Legibility is always important in a garden, but especially when you’re trying to fit a lot into a small space. Here, Kuljian used the geometry of the pavers to create clear forms in the yard. Kuljian planted Silver carpet (Dymondia margaretae) as a ground cover between the pavers both because it could handle the foot traffic of neighborhood children, but also because “it created some negative space, which is really important,” she says.
3. Wrap the beds around the house.
The home’s existing garden beds and lawn ended at the corners of the house. To create more planting space, Kuljian removed a strip of concrete to wrap the foundation plantings around the corner of the house. While it was a matter of a few feet, the additional planting space now envelops the house for a much more immersive garden experience.
4. Consider your backdrop.
This bungalow featured a ton of brick that Kuljian knew would be the backdrop for whatever she planted. She addressed the brick in two ways. First, by bringing in the opposite color, a bright, lime green through asparagus fern, Giant Leopard Plant, and giant birds of paradise. “The contrast really made plants pop,” she says. Second, Kuljian strategically wove some of the brick color into the garden, including the scarlet-colored leaves of the ‘Forest Pansy’ Redbud (Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’).
5. Pack in the fruit trees.
Kuljian says a small space is no excuse not to pack in the fruit trees. “Nowadays, there’s almost always a dwarf or a semi-dwarf of any fruit tree, whether it’s a dwarf citrus or a columnar apple,” she says. Here, Kuljian squeezed an espaliered Violette de Bordeaux fig, which is a naturally small variety, into a tiny bed beside the driveway. There is also a kumquat and a dwarf yuzu lime in the front garden.
6. Vary your textures.
To keep things interesting in a small garden, Kuljian used what she calls a formulaic texture variation between fine-leaf plants and large-leaf plants.
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