How to Lay Out a Short, Wide Garden
A garden that’s wider than it is long can feel limiting, but clever design can work wonders
A garden that’s very shallow can create a sense of being hemmed in by its boundaries, particularly the rear one, which may be fairly close to the house or patio. Options may also appear limited for creating interest, because of a sense the space has nowhere to go and no potential for mystique.
However, there are plenty of design and planting tricks that have the power to transform such a space, from blurring the boundaries to boosting borders and choosing colour strategically. Here, three garden designers share their expertise.
Professional advice from: Neil Jones of Neil Jones Design; Melanie Hick of Melanie Hick Garden Design; Simon Orchard of Simon Orchard Garden Design
More in this series: How to Lay Out a Long, Narrow Garden
However, there are plenty of design and planting tricks that have the power to transform such a space, from blurring the boundaries to boosting borders and choosing colour strategically. Here, three garden designers share their expertise.
Professional advice from: Neil Jones of Neil Jones Design; Melanie Hick of Melanie Hick Garden Design; Simon Orchard of Simon Orchard Garden Design
More in this series: How to Lay Out a Long, Narrow Garden
2. Consider the width
Neil highlights the importance of maximising the garden’s width, ensuring the whole space gets used, not just the area outside the patio doors. He suggests creating several linked “compartments” along the width to break up and zone the plot, giving a sense there are spaces to explore, as well as distinct areas for, say, dining, seating or play.
Simon suggests zoning, too, and says spaces could be left open or separated by trellis, planting beds or low hedging. “But do avoid anything too high and solid, which could make the individual zones feel cramped,” he says.
It’s not just about garden use – your garden’s width can also be employed to improve your view. “Consider any windows or doors that look onto the space from the house,” Neil says. “You want to create points of interest along the width, so the garden provides something from every viewpoint.”
Ready to revamp your outside space? Find garden designers and landscape architects in your area on Houzz.
Neil highlights the importance of maximising the garden’s width, ensuring the whole space gets used, not just the area outside the patio doors. He suggests creating several linked “compartments” along the width to break up and zone the plot, giving a sense there are spaces to explore, as well as distinct areas for, say, dining, seating or play.
Simon suggests zoning, too, and says spaces could be left open or separated by trellis, planting beds or low hedging. “But do avoid anything too high and solid, which could make the individual zones feel cramped,” he says.
It’s not just about garden use – your garden’s width can also be employed to improve your view. “Consider any windows or doors that look onto the space from the house,” Neil says. “You want to create points of interest along the width, so the garden provides something from every viewpoint.”
Ready to revamp your outside space? Find garden designers and landscape architects in your area on Houzz.
3. Blur your boundary
“Greening up the boundary helps your short, wide garden blend into the neighbouring gardens,” Melanie explains. “You may not have room for large trees in your own plot, but if you add a raised hedge via standard small trees such as Prunus lusitanica ‘Myrtifolia’ or pleached panels, you can visually link your garden to any neighbouring large trees.”
This linking is key, as Simon explains. “If you’re lucky enough to have a nice view beyond your property, you can effectively ‘borrow’ the landscape. Neighbouring gardens and the wider landscape will combine to make the garden look bigger.
“If you have a very tall hedge, consider reducing the height, which will make you feel less hemmed in,” he adds.
“Greening up the boundary helps your short, wide garden blend into the neighbouring gardens,” Melanie explains. “You may not have room for large trees in your own plot, but if you add a raised hedge via standard small trees such as Prunus lusitanica ‘Myrtifolia’ or pleached panels, you can visually link your garden to any neighbouring large trees.”
This linking is key, as Simon explains. “If you’re lucky enough to have a nice view beyond your property, you can effectively ‘borrow’ the landscape. Neighbouring gardens and the wider landscape will combine to make the garden look bigger.
“If you have a very tall hedge, consider reducing the height, which will make you feel less hemmed in,” he adds.
4. Play with the levels
Simon suggests creating a tiered planting bed, with short plants at the front and taller ones at the back. “It will gently lead your eye upwards, rather than you looking out onto a vertical boundary.”
Neil also advocates this kind of layering and says that using key plants at strategic locations will provide a resting point for the eye without drawing it to the boundary. Be strategic about which plants you put in which layers, though, he cautions. “Large, bold foliage jumps out, so use it wisely and dilute with a mix of smaller foliage,” he says. “Plants with finer foliage will appear further away, so use them towards the back.”
Another idea to trick the eye is to make a noticeable feature on the rear boundary. “A false door or a series of arches along it [will] give the impression there’s another garden beyond and that your space is the first in a series of successive ‘rooms’, inviting the visitor to explore,” Neil says.
Simon suggests creating a tiered planting bed, with short plants at the front and taller ones at the back. “It will gently lead your eye upwards, rather than you looking out onto a vertical boundary.”
Neil also advocates this kind of layering and says that using key plants at strategic locations will provide a resting point for the eye without drawing it to the boundary. Be strategic about which plants you put in which layers, though, he cautions. “Large, bold foliage jumps out, so use it wisely and dilute with a mix of smaller foliage,” he says. “Plants with finer foliage will appear further away, so use them towards the back.”
