Garden Designers Roundtable: Small Space Design

Here in the suburbs of East Bay California where I live and design, the houses keep getting bigger while the lots get smaller and smaller. The photo at the top of this post reflects how it often feels around here - like life in a fishbowl.  If you want to be successful in my neck of the woods, you need to master small space design, so I was excited to blog about this topic for the Garden Designers Roundtable.  What I didn’t anticipate was that I would end up writing an article for the September issue of Fine Gardening magazine on solutions for narrow back yards, leaving me with the challenge of blogging on the same topic from a completely different point of view. Fortunately, there is more than one way to approach a “size-challenged”  garden, so I’m calling my mini-design lesson today:

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In Praise of the Straight Line

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The go-to strategy for small, fenced back yards is often to counteract the boxy feel by introducing organic curves.  While this classic solution is one I turn to frequently, there is also a case to be made for geometric shapes and hard edges, a style often (but not always) favored by clients looking for a contemporary vibe in their garden.  If you are considering this style yourself, here are a few guidelines I’ve found helpful.

Use straight lines, just don’t put them in a straight line.

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Small gardens need to maximize all available space, and an advantage to relying on rectangular shapes for the hardscape is that is that it is often a more efficient shape.  Creating the kind of dramatic free-flowing curves that really make a statement in a garden can result in portions of hardscape that are too small to be practically used for anything.  Instead of a patio that's one giant rectangle, by intercutting your hardscape with planting areas, you’ll create a series of garden rooms that can be used for different activities.
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This project was for a grandmother who often babysits for her young grandchildren.  She asked me to design a garden that would accommodate play space, while maximizing seating areas and planting beds.  By sticking with rectangles and circles, I was able to create three distinct seating areas:  one for lounging, one for chatting with a friend next to the fountain and one for dining.  Seating is positioned so that grown-ups can easily keep an eye on the lawn when children are playing.  Although the patio is continuous, the varying widths allow planting areas to be tucked in all around, which helps separate each garden “room” and means that no matter where you’re sitting, the garden is right at hand.  I’m particularly fond of the circular dining area, surrounded on three sides by trees, shrubs and flowering perennials.

Straight Doesn't Have to Mean Parallel

One of the most admired landscape architects of the twentieth century is Thomas Church, known for, among many other things, designing gardens on the diagonal.  Church’s style was my inspiration for this side yard I designed while still a student. 
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Even then I was a firm believer in maximizing spaces, so instead of treating the side yard as a pass through to the front, by angling the walkways and patio on the diagonal, room was created for a seating area with a fireplace and fountain.  
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The square patio shape results in a surprisingly spacious seating area, while the diagonal layout softens the rigidity of the space.  One note of caution – in a secondary garden path that isn’t used on a regular basis, incorporating indirect paths like this is a signal to visitors to slow down and take their time enjoying the space.  I don’t recommend this strategy for primary paths, because frankly, people just get annoyed if they’re forced to go too far out of their way, with the likely result of an unintended “shortcut” through your carefully planned flower beds.

One dramatic curve can keep a geometric space from feeling cold

This advice came from fellow designer Patricia St. John and it's always in the back of my mind when I'm tackling a project like this.spaces.
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These clients had no interest in a lawn but did want to maximize garden and seating space, while leaving plenty of room for their three (large!) dogs.  The more formal tile gives way to a decomposed granite patio partially hidden by raised beds.  Abandoning the rigid geometry and ending this patio with a dramatic sweep keeps the overall design from feeling cold.  On a practical note, the connecting hardscape creates a dog-friendly circuit.

So for those of you who can’t imagine being happy in a garden built around straight lines rather than curves, have I convinced you to give geometry a chance?  For more ideas, drop by these other Garden Designers Roundtable blogs and see what my fellow designers have to say on the topic of small space design:

Carolyn Gail Choi, Sweet Home and Garden Chicago

Jenny Peterson, jpetersongardendesign, Austin, TX

Laura Livingood Schaub, Interleafings, San Jose, CA

Lesley Hagerty and Robert Webber, The Hagerty Webber Partnership Blog,  Bristol, Avon, UK

Shirley Bovshow, Eden Makers, Los Angeles, CA

Susan Schlenger,  Landscape Design Advice,  Hampton, NJ

Tara Dillard, Atlanta, GA

Comments

[DaffodilPlanter]

What a great education in design! Thanks, Susan!

Signed,

Learning-to-love-straight-lines

Just like learning to love broccoli, exercise and going to bed on time, pretty soon embracing straight lines will be second nature!

