13 Small Garden Ideas That Yield Bountiful Style

Green thumbs at the ready, friends.

By: Maria Conti

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Photo By: Photo by Jane Coclasure courtesy of P. Allen Smith.

Photo By: Dabito

Blooming Wall Art

Harness the wow-power of overflowing blooms on your (tiny) patio with a fabric wall planter. These pretty planters are available in a wide variety of sizes from your local nursery or hardware store, so you can hang them on any vertical surface no matter the dimensions of your space.

Opt for Herbs

Give yourself the gift of fresh herbs for every homecooked (or takeout!) meal. We're drooling over this iron and terracotta pot indoor herb garden, as seen on HGTV's Fixer Upper. The white brick wall and white granite countertop create a bright backdrop that allows the vibrant green to pop — perfect for renters with blah white walls, wouldn't you agree?

Bathroom Buddy

Fiddle-leaf figs hail from the tropical climate of Africa and will make themselves right at home in a sun-drenched bathroom. Squeeze one in the corner of your tiny W.C. and shower frequently, as they love the humidity. Best part? Your fiddle won't judge your daily musical renditions of the Hot 100.

Freestanding + Free-Spirited

Even if you have a small deck or patio, you can soak up the scenery with lush greenery hung from a chic, freestanding DIY garden. Bonus? As the plants grow, they’ll also provide privacy for your outdoor living area.

Instructions: How to Build an Outdoor Plant and Privacy Wall

Wonderful Wood

Even the tiniest, most cramped terraces and patios can yield the benefits from this idea. Secure a trio of pint-sized plants to chic wood slices to add a touch of personality to your wall. Just don't forget to water them a few times a week!

DIY: How to Mount a Staghorn Fern

Try Intensive Gardening

Make your small space work double time. One way to do that is with intensive planting — utilizing one flower bed for several different plants. For example, planting spring vegetable seeds around tulips combines edible plants with ornamental varieties, saving space and upping your garden's efficiency score.

Learn More: Intensive Gardening Makes Small Spaces Work Double Time

Refresh Your Resident Watering Hole

Store your cranberry vodka in the cupboard and give your bar cart a new purpose in life. This mini-jungle adds heaps of personality to any room and you can easily navigate it to the best source of sunlight throughout the day.

From: Michelle Edgemont

House Planted

Forget basic drapes and go wild with plant curtains! Sit potted plants plants in window sill or floor or hang them from curtain rods to create a jungalicious window covering.

More is More

There's not much of "a view" from this small urban patio, aside from the reclaimed wood privacy wall, that is. One way to add life to similarly lacking spaces is by combining many different planters and foliage to create a lush, emerald escape. Climbing vines, potted plants and a terrarium come together to create a vibrant space for easy outdoor entertaining.

See the Rest of the Apartment: Urban Spaces: Creative Couple's Shotgun-Style NYC Apartment

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Clear View

No outdoor to space? No problem! Fill your windows with sun-loving potted plants like cacti, succulents, ferns and more, all planted in similarly-hued pots. If you don't have room for shelves in the window, consider installing chic tension rods to hang your potted beauties from.

DIY: Window-Mounted Hanging Herb Garden

Rim Your Railings

If we had to choose between a pretty garden and a luxurious outdoor entertaining space, the entertaining space wins every time. But fortunately, we don't have to choose! Go vertical and put those railings to work with flower boxes filled with lush foliage, freeing up the rest of your small porch space for outdoor furniture.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Plant for Privacy

City-dwellers deserve privacy, too! Build vertical planter walls to provide a lush barrier for your outdoor space. Looking for a real escape? Invest in noise-cancelling headphones and thank us later.

From: Jamie Durie

Pretty + Practical

Want to get a little something extra out of your small-space garden? Dwarf citrus trees thrive in container gardens, providing vibrant color as well as fruit!

Growing Fruit Trees in Containers