Module 6 : Proportion

Illusions & Effective Use of

Space

In this module you will learn:

This module covers tricks, techniques and gardening ideas to
ensure you can truly optimize the amount of available space in
a garden. These are effective methods to make the most out of
courtyards, townhouses and other small gardens. You can also
apply these techniques to areas of larger gardens to utilize
every nook and cranny to the client’s taste and requirements.
Essentially, you will be able to maximize the amount of
outdoor space you have, and can create your dream garden no
matter your property lot size.

This module will help you to:

Learn about the use of forced perspective, which is used

extensively in film-making and photography, but applies
excellently to the art of creating a beautiful garden
from a blank canvas
Discover ways to incorporate and create optical illusion
methods to enhance small garden spaces so they appear
larger than life, such as creating focal points and
distractions
Learn many techniques including the use of long lines,
garden division methods and creating focal points to
make smaller gardens appear more spacious
Understand the effective use of space section covers an
array of options to make the most use of limited spaces
to create a garden that suits all tastes and preferences
Learn about narrow plant varieties, shelf layering and
creating a portable garden to suit small gardens
6.1: Proportion Illusions
The use of forced perspective is employed as
an optical illusion technique to make a
focal point appear closer or further away or
larger or smaller than it is in reality.

It is achieved through the manipulation of our visual

perception via the use of scaling methods, their correlation
with their environment and the vantage point of the viewer.
Though used mostly in taking photographs, making films and in
architecture, it is a useful trick to employ in garden design.

To make the most of available garden space, use time-tested

garden design ideas to create the illusion of more space in
your garden and employ the power of perception to optimize
available space to create a garden you love, regardless of its
size.

6.2: Use Long Straight Lines to

Create Illusion of Size
The use of long, narrow straight lines trick
the eye into thinking the landscape is
larger.

To achieve this illusion, slant the far end of lines towards

each other subtly. You can do this with rows of plants, trees
or fencing. Long lines tell a person optically that things are
further in the distance than they appear, and this is
augmented with the use of narrower paths. This technique
should be used in the direction of which you want to extend
your garden.

For instance, if your space is long and narrow, you may want
to attempt to make it appear wider by using paths that tend to
travel horizontally across the space. If the space is wide
rather than long, make garden paths more vertically oriented.

Sample plan to create the illusion of

size with lines
In a long and narrow garden, a stone path that is traveling
diagonally creates an illusion of wider space. Large trees
make a visual separation so that the vertical lines are less
perceptual. The use of different colors and textures has the
same effect.

Long lines can trick the eye

6.3: Effective Use of Color

To create an illusion of size, use bold colors in the front of
your garden as they catch the attention of a person first,
making the rest of the garden behind seem to recede, creating
an illusion of being larger.

Make the most noticeable colors at the forefront of the garden

space: the majority of your eye-catching plants should be
placed in the beds closest to the observer, while more neutral
colored plants should be placed behind. Bold colors in the
foreground draw a viewer’s attention into that space, so the
optical circumstances are that the observer does not focus on
the plants or space behind the vibrant colors.

Effective use of color in the garden

Flowering trees, combined with colorful perennials, at the

front of the garden draw visitors’ attention, while the
conifer and large deciduous trees at the back create a neutral
background used for relaxation in the shade.

Color with the Seasons

Make sure that the effective use of color is used in all
seasons. This ensures that this technique is relevant and
effective in all times of the growing year. In order to apply
this technique seasonally, you will need to know what
hardiness zone and weather patterns are generally expected in
each season within your area.

Many people start their growing year with crocuses. They come
in many colors, from the purest of whites to the deepest of
violets, and are perennial plants that you can always count
upon to grow and bloom on their own accord. (So, it will save
you the work of planting each year!) Tulips and daffodils are
also common perennial plants that follow. Once the golden
month of May has arrived, the prospective plants that you
could use to brighten up a garden grow exponentially. With
careful research and knowing how much work you or your client
would like to put it on a yearly basis, you can customize and
design a garden space filled with dependable perennials in a
fixed design, or create a flexible design that can be changed
yearly through planting annuals.

