With the warm weather giving us plenty of reason to spend time outdoors you may be looking at updating your garden and whether you're after something modern or timeless, there are plenty of ways to give it a refresh, whatever its size.
However, if you're after some small but mighty garden ideas, then turn your attention to this homeowner's makeover, where a small blank outdoor space was transformed into a pretty country cottage-style haven. It's a great example of what can be achieved in even the tiniest of patios or gardens, with a little bit of work and a whole lot of creativity.
Country cottage garden makeover
When Brighton-based Vicky, on Instagram as @shelley_cottage, decided to start her garden makeover at the beginning of lockdown in April 2020, she knew exactly what she wanted to achieve. 'My garden was a tiny concrete space without any greenery or colour,' she explains. 'My aim was to create a cosy cottage garden.'
Let's take a look at the garden before any work was done…
Before
It's hard to imagine how this little space could be changed into a pretty outdoor retreat that you'd want to spend time in. The blank area was devoid of any colour or planting – something that Vicky was soon to change.
After
The sugary sweet pink palette is the perfect backdrop for a garden brimming with flowers and plants, giving Vicky the exact country-style look she was after.
'I started by attaching a diamond-style trellis to the fencing that I painted in a dusty pink shade from Frenchic,' she says. 'Then, when my neighbours cut down their trees it left the garden quite overlooked, so I extended the trellis up past the fencing to create some screening.'
'I'd recommend using a roller to paint rather than a paintbrush rather than a paintbrush as it's much quicker to apply,' Vicky adds.
An outdoor rug hides the old paving, while a comfy sofa and coffee table fit snugly into the corner, providing a great spot to sit and relax. 'To make the most of the small space, I went for corner seating and it's easy to add in a fold-away table if I want to eat outside,' says Vicky.
Adding in flowers and plants was a key element to getting the cottage garden look Vicky was after. 'I planted clematis, honeysuckle, jasmine and passionflower that I trained up the trellis,' she explains. 'I also added lots of potted plants like hydrangeas, roses, daisies and lavender and I painted a ladder that holds a mixture of herbs and fruit. I've got strawberries and raspberries growing in a strawberry pot.'
Surrounded by sweetly fragranced plants and flowers, and pretty-in-pink accessories, we can see why Vicky is thrilled with the results.
'It makes for a very functional space considering how limited it is,' she says.