[Shirley Bovshow]

Great argument for straight lines done right. I like the long patio that you broke up into 3 distinct areas as well as the very functional sideyard.

Beautiful work Susan.

Shirley

Thanks Shirley! I think we share an affinity for repurposed sideyards.

[Laura Livengood Schaub]

Great lesson, Susan! I love 'use straight lines, just not IN a straight line!' That's so true. I nearly always design paving on a diagonal anyway, but really appreciate the way that it expands a small space so gracefully (like you did in your own back garden!) Thanks!

Thanks Laura! I do organic layouts much more often than this type...which is why it's so much fun when an opportunity comes my way.

[jocelyn/the art garden]

Yes, yes, YES! Great "recipes" here for making small spaces more functional. I love your tips on how to integrate plantings to soften the hardscape, too. Thanks!

Thank you Jocelyn. I realize for the designers that read these posts, I'm rarely telling them anything they don't already know, but for me it's still a reminder to THINK about design, instead of just firing up the computer and plugging away.

[Pam/Digging]

It's wonderful to see your designs in plan mode. And that grandmother's garden is anything but grandma-like! I believe it's my favorite.

If you saw all the bunnies, signs and tchockes she had around the perimeter of her garden when I met her you might change your mind, lol!

[Rebecca Sweet]

I can never get enough of your design lessons, Susan. For whatever reason, I've NEVER had a client let me install a garden with straight lines instead opting for curves, curves curves. Armed with your beautiful illustrations above, I'm sure to convince a potential client of the beauty of straight lines on the diagonal. I love these!!

As any man will tell you, curves are easy to love! It takes a little more effort to appreciate a less innately organic design approach.

[Jenny Peterson]

Okay, this is one that I am going to come back and read again--there were so many individual lessons in there! Straight lines, pathways, entertaining areas--you're amazing and I love the way you design! Mwah!!

Right back atcha!

[Michelle D]

Exceptional quality in the writing, graphics and the content.

Michelle, I consider you one of the most talented designers in the Bay Area and am truly flattered by your flattered. Thank you for taking the time to read the post and comment.

[Susan Schlenger]

Susan,
I like your varied use of shapes along side yards. You are right in that the natural tendency is to think in one, direct straight line, but you have shown that other geometry is so much more interesting. A fireplace and fountain in a side yard? Love it!

Thank you Susan. Unfortunately, that was the only project that was an exercise rather than the real, because I'd LOVE to see that one built.

[Judy's Gardens & Design]

Loved your article Susan. The clear descriptions and beautiful visuals are wonderful. You are a talented educator and designer! Very fun post.

Thanks Judy!

[carolyn]

Wonderful post, Susan showing geometry as an interesting design element.

Thank you Carolyn!

[Lesley Hegarty]

Thanks for a really helpful post Susan. As designers it's always refreshing to see how fellow professionals work. Some great tips there - here's to straight lines! Lesley and Robert

I agree, I love the chance to see how other designers approach their work.

[Robert Webber]

Just to add to what Lesley has said above:
Susan, such good points made here about line, straight, curved and diagonal. You have such great feeling for space!
Best Wishes
Robert

[VW]

Great ideas, Susan! Although I have plenty of space outside, my kitchen is so small that I'm always dreaming of ways to expand, preferably without changing exterior walls. But that's off topic, oops.
I like the combo of some curves with some straight lines. Well, all our houses have straight lines, so of course there are some of those visible in the landscape.

It's not completely off topic. For example, laying tile on the diagonal has the same positive design effect indoors as out. It's generally a bit more pricey as it requires more cuts and generates more waste, but really makes a difference in a kitchen or bathroom.

[Andrew]

I am soooooooooooo with you! Recently I've found myself actually straightening out curves I'd made in my own garden, because they just didn't feel right but it was what people were doing then. It's been an interesting learning experience. Thanks for adding to it!

[Alice Joyce]

Very cool, Susan,

Educating non-designers like myself in the art of designing a small space (ummm, like my own garden)!

I'm now pondering Church's innovative use of the diagonal.

Activating space - 2-D or 3-D ... it's a good thing!!

[James]

The LA Times had a piece that might help clients in this predicament. Their solution was just to buy the place next door and create a little compound. Space crunch solved. Okay, I didn't say it was particularly realistic approach. Your ideas would work better for the rest of us.

James, if only I had consulted with you beforehand, this would have been a MUCH faster post to write.