Houseplants add life and character to your home, patio and balcony. They will also improve air quality. However, they can also take up valuable space on your floors and table tops, which is an important factor if space is limited.

photo credit: lostash

The best solution when adding plants indoors or out is to look for space you might not be using or would normally overlook.

If you have a free corner in your space, you can add hanging plants and floor plants. Avoid plants that produce a lot of lateral growth. Palms and the corn plant (which is tolerant of low light) are great for small spaces because all their foliage is at the top. Consider trailing plants like the sweetheart vine for hanging planters.

By the bottom of the plant grouping you could add colorful plants or garden art.

You have just used a space that is often overlooked and you will find by softening the edges of a space you will create a larger feel.

Its easy and fast to adapt an existing floor screen or replace it out for one that can hold potted plants. Add a window box to a window or place glass shelves higher in the window to give a feeling of extended space.  You may want to replace the pillar candle in a candle sconce with a small potted plant.

Wall-pocket planters will add color in the tiniest of spaces. Hang them nice and high. I also place small mirrors near the plants to add more light and carry the color of the plants.

You’d be surprised by the impact of a single tendril of ivy running down the length of your wall. Baby tears and other creepers are another good choice.

photo credit: Avia Venefica

Wall pocket can often be picked up at garage sales or a thrift shop for pennies. And the vintage look will add character to you room, patio or balcony.

And my favorite addition to any room is a vertical garden, or “living wall”. Each garden wall has it own unique look.

If your plants are for patio and balcony areas you may wan to consider how hardy they are. Will they handle wind and cold? Should they be brought in during the winter or just protected from wind and the elements?

One final consideration in adding plants to a small area is to carefully select the plants. You will only have room for a few in a small space design so try and get a few plants with height, a few vines and plants with a little color. You may also have to consider plants for low light areas.

Tip: Remove plants from the wall for watering to avoid damage to floors, walls or rugs.

Technorati Tags: indoor plants, small balcony design, small patio design, small space design

Water features are a wonderful addition to any backyard, garden or indoor living space.  The sound and flow of water adds instant relaxation to any area, particularly a small space design area. Mini gardens or apartment dwellers that have a small porch deck or balcony can easily create a backyard oasis feeling with the addition of a small water pond created in a garden pot.
photo credit: SuperFantastic

First select a glazed ceramic pot without a hole in the bottom. You can purchase one at a store or add to the fun and challenge by picking one up at an auction or garage sale. Select a style that will fit with your home design or go for a natural garden look.

Wash the pot well with a natural soap without perfume or chemicals and fill the pit with water. Select a few varieties of aquatic plants and perhaps a dwarf water lily. Your selection of water plants will be based on the size of the pot and whether you plan to add dirt to the pot. Your local pet store or garden center will be able to help you with your selection.

A quick guide for water plant selection is that some plants do well planted in a plastic plant basket filled with compost and topped with gravel. Others float freely on the surface of the water and are known as floaters. If you choose a water lily, which needs soil, place the basket on the bottom of the pot and the leaves will naturally float to the surface. Water lilies are one of the more popular water plants because of their beauty.

If your planter is large enough you might want to add a few small fish, but due to the size of the mini water pond you are creating the fish must be small and only purchase a few. The plants will keep the water clear in your mini water garden and give the fish oxygen and shade.

If you add fish, remember to feed them according to directions on the food container, check the water regularly and don’t purchase Koi fish for a small mini pond. They can grow quite large and will outgrow their home very quickly.

If you live in a cold area you will need to protect your mini water garden from freezing during the winter, especially if you have fish in the container. If you have room in your home you may want to bring the mini water pond indoors. It will definitely add to the atmosphere. If you leave the pond outdoors, cover it and in cold areas find an indoor home for the fish.

Each spring you will need to clean the pot thoroughly and prune the plants to a manageable size. During the seasons keep the plants groomed by removing any sad looking leaves and dead blooms. This will keep your mini water pond healthier and your plants blooming all season long.

One final note, place your water pond in an area that gets about 8 hours of sun and remove any leaves that blow into the pond.

This small mini water pond will add to any patio, balcony garden or even the indoor living area. With proper care and cleaning it will be productive for many years.

Technorati Tags: backyard design, mini water pond, small backyard designs, small balcony design, small deck design, small space design, Small Space Garden, water plants