Some of the nicest wrought iron that outline’s a garden in my opinion is always the sort that has a portion that mimics something within the garden. A bit of whimsy gets me every time without fail. Whether it be the curl of a sweat pea, or lines similar to those of a cherry blossom tree they always set the very best of tones. And much like a wooden picket fence, they always look so spectacular with a fresh coat of paint. For me it is the most perfect edging of all for a private garden. Such a detail can finish off a garden like nothing else.

With the edgers being so close to the ground, they provide much appreciated additional light for the walkway. When things get icy, or that ice melts into puddles, we want our visitors to be aware of what they are walking towards. Plus, the small lights look smashing, outlining the garden area like candy does a gingerbread house.

If you are interested, it only requires the following materials:

Strands of wire mini lights

Scissors

Steel garden edgers

Weatherproof electrical tape

Don’t forget to have fun, and be festive even when you are setting this up. I give you approval to be a bit grumpy taking it down, as those things are never appealing.

I recall the window boxes on a our neighbour’s house growing up. The home belonged to Mrs. McCleary, and she babied everything she grew. Her interest and love shown through, and left me wishing we had some window boxes too. I tell you this so that you do not view the limitation of space as insurmountable, you can overcome it with the right attitude.

You will be able to grow all sorts of beautiful flowers, or herbs. Though the boxes might seem small, they will house oregano chives, rosemary and other flavourful herbs successfully. Pretty soon you will have a viable, nourishing garden all literally right outside your window.

Certainly, any professional will tell you that there are ways to make a winter garden more than a visually sparse and dreary wasteland. This by no means is to say that I neglect my treasured outdoor living space. I actually do work quite hard to keep the space from looking anything less than its best, considering the hurdles that the aggressive weather produces for me.

My garden is so important to me that I place the requirements I have for it, as to dimensions, and light source at the top of the list when I buy a house. And as you may have guessed I also demand that any home I live in have great big windows from which to admire that garden from when I am inside. But, my secret is that from the inside of my home I only ever want to see a bountiful and boisterous garden. So when the good weather returns, I have a bit if a tradition, an unveiling you might call it. It takes place when I return to the sofa with the garden view to see the beauty restored.

Here are a few interesting replacements that have brought other gardeners we know great joy after the loss of a well established tree. The Crabapple is a disease resistant and bountiful tree. Specifically, the Prairfire produces a purply-red foliage with deep pink flowers, the Centurion a rosey-pink shade, and you can find others that will give you your choice of gold, orange, and red flowers. Amongst the varieties you will come across those that with a growth expectancy from six feet to thirty feet both tall and wide.

Or you might prefer the Magnolia trees, of which our favourite is the Saucer Magnolia. It is known to grow as tall as twenty feet, and as wide as well. The flowers vary from purple, to white to pink. It has been said that the Saucer Magnolia has some of the most attractive flowers of any tree, but that is really for you to decide.

In time, this new tree will fill the space of the last one in the garden, and ultimately the void in your heart from the loss. Undoubtedly it will take a lot of time till it is on the same level as the other one, but you are likely to find that the new one is even better, as long as there was no specific sentimental value to it.

If we start with the name, we will learn that originally the term baby moon meant the time parents spend bonding with their newborn babies. Nothing is sweeter, and more endearing that a newborn baby, and it is positively one of the all time least imposing things. The flower too appears just as delicate, and vulnerable, but with an surprisingly strong fragrance.

The surprise lies in the fact that this flower, which blooms in a delightful constellation like cluster has defensive abilities. It seems that the common garden creatures that would normally bite into such things have no interest in doing so, as it is a tough plant.

If a plant has any diseased, dead or damaged stems cut them immediately upon identifying them. When not removed, those damaged or dead stems create an opportunity for both insect to invade and disease to infiltrate. Beyond that, always extricate branches that are crossing, shoots that are runaway on the side of branches or trunks of the plant. In addition, if you see any branches that are growing into the ground, they too should be taken away. By eliminating all of these you allow the nutrients to reach the viable sections, as opposed to competition by both good and bad for those resources. Plus, you eradicate any obstacles that may prohibit the healthy parts to flourish.

It’s all in the planning

Any garden needs to be well planned, but especially so for small plots. Write a list to include bullets that detail what purposes your garden needs to serve, i.e. veggie growing, relaxing, play area, recycling and compost, decorative, storage… Then sketch out a plan of your allocated plot and try to segment the space to accommodate all of these outdoor pursuits.

Multi task

Tiny gardens might fall short when it comes to ideal planning i.e. too much to accommodate in too smaller space, but clever multi-tasking can be a great alternative to sacrificing areas. If storage and veg growing are needed, look at installing a shed with a grass roof – these are ecologically sound for city areas, plus brilliant pumpkin and tumbling tomato plots. Recycling and bins can be hidden from sight and also given grass roofs, which could be planted with meadow seed or sedum.

Space saving storage

Ingenious storage can solve a lot of problems when it comes to small spaces, whether you take the grass roof shed route, or look at installing wall brackets to hang bikes, tools and furniture. Greenhouses are also available in a variety of sizes and statures these days; take your pick from five tier seed growing towers, through to shallow, glass houses that sit snugly against a building.

Flat pack furniture

Every garden should have somewhere to relax, which means some kind of furniture is essential. Big heavy wooden and metal patio furniture may not be practical for small spaces, but there are loads of other space saving alternatives that ensure some chill out time. Traditional deck chairs fold away neatly and can be stored easily, whilst a string woven hammock which takes two people when up, packs away to the size of a plastic carrier bag.

Clever containers

When the plot is tiny the useable footprint needs to be kept available for moving about the space – which means limitations when it comes to traditional beds. Gutter gardening is a great approach, which is not only perfect for space saving but is also recommended for salad crops regardless of allocated plot. Look for ways to make use of vertical space which would otherwise be redundant, by growing creeping crops and plants up trellises and hanging pots and containers from walls.

A good example of some legwork that you can do before heading to the centre is to take photos of the space you are working with. While you may have thought originally that the measurements of the area would be enough, this is inaccurate if you have anything pre-existing in the space. Things like utilities, plants already there, and outcroppings of things that might block the amount of sunlight you need to grow what you are planning to put in that spot.

While you are at it, take pictures of any pots, benches, tables, or materials that you will be using in the design. Be sure to also jot down the measurement of any items to be filled, such as pots, or articles that you will eliminate space to be filled, like a gazebo. I should mention one last thing, the photos will be very nice to have after the completion of all of your hard work. They will identify how far you have come from the way things were.

When you are trying to decide where to place a herb garden, remember that nearly all herbs will thrive in full direct sunlight. If you select an herb that requires something other than that, they should say so on the instruction card. Next, do not place each plant too close to the next one. By doing this you will cut down on the possibility of pest and fungus problems. And note this, while most pests do not enjoy herbs, spider mites can become an issue. They are best kept away with proper mulching and water.