One of the most important things in a small backyard or garden area is to create a design that will give you flow.

If your garden spaces flow from one to the other you will create a feeling of more space. It also helps with relaxation and enjoyment of the backyard area.

The following you tube has great ideas for creating flow in the home and yard.

I liked the use of low maintenance plants in the front design area. The design plans also worked with tying the house into the landscape, both in the front and backyard areas.

When you work with designing your yard space if you tie the home into the yard you create a flow and the space becomes larger. This is particularly true in you have a porch area or patio and use color to blend the spaces together.

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photo credit: themissiah

A kitchen garden was set up to be small and easy to access from the home and preferably near the kitchen area.

It was also set up to include the favorite vegetables, herbs for cooking and a few fruits.

Basil, oregano, garlic, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, leaf lettuce, rhubarb and strawberries are a few of the items most often selected.

Kitchen gardens can be set up in a very small space or even on the balcony or patio. They are often grown in containers if space is limited.

Here are a few ideas to consider if you plan on creating your own kitchen garden area.

Choose a site that receives full sun during the growing season. This would be at least six to eight hours of lighting. If you live in a cooler climate try to select a site that thaws early. You will be able to work your soil earlier and get in your lettuce and other small vegetables.

Raised beds, using windowsills or container gardening would also help you plant earlier if your climate is cooler

Select a site that will permit access to a storage shed and water so that your gardening supplies will be close by.

The garden area should drain well and have the proper soil mix. Both drainage and soil can quickly be improved if you add compost, peat or fertilizer.

Design your kitchen garden to include the vegetables you use the most but also to be ornamental garden. This way you have the benefits of fresh garden produce but the beauty of a unique garden landscape. This is easy to do with vegetables of different colors, the use of vining plants and including flower, which can be edible, in your garden.
photo credit: tristanf

One other advantage of a kitchen garden is that it is usually is within easy reach which makes weeding and picking the harvest easy. And if it’s close to the house you shouldn’t have to worry about damage to your crops from deer or other small wild animals.

Add a kitchen garden to your backyard or patio area.

It will add color to your garden oasis and fresh produce to you table. And with planning it will take very little room or time to maintain.

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photo credit: therapycatguardian

Vertical growing takes less space, is easier to maintain and it uses less water. I have also found I have less insect problems and plant disease.

These you tube videos will give you an idea of what you can grow using vertical growing methods.

For heavier crops I use pantyhose to tie the plant to the vertical supports. I feel it easier on the plant to have a soft tie. And if the fruit I am growing is heavy I make a pantyhose sling for the fruit to keep it safely on the plant and vine. Watermelon and gourds are crops I make a sling for.

When you tie a vine to the trellis be gentle with the vine, they can break.

One other thing I like about vertical gardening is that it is pretty. The vines and leaves have a lush feeling and will add depth to your living area. They can also add privacy. And if you add vining flowers to your vegetables you have planted you add more color.

Scarlet runner beans are edible and have a beautiful flower. They are one of my favorite flowering vines. Hyacinth beans vines and vining nasturtiums are also found in my gardens. And nasturtiums are also an edible flower.

Hanging baskets and small garden art will add to your vertical gardens and create an inviting multi-layered look to your garden and garden oasis area.

Vertical gardens add to your garden space and create a unique look. They make the most out of small space garden areas and are great for small backyard design, patios and balcony gardens.

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Garden studios are becoming popular in backyards, particularly small backyard design areas. By designing a garden studio you can create a small getaway that is available anytime. 
photo credit: aJ Dy

It could be a more relaxed working area or and area that helps with creativity.

The idea of a garden office or garden studio is perfect for people who enjoy the outdoors or gardening. It is also convenient for people who are self-employed and work at home. Your work area becomes a very relaxing haven.

If you have a small backyard or no backyard you will need to plan carefully to make the best use out of every available inch of space. You may even want to consider hiring a professional designer to help out.

The first and most important step is analyzing your available space. Will your area be indoors or out? Natural lighting and a flow with the outdoors are necessary. You will also need to check on any building permits and security issues for your new design.

The Outdoor Garden Studio or Garden Office

Heating, cooling and security for a separate building are main concerns with an outdoor garden studio or office. Also selecting the building location and size in relation to backyard space and landscape design are keys to success.

If your building needs to be small to fit into available space you can actually add to the feel of the room by adding a mini patio, flagstone or creating a garden around the building.  This extends the indoor space outside in a flowing feel. Add a small tabletop fountain for relaxation and you have created a feeling out an outdoor room or secret garden.

You can create the building yourself, hire a builder or buy a small building at most garden centers.

Indoor Garden Studio or Garden Office

Porches, sunrooms, balconies and a room with many windows will make a wonderful garden office. You may also decide to add a small extension onto your home. Some of the most inviting garden rooms I have seen are balconies that have been enclosed but the design from the balcony moves into the attached room creating a larger feeling to the entire space.

Sunrooms and porches are also very successful when re-created into garden studios. By adding plants, container gardens, mini ponds or fountains you bring the feel of the outdoors indoors. The use of vertical garden design and garden trellises will make better use of limited space and create a lush garden feeling.
photo credit: Tammy Manet

And depending on your climate you may need to add insulation to create a more climate friendly atmosphere during the hot summer months or cooler winter season.

By creating a Garden studio or Garden office you can make an environment to work in that offers the comfort and relaxation of being outdoors.

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Boxed gardens are neat, clean and easy to handle.  Depending on where you placer them and how wide they are will depend if you can easily walk around them or reach across them.
photo credit: MoToMo

You can have one or two box gardens and place them side-by-side or scatter them around the backyard or even place them on the patio or a balcony. Wherever you place them, just remember to have an easy access to water and adequate sunshine.

A boxed garden is really a frame. To make one, all you have to do is look around your yard, chose a location with six to eight hours of sunlight, prepare the soil, and then frame the space with standard 2-by-4 sections of wood board. I like to make my boxes gardens two to three foot wide.  Any wider and I have trouble reaching the center for garden maintenance.  The length depends on my gardening needs. Nail the corners together for support.

Many gardeners using the boxed gardens use a four foot by four foot size. It’s the size that most square foot gardens use and this method is perfect for square foot gardening

The advantages of these boxed gardens are that they are fast and easy to set up and can be sued in areas that have poor soil. Just add compost and soil or use a lasagna gardening method for building soil.

You can also build a section of the garden one at a time when you need it instead of rushing to put a garden in a few days.

The boxed garden method of gardening is great for small backyard designs, patios and balcony gardens. It is so versatile that it can fit any garden space or family style

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