When space is tight finding room for a garden can be difficult - but not impossible. In fact, within the challenge lies plenty of opportunity for creating a beautiful, well-kept, and sustainable garden, no matter your square meterage. Creating the ideal small garden is a chance to be creative and think outside the box - literally. Here are 5 genius garden ideas to spruce up your small garden game.

Vertical gardens

Building upwards - it’s the logical space-saving technique that can yield fantastic results. Blank and dull wall space whether it’s inside, on a balcony, or out the back can revolutionise how and where plants grow. Whether you’re placing pants on a shelf or getting creative with fabric pockets, there are endless ways of making this happen. Vertical gardens have the added bonus of water trickling down through the layers making the whole system more water savvy. Having your garden near the kitchen is a great idea if planning on harvesting those delicious microgreens and salads.

Repurpose old furniture 

A shelf, a set of old draws, or even a couch or an old bathtub. Just some of the many household items that can hold the perfect amount of soil to get those flowers and veggies going. If you’re planning on planting flowers, you may want to consider painting the furniture a complementary colour for aesthetics. Always plan ahead with what colours the flowers will be and think carefully about where the irrigation runs-off will go. It’s all fun and games until the wood goes mouldy. If it’s indoors, stick to metal frames and structures to avoid potential water damage.

Bench seat compost bins 

Planning outdoor gardens and living spaces is tough. Finding space for everything can be challenging. And one important feature is often left out: the compost bin. While buying fresh soil and fertiliser is easy, it does get expensive. Having your own source of compost is a vital part of any healthy garden. So why not save space and combine this with your seating area. Underground composting is not only fantastic for the soil around the bin itself - you’ll be able to harvest soil-enriching compost for your entire garden.

Window boxes 

Yes, think about those cute German cottages with flowers overflowing from every windowsill. Forget crowing your window ledge with different sized pots and vases. Window boxes are an amazing way of maximising growing space even in the tiniest apartment building. No matter the size or height of your window, finding the right size is easy online - and installation even easier. It’s not just flowers that make looking out the window a beautiful fragrant experience, there’s no reason why veggies, herbs, and other greens can’t be in the mix too. Just be sure your boxes get enough sun. If your windows are always in shade you might want to choose your plants carefully.

Hanging gardens

The ultimate space-saving extravaganza. Think chandelier but green and alive. If you’re into vines and creepers and crawlers, your possibilities are literally endless. Even just hanging a bucket on an outside rafter or beam can be the start of a hanging garden blitz. Hang from the gutters, ceiling, shower wall, and get creative with what you use. Buckets, shoes, recycled plastic bottles cut in half - or even a basket or a jar. Hanging gardens are the best excuse to upcycle and reuse household goods that would otherwise end up in the landfill. There’s no reason why you can't be picking flowers and harvesting veggies without a single square meter of ground.