Small Garden - advice please pictures included.

[SomethingSimple]

Hello,

I have a flat (Edwardian building) with access to a small, narrow garden. At present it's not wide enough to fit a table / chairs for me and my daughters. The path just leads to a small bench area that's too small for more than 2 people to be together.
I'd love to make more space so that we can go and sit out there in the summer.

I've thought about decking - rat trