City Garden Design

City Garden Design

City gardens are really important to those that live busy urban lifestyles, mainly because they provide escapism from the hustle and bustle of city life. Small in their nature, city gardens come in many shapes and forms, ranging from courtyard gardens in between rows of terraced houses, rooftop gardens and apartments with balconies.

This month, we are celebrating all elements of city garden design and have gathered together some of the key features that we feel make the perfect urban escape, which may help you on your way if you have a city garden design project planned.

Screening

Outdoor patio with wooden table and chairs, surrounded by trellis and plants, on a wooden deck.

Traditional trellis or contemporary slatted panels are two very popular alternatives to conventional fencing, they are both extremely versatile as well as multi-functional.

City gardens often battle with small space. Due to the very close proximity of properties, gardens can often be visible to others. Trellis or slatted panels work as an aesthetically pleasing privacy screen, creating a secluded and private outside area.

You can also use trellis and slatted panel screening to conceal unsightly elements of a garden, for example an old wall which you may wish to cover up, or a disguise for air conditioning units. For added texture, you can also choose to climb plants and foliage.

Decking

Incorporating decking into city gardens has practical benefits, as well as incorporating effortless style into an outside space. It is a great way to keep outside areas clean and tidy with minimal effort, and is available in a variety of different timbers.

Statement Features

Outdoor dining set with a wooden table, a bench, and green chairs. Artistic mural and potted trees in the background.

This image is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Because a garden is now considered an extension of the home, incorporating a statement feature into an outside space creates a fantastic, quirky focal feature, as well as creating an interesting talking point.

Artificial Lawns

Rooftop patio with wooden decking, a small square pool, seating area, and city buildings in the background.

This image is licensed under CC BY 2.0

An artificial lawn is a really useful feature to include into a city garden design. Extremely versatile, it is available in many different varieties from conventional, natural looking grass to outrageous, colourful options, giving your garden a very quirky feel. As well as this, you can combine it with decking or a patio to get a lovely textured effect.

Artificial lawns are a low maintenance solution to real grass, without having the fuss of having to mow the lawn and saving allergy sufferers from hay fever.

Planters

A little earlier on last month, we wrote a piece about planters and how they are great for growing produce in a small amount of space. As well as this, incorporating planters into a city garden allows you to plant your desired plants and foliage of your choice, helping you create a green oasis to help you escape reality.