal interest, so the plants chosen to have to both look after themselves and provide long lasting displays. Designing a small town garden requires careful planning to make the most of the limited space.
In city gardens it is important to use planting to provide habitats for insects, birds, and other wildlife. In the selection of gardens here I have used contemporary perennials with good seedheads. The perennials start flowering from May and last until October. In the winter, many keep their seedheads to provide structure and interest. In March and April, colour is often provided by Tulips and Allium bulbs.
In several gardens, I have used raised beds, either built with oak sleepers or brick. These create enclosed and intimate seating areas because it is important to include a small patio or deck area where you can relax and enjoy your garden. This could be as simple as a couple of chairs and a table, or a built-in bench. Paths can be a mix of materials including gravel, slate, or pavers.
Privacy can be created by using planting, trellis or contemporary venetian fencing. Keeping light in the garden is important and, in some gardens, I use bamboo which moves gently in the wind. This provides height and privacy without being a solid mass.
In some gardens I keep a small lawn, often for a client’s dog and because a lawn provides a peaceful area to sit. Even small lawns can support a variety of wildlife such as insects, birds, and small mammals.
Sheds are often a requirement for storage as a lot of terraced houses do not have garages. In one of these gardens the shed was painted to make it more of a feature of the garden and its position neatly hides the bins.
Whatever the size of garden you have, I can create a solution that works for your specific requirements. Please get in touch for a free consultation either by calling 07775 611047 or email sam@fellsidegardendesign.co.uk or use the contact form.
Design for a small city garden
The small seating area is enclosed by a raised bed with a mix of plants
The perennial plants are chosen to last as long as possible in this small garden
The clay pavers are replicated in the wall to create a harmonious feel
Plants cocoon the seating area
Marking out the design
Making the most of the space to create a green oasis
Looking back up the garden to the shed and communal passageway
Building a narrow garden for a terrace town house
An oasis away from the city centre
All the furniture is taken into consideration when doing the design
A town garden provides a calm oasis
A shed needs to be included as there is no garage but it does not have to look ugly
A serpentine wall makes most use of the space
A large paved area is softened with perennial planting that spills onto the paving
A peaceful seating area with lights, minutes from a busy main road
A small narrow garden is transformed