Color with the seasons – Spring

During the spring season the main attraction in every garden
should be early blooming trees like magnolia and Japanese
cherry, complemented with daffodil, hyacinths and crocuses. As
their background, we can use broad leaf hedges like cherry
laurels or photinias.

Color with the seasons – Summer

Effective plant accents in a garden during summer can be
achieved with shrubs. Use lavender or abelia rows, or later
blooming species and cultivars from rhododendron family. As
far as the trees, everything from tall Southern magnolia to
smaller Crepe-myrtle can be used.

Color with the seasons – Autumn

The autumn period can be the most exciting, with trees such as
the bold Japanese maple, ash ‘Raywood’ and maidenhair tree.
Burning bush is the star in the shrubs group.

Color with the seasons – Winter

The winter season is reserved for conifer and evergreen
plants. Trees that are making the winter garden lively are
mostly from the Cypress, Pine and Yew family, while the most
beautiful shrubs are common holly, firethorn, paper bush, etc.

Bold colors in the foreground draw a

viewer’s attention in

6.4: Create a View

Direct a point of focus in the garden space.

Frame a beautiful natural view of a space beyond the property

walls or fence with pergolas and arbors if that is within the
property’s means. Use garden art or shrubs and small trees,
which give small gardens a feeling of grandeur if the focus
should be kept within the garden space (say, for instance, if
the property is in a deep urban setting).

Garden art, especially when used in bright places, will catch

the eye of garden visitors. Garden art includes, but is not
limited to, statues, wall hangings, special landscape design,
and so much more. It can often be an easy do it yourself task,
or can be purchased from places such as markets, art shows, or
garden centers. Just be sure that the art fits into the space,
or that you create the space around it.

Garden art (especially bright pieces)

catches the eye
6.5: Create a Cozy Retreat
With the use of lush shrubs screening the
view to the rest of the garden, you create a
cozy retreat, which really fits the small
space.

The use of shrubs and fencing to make a secluded area can

offer a lovely sanctuary in a small space that is hidden from
the entrance to the garden area. It could be a nook that
offers room for a person with a single chair, or a small bench
for two people. Ultimately, it is a niche area that may be
desired by clients who wish to have their own little space to
get lost in, within their own back garden.

Design plan to create a cozy retreat

A secluded area is created on a raised deck with a pond view.
An intimate atmosphere is accomplished with the combination of
small trees and evergreen shrubs as well as the construction
of a wooden pergola enriched with the evergreen vine.

The use of shrubs and fencing to make a

secluded area

6.6: Divide the Garden Space

Creating different nooks within your garden
will also give the illusion of more space,
as contradictory as that may seem.

By providing numerous little spaces that an observer can

explore individually, he or she will subconsciously perceive
the size of the space as the sum of all of its parts.
Use colorful displays of flowers as attractive dividers, or
create narrow dividers from dried bamboo reeds or other
materials. Each space can have its own focus, harboring a
certain family or theme of plants, which could be connected
through one continuous winding path. Whatever you can imagine
can be created. Again, get creative. This divide makes it seem
as though there is a whole other garden to be explored.

Sample plan for dividing the garden

In this design a long plot has been divided into five garden
areas to be used for different kinds of activities. There is a
patio, playground and dining area adjacent to the house, while
the lawn and rest area are in the back yard. Plant layout was
used to enclose each of the areas and add a more natural feel
to the garden.

This divide makes it seem as though there

is a whole other garden to be explored

6.7: Create a Distraction

Add a point of interest to your garden, such
as mixing up paving materials, to create a
distinct pathway.

The objective of this strategy is to distract an observer from

the size of the garden space or area.

A pathway constructed with more than one material creates such

a distraction. Other strategies that can create a distraction
is to use a unique planting pattern of plants to create a
particular design, or to use different natural materials such
as wood or bamboo shoots to create a prominent structure in
the space.

