Little Miracles

Designers will agree that in small spaces every element must earn its keep, from paving and planters to perimeter treatments and the planting itself. Yet these parts of the garden, seemingly mere accessories, are intrinsic to a design. When well-planned from the outset they can make a garden sing, no matter how restricted its parameters.

Humaira Ikram, designer and course leader at the KLC School of Garden Design advises deciding what you’d like from the garden before you begin to design it – and crucially, what you would like to feel when you’re in it. Then, as you plan the garden, consider four design principles. “Simplicity is the first thing. Always step back and ask: ‘Is it simple enough? Have I added too many ideas?’” It is tempting to fill smaller spaces with many different elements but this is one place where less