Another idea to trick the eye is to make a noticeable feature on the rear boundary. “A false door or a series of arches along it [will] give the impression there’s another garden beyond and that your space is the first in a series of successive ‘rooms’, inviting the visitor to explore,” Neil says.
5. Maximise your patio
In this type of garden, particularly, your patio can be put to work without it encroaching on the rest of the plot. “I managed to fit a patio and over-sized pergola with swings [pictured] into a short, wide garden, because a pergola takes up no space and swings are merely an additional seating option, not a space-stealer,” Melanie says. “Keep any pots and planters simple and unified; that way, they look deliberate.”
In this type of garden, particularly, your patio can be put to work without it encroaching on the rest of the plot. “I managed to fit a patio and over-sized pergola with swings [pictured] into a short, wide garden, because a pergola takes up no space and swings are merely an additional seating option, not a space-stealer,” Melanie says. “Keep any pots and planters simple and unified; that way, they look deliberate.”
6. Big up your borders and beds
It might seem counterintuitive, but by reducing the width of the garden (with planting), you’ll effectively expand the space. “Deeper [side] beds will cheat the eye into making the rest of the garden look longer, and the planting in the beds will take your eye off the back boundary,” Simon explains.
Melanie also advises looking beyond the classic rectilinear lawn and surrounding border, as in this image, while Neil suggests using strong geometric shapes in the ground plan. “It can help to hold the eye within the space and prevent it being drawn to the boundaries,” he says.
“Bring planting right up the house to give the impression of depth,” Melanie adds. “And never scrimp on borders – aim for a one metre depth minimum.”
It might seem counterintuitive, but by reducing the width of the garden (with planting), you’ll effectively expand the space. “Deeper [side] beds will cheat the eye into making the rest of the garden look longer, and the planting in the beds will take your eye off the back boundary,” Simon explains.
Melanie also advises looking beyond the classic rectilinear lawn and surrounding border, as in this image, while Neil suggests using strong geometric shapes in the ground plan. “It can help to hold the eye within the space and prevent it being drawn to the boundaries,” he says.
“Bring planting right up the house to give the impression of depth,” Melanie adds. “And never scrimp on borders – aim for a one metre depth minimum.”
7. Consider colour
The colours – both of materials and plants – can have a significant impact on the perception of space in your short, wide plot. “To help the garden feel deeper, I like to knock back the boundaries with dark fences and green planting,” Melanie says. “The dark colour makes fences feel invisible. Lighter colours stop the eye.”
Neil expands on this idea. “Dark boundaries or using materials that naturally ‘recede’ in the garden are best to help the boundary appear further away and less prominent in the space,” he says. “Dark colours naturally diminish, so are a good choice for boundaries and provide a dramatic backdrop to show off planting.”
What you plant is important, too. “Avoid red-flowering plants along the back boundary,” Simon warns. “Your eye will be drawn to them, accentuating the shallow garden. Hot or bright colours scream for attention, so use them wisely and in moderation – these show-stoppers are best used in the foreground. In contrast, paler colours will appear to be further away.”
Neil extends this theme into materials, saying, “A limited palette of pale materials, such as paving and gravel, helps to make the garden feel more expansive and reflects light.”
Tell us…
What have you done to shift the shape of your garden – and which of these tips is your favourite? Let us know in the Comments.
The colours – both of materials and plants – can have a significant impact on the perception of space in your short, wide plot. “To help the garden feel deeper, I like to knock back the boundaries with dark fences and green planting,” Melanie says. “The dark colour makes fences feel invisible. Lighter colours stop the eye.”
Neil expands on this idea. “Dark boundaries or using materials that naturally ‘recede’ in the garden are best to help the boundary appear further away and less prominent in the space,” he says. “Dark colours naturally diminish, so are a good choice for boundaries and provide a dramatic backdrop to show off planting.”
What you plant is important, too. “Avoid red-flowering plants along the back boundary,” Simon warns. “Your eye will be drawn to them, accentuating the shallow garden. Hot or bright colours scream for attention, so use them wisely and in moderation – these show-stoppers are best used in the foreground. In contrast, paler colours will appear to be further away.”
Neil extends this theme into materials, saying, “A limited palette of pale materials, such as paving and gravel, helps to make the garden feel more expansive and reflects light.”
Tell us…
What have you done to shift the shape of your garden – and which of these tips is your favourite? Let us know in the Comments.
Simon Orchard suggests creating focal points that will draw the eye diagonally across the garden, rather than straight towards the boundary. This will make it appear larger.
“It could be a specimen tree or a shrub that has a long season of interest, or other garden features such as an arbour, arch, pergola or cleverly placed piece of artwork or furniture,” he says.
Neil Jones agrees. “Think of these features as stage scenery, creating depth and inviting the eye to explore,” he says.
Melanie Hick also suggests planting strategically to trick the eye. “To make it feel deeper, add deeper planting to the sides, and bring greenery right up to the house to create a sense of mystique,” she says.
A layout that runs perpendicular to the house can also help, Neil says. One suggestion is to lay paving in a pattern that draws the eye along the depth to make it appear deeper (see photo below).
“If you’re creating paths, consider running these diagonally,” Simon adds. “While the end destination is still the back of the garden, the path and journey is longer, again helping to make the garden feel deeper than it is.”