The key to take from this technique is to create something

obvious that will demand a lot of attention from the observer
of the space.

Design plan to create a distraction

In a small size garden, paths made out of stone tiles and
gravel are a successful distraction. Add a special touch by
planting a Japanese maple as a focal point.

A pathway constructed with more than one

material creates a distraction

6.8: Add Garden Rooms

You can create a series of small garden

rooms within your space, adding intrigue and
ambiguity while making the area look larger
than it is.
The use of the word ‘room’ does not necessarily mean to create
a living space within the garden. Rather, it would be to
enclose the space in such a way so that it is only the space
that you can focus on. ‘Ceilings’ can be omitted to host a sky
view, or they can be created with canopies of trees or vines.
Ensure each room is distinctive from the next, creating a view
of what is to come in the next ‘room’ by creating overhead
canopies and archways of shrubs and flowers. Some rooms can be
functional, such as for dining or lounge purposes. Others can
be solely used for aesthetic purposes.

Design plan to create rooms

This garden layout consists of three garden “rooms” separated
with “walls” created from a pergola overgrown in evergreen
climbers. Each “room” represents a different activity, with
different hard and soft scape. They are connected with a
straight concrete path which provides a view all the way to
the last “room.”

Garden “Rooms”

6.9: Create a Final Destination

Point
Making a distinctive, attractive feature at
the back of your garden gives the eye a
destination spot to view, making the whole
area more spacious.

A final destination point is that which can be seen at the end

of a path, or at the end of the garden – it is a spot that the
observer can identify as ‘the end of the garden.’ This could
function as a lovely sitting spot, or a statue that is the
focal point of the garden.

Not every client will take the time to complete this

additional form within the space, but for these kinds of
garden designing requests from your clients, they will
definitely help you to improve your service and may even lead
to additional services that you know your clients are looking
for. The insight you get from customer feedback can be
tremendous for shaping the direction of your business.

Design plan to final destination point

Seen from the garden entrance, a simple stone fountain
represents a final destination point for this simple garden.
Creating a tranquil atmosphere, this attractive feature with a
lavender background is a focal point of the garden and a
beautiful sitting spot.

Final Destination Point

6.10: Create a Focal Point

Attraction
Draw the eye’s attention to a focal point in
your garden, such as a decorative stand
holding an attractive container of flowers,
which ultimately assists in optimizing the
space.

Be creative and adventurous with color, textures, tricks and

tips to ensure small gardens or smaller areas of large gardens
are optimized to their full potential.
Make the most of a wall by turning it into a focal point by
planting lower growing flowers or plants, and placing hanging
wall art on it. The best way to use this technique is to find
something unique about the space (an old wall, a little dip in
the ground, or a slight hill on the property), and use that to
your creative advantage. Use that unique characteristic to add
beauty and functionality to the garden space with which you
are working.

Making the most of a wall by turning it

into a focal point
6.11: Effective Use of Space
Though effective use of available space is a
good principle to adhere to in all gardens,
it is especially important when designing
small gardens to ensure optimal use and
function.

There are many things to do within the garden to enhance the

available space while making room for your preferred
essentials. Making the space available to you is a matter of
using objects that are proportionate to that of the space you
desire.
Making the space available to you

6.12: Scale it Down

When choosing outdoor furniture, keep it on
the smaller side; there is no need to eat up
your available space with large patio
furniture.

Slim furniture, featuring thin design, is a great way to

achieve this. To add impact, use bold colors in the outdoor
furniture. You can do this by painting old furniture with
bright colors or using brightly colored cushions to liven the
space to your liking. Be creative. Choose furniture that fits
perfectly into the space it is going to go.

Choose furniture that fits perfectly into

the space.

6.13: Choose Narrow Plant Varieties

You do not have to compromise on the variety
of plants due to space, if you choose some
narrow columnar plants.
You can choose upright (fastigiate) trees, which reach 6 feet
wide, as opposed to a full-grown spruce, which can span 30
feet in width and 50 feet tall. Fastigiate trees are very
manageable plants in the garden, usually looking after
themselves, and do not have a habit of getting out of control.

