Do you think your garden is a bit on the small side and would rather it looked a bit bigger? By using the right plants, you can make your garden look bigger. This way you can make your own little paradise seem just a little larger. Bakker has a number of tips to make your garden look bigger and more attractive.
Grey tiles out, fresh green in
First of all, say goodbye to as many tiles as possible. The more tiles you have in your garden, the less space you will have to get started with greenery. And as mentioned, it is greenery that will help make your garden look bigger. Flower bulbs or colourful garden plants can now be placed where your tiles used to be. Creeping ground cover such as Thyme, Phlox or Bell Flowers give a lot of colour in one go, without taking up much space. Plant them around your lawn, in the open ground or between the remaining tiles.
Replacing tiles with a grass path can be a great solution to make your garden look more open. Have this path meander through the garden for an optically larger garden. In combination with the colours of the flowering plants, the grass creates a cheerful and spacious feeling.
Green garden fence to replace the fence
For more colour in the garden, replace the fence with hedge plants. With the right mix, hedge plants will also give the garden a larger feeling. Choose your favourite hedge and plant it uniformly (same planting distance and height of the plant) for an optically larger garden. Do you prefer a red Barberry or a fresh green Privet? This natural garden fence is perfect for closing your garden off from the outside world. Unwind completely in your own private resort. Do you want to be transported into a Zen mood? A bamboo hedge might be the right choice, then. The non-invasive Fargesia is perfect for this. Would you prefer a Zen corner in the garden? Then create a natural fence with ornamental grasses. Perfect if you want to meditate quietly.
Tip: This optical trick also works perfectly with other garden plants. So put as many of your favourite plants in the garden as possible.
Subdued colours and varying heights
Playing with colour and heights also has a positive effect on the optical size of your garden. In this way, a garden radiates unity with subdued shades of the same colour. For example, choose different shades of blue and purple. The order of the colours is also an option for making the garden look bigger. Start with dark colours in the front of the garden and let them flow into lighter colours. This creates more depth in the garden. Further enhance the depth effect with plants and flowers of varying heights. Place low plants at the front and increase height towards the back. Bakker flower bulbs are perfect for creating these contrasts in your garden. Combine the cheerful bulbs with low-growing shrubs such as hydrangeas or perennials, such as lavender.
To give you a hand, here is a good example:
- Start with dark purple ranunculus in the front. These nice flower bulbs give 8 to 10 flowers per bulb and are around 30 to 40 centimetres high. You can enjoy these beautiful bloomers all summer long.
- Behind that, go a step higher with pink Dahlias or immediately change the mix with a shrub, such as lavender. Large-flowered Dahlias can grow up to 90 centimetres and bloom for a long time, from July to October.
- Create the last zone with very light pink or white gladioli. These tall growers can reach a height of up to a metre and flower for about the same period as the Dahlias. Lots of flower fun and your larger-looking garden – what more could you want?
The sky is the limit
Do you not have much space in terms of garden area? Don't worry about square metres – the sky is the limit! Vertical gardening is the emerging trend, these days. Get vertical gardening by letting plants climb, or by making a vertical framework with plants in it. For example, climbing plants are ideal for giving your outside wall or pergola a bit of extra colour. An easy, green solution is the Hedera helix. This well-known climbing plant attaches itself to your wall and continues to grow until the plant runs out of space. But if you know Bakker well, you know there are more colours to love than just green. For a truly romantic atmosphere in the garden, opt for the lovely climbing rose or a cheerful clematis. These climbing plants do need a little help to grow in the form of a climbing frame. Attach this frame to the wall and tie the tendrils of the plant to the frame. The rose and the clematis also go very well together. Create beautiful climbing combinations for your romantic garden. The clematis flowers in May and June, after that the rose starts to bloom and you can enjoy its beautiful flowers until November.
Another way of having a vertical gardening is by using a plant rack. Screw the rack to the wall and hang all kinds of cheerful pots with your favourite plants on it. Choose small plants, so that the pots do not become too heavy.
Want to get started with transforming your small garden into a large dream garden? Then browse Bakker's wide range of garden plants and roll up your sleeves.
