Small gardens

George Cullis garden

A space revived: a modern small courtyard garden in London

Utrecht garden designed by Erik Funneman

A modern courtyard garden with a living wall in Utrecht

Green wall in Utrecht, designed by Erik Funneman. © Sietske de Vries

How to create a living wall

Flora Grubb's California garden

A lush but drought-tolerant garden in California

Emma Bridgewater's Factory with Arthur Parkinson

Arthur Parkinson’s favourite cut flowers to grow in pots

Hunkered down behind the sea wall and surrounded with a weathered timber palisade fence, the garden is protected from the elements with a sunny seating area to the left and shaded corner to the right. A stone path leads to a gate and steps over the sea wall to the beach beyond.

Planting for a seaside garden

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Japanese-style planting in a modern courtyard garden

The layered planting in the large bed obscures the seating area from view. A path, softened by mats of Ophiopogon planiscapus, Soleirolia soleirolii and Viola hederacea, slows down the journey to the end of the garden

How to create a Japanese-inspired modern small garden

The deep beds are crammed with a complex tapestry of perennial interest, with an emphasis on foliage that ranges from the fresh, grassy growth of Hakonechloa macra to the deep-plum leaves of Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’.

Planting for a dry and shady urban garden

Designer Emily Erlam has created a gentle journey along a plum-coloured brick path that winds its way via intimate seating areas among a mass of evergreens and shrubby trees underplanted with perennials, grasses and bulbs.

How to create a modern minimalist garden

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Inside Andy Sturgeon's modern coastal garden

Takefue ryokan garden, Kumamoto Prefecture, Minamioguni-machi, Japan

9 garden lighting ideas

Erik Funneman garden, Amsterdam

How designer Erik Funneman maximised space in a modern city garden

Ula Maria garden in east London

A small east London garden with a characterful and relaxed design by Ula Maria

Alasdair Cameron's small garden with green foliage in London

A tranquil sanctuary in central London