Garden design for transforming small spaces

BEFORE: Wall to wall grass, plain and very simple

A modest sized but very plain and simple looking rear garden in sub-urban Dublin was the starting point here.

Apart from the lawn area there was little evidence of any imagination or inspiring layout.

The rotary line, garden shed (occupying the best corner to enjoy late afternoon/evening sun!) and the lawn were really the only distinguishable elements in this garden. Clearly this garden was under-developed but had lots of potential. The owners were anxious to transform the garden into a much more appealing and usable space, in essence, the design challenge here was to create an outdoor room which would allow the  owners to enjoy the garden more as well as make more use of the space.

With the site cleared and wall rendering completed, the garden shed was re-positioned which then allowed construction works to proceed. Good progress was difficult, hindered frequently by extraordinary unseasonal wet summer showers. Still one has to persevere, and much like eating an elephant in small pieces, progress although slowed by the poor weather, was achieved albeit in small incremental stages.

BEFORE: besides being in the sunniest corner, it was difficult not to notice the garden shed

BEFORE: A modest and uninviting patio area

BEFORE: small steps created a cluttered look as well as a potential trip hazard

Wall rendering in progress

Freshly painted rendered walls blend beautifully with patio tones

Painted wall tones complement the natural tones of the drystone raised bed

Garden shed re-positioned and re-painted in a much softer warmer tone

The raised sandstone planting bed will be a key feature in the new garden

All space is used, defined and managed in a sensible manner

The process of building a new garden gets worse before it gets better