Any plants can be suitable to the space, but some may require
more attention than others.

Choosing plants that grow outwards will require a lot of

maintenance pruning from the owner in order to keep the space
the way it was designed.
Understanding where the majority of growth is expressed in a
plant should also be kept in mind for plant choice: many types
of deciduous trees will have large crowns, but manageable
trunks that will not take up much space as they grow – the
only downside is that it could limit sunlight.

Fastigiate Tree
6.14: Grow Leaves Vertically-
Espalier
Espalier is the process of training trees,
shrubs and woody vines vertically against a
flat surface such as a wall, fence or
trellis.

Regular pruning is required to train the main stem vertically

and then continue to train the branches to the sides to your
required shape against the surface. Espalier takes regular
care in the initial stages – this can be up to two years with
certain plants – but afterwards they hold their shape with
only light pruning. Though it takes time to shape the trees
when young, by regular pruning, you can easily encourage trees
to grow vertically, with this method you can pack in extra
fruit trees or other shrubs in a limited space. Espalier pear
trees are very common in gardens with limited amounts of space
with clients who desire fruit trees in their gardens.

Espalier Pear Tree

6.15: Hide Clutter
A clean and orderly garden or yard looks
more spacious when devoid of clutter.

Use a variety of garden screens to hide your garden tools,

wheelbarrows and other outdoor clutter, keeping your garden
aesthetically pleasing and more spacious. There’s no better
place to hide tools away than in a secured garden shed that is
built to accommodate space, such as under a high-rise wooden
deck, or along a piece of an already existing wall.
There’s no better place to hide tools
away than in a secured garden shed

6.16: Portable Gardening

The use of large plant containers offer
visual impact, but also take up a lot of
space; instead choose smaller, portable
plant pots to provide color and impact where
desired.

Hanging plant pots are an excellent way of adding variety and

color to your garden without taking up ground space. By
hanging baskets from a wall or an overhanging, a lot of space
can be saved on the ground for things like furniture and other
types of ground plants.

By hanging baskets from a wall you can

save valuable floor space

6.17: Use Garden Features on Walls

Instead of Ground
If space does not allow a much-desired water
fountain, search for wall-mounted options,
which will not take up any space and gifts
you with the beautiful sound of trickling
water.

You could also create a mini-pond in a watertight container,

adding fish and water lilies for maximum effect. Even small
water features can be very effective. By using an already
existing wall, you can save an abundance of space for other
priorities in the space, such as footpaths or dining space.
This technique can help you to effectively use space.

Even small water features can be very

effective
6.18: Be Alert for Space Saving
Options
Every inch counts in small gardens, find
creative ways of adding plants or garden
decor to enhance your space.

Hang planters on garden fences, add creepers to bare walls,

place shelves up and adorn with a variety of potted plants.
With a keen eye, you will find many options to make effective
use of outdoor space.
Make the most of all surfaces available
to you

6.19: Wooden Decks

Decks are a wonderful addition to any home
and offer a multifunctional outdoor living
space.

Design your deck to fit efficiently into the available space,

research ideas to suit your garden shape and size, including
multi-level, slope issues and privacy requirements. Use it for
entertaining, an outdoor family room, a personal retreat area
and so much more. Wooden decking areas can provide an
‘extension’ to your client’s living space.

Wooden decking areas can provide an

“extension” to your client’s living space

Module Summary
In this module, we covered various methods and techniques for
making effective use of space in small gardens and in
differing nooks and crannies within larger gardens. The clever
use of color, creating linear optical illusions, creating
divides or individual garden rooms can make a small garden
space appear much larger than its actual size.
You learned about forced perspective, which tricks the eye
into seeing things as further away or larger, and ways to
utilize this phenomenon in designing a garden with space
limitations.

You also learned of an old French gardening technique called

‘espalier’, which allows you to prune trees and shrubs against
trellises, walls and fences, where space is often an issue.

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