How to design your small back garden space
When your outdoor space is tight or even if you have no garden beds at all, you can create the serenity of a tropical courtyard surrounded with luscious plants. Be inspired by these two inner-city transformations.
Make the most of your small outdoors by transforming it into a themed garden. Pick your favourite vacation destination and use the cultural elements to shape your design – like this Balinese-inspired 3 x 5.7m courtyard. It’s the ultimate way to display precious treasures from your travels – and a beautiful excuse to go find more!
Layer it lusciously
Build a tropical paradise from the top down for a jungle vibe...
Tall layers
1. Bring exotic features to the southern climes of Australia with golden cane palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens). Standing tall with elegantly arching fronds, it breaks up this wall beautifully.
2. Cordyline fruticosa ‘Kiwi’ has been around for ages and for very good reason! It features a variety of leaf colours, has an appealing upright aesthetic and is low maintenance. Most of all, its broad leaves create charming backdrop foliage.
3. Alcantarea imperialis ‘Silver Plum’ is a full sun-loving giant bromeliad. The trick to more red colouring is to give it more sun!
Mid layers
4. Philodendron ‘Xanadu’ is a great structural plant because it forms a round, neat shrub and has interesting fingered leaves.
5. Codiaeum variegatum ‘Excellent’ and ‘Mammy’ have stunning and vibrant bold leaf colours to add wow factor.
6. Introduce agave with the large rosette-forming species Agave attenuata. Over time, it makes many pups you can replant.
7. The jade plant (Crassula ovata) enjoys bright light and will grow in pots or in a sunny spot in a garden bed, provided it has excellent drainage.
Lower layers
8. The hybrid born from Guzmania lingulata, ‘Hilda’ features a sneaky punch of golden colour from the bracts. It just loves the sun!
9. Moses in the cradle (Rhoeo discolor compacta) is low-growing and slow- spreading with vivid purple accents on the reverse side of its leaves.
10. Spillover Sedum ‘Goldilocks’ looks pretty here as a groundcover and picks up on the other yellows in the garden.
11. Guzmania lingulata provide tropical spots of colour and is suited to pots, hanging baskets and garden beds.
