| What This Series Will Explore When working with small gardens, I’ve learned that people often want to know two things before they invest attention or effort: where is this going, and what will it ask of me? This post exists to answer both. The Small Garden, Done Properly is a considered blog series, written to reflect how small gardens actually function — quietly, incrementally, and over time. Rather than offering quick fixes or dramatic transformations, each post looks at one aspect of small-garden care and design, building a broader picture through steady observation. What follows is not a publishing schedule, but a map. Some posts will feel practical, others more reflective. All of them are grounded in real gardens, real constraints, and years of maintaining compact spaces where there’s no room for excess — in planting, effort, or expectation. Below is the shape of the series. The Series Line-Up What Makes a Small Garden Work (and What Ruins It) A look at the fundamental differences between small gardens that thrive and those that feel permanently unsettled. One Border, Treated Properly Why focusing on a single area can change the whole feel of a compact garden—and reduce long-term maintenance. The Best Plant Types for Tight Spaces An exploration of plants that behave well, earn their place, and don’t demand constant intervention. Why Small Gardens Need More Thought, Not More Plants How overcrowding creates problems, and why restraint is one of the most useful tools in a small space. Gardening When Storage Is Limited Designing and maintaining gardens that fit real lives, not idealised setups. How to Make a Small Garden Feel Calm, Not Busy Using repetition, space, and simple structure to create a sense of ease rather than visual noise. Wildlife Value in Small Spaces Supporting birds, insects, and soil life without letting a garden slip into chaos. The Power of Repetition in Planting Why repeating plants brings clarity, confidence, and long-term simplicity. When Hard Surfaces Help, Not Harm Looking at paths, patios, and structure as tools for protection, access, and balance. Maintaining a Small Garden in Short Visits What can realistically be achieved in a limited time — and why consistency matters more than intensity. What to Remove Before You Add Anything Understanding subtraction as an act of care, not loss. A Small Garden Is Never Finished — and That’s the Point A closing reflection on change, stewardship, and letting gardens evolve. This series will unfold gradually, allowing each idea space to settle before moving on to the next. Small gardens rarely benefit from being rushed, and neither does the thinking behind them. If you’re caring for a compact garden yourself — or relying on regular professional maintenance — these posts are intended to offer clarity, reassurance, and a steadier way of looking at small spaces. Not as problems to be solved, but as places to be tended well. |
The Small Garden
Earthly Comforts 