Small gardens are the best of all gardens, I think – and I’ve seen a lot of gardens! Without much space to play with, you’re forced to make the most of each nook, to care for every cranny. Reality dictates you must continually refine your choice of plants to grow only those you really adore, and get creative to squeeze in everything necessary for whatever is your current outdoor living dream. There’s no room for big-bully shrubs or a shed you hardly every use, and anything that doesn’t earn its place has to go if there’s ever to be any hope of an outdoor kitchen! The result is concentrated garden joy, a rich boiled-down blend of all that makes you feel happy and love life outside. A petite plot also means you can spend a half-hour pottering and instantly see the results of your efforts, and no project is so big that you can’t have a go yourself. Oh, and there’s never so much gardening to be done that you can’t down tools and relax on the patio to soak in the bliss of that self-made view! In my garden, spring has brought a scatter of daisy freckles to the lawn and I can feel the sun’s warmth sinking into the terracotta pots. These whispers of summer coming are motivating me to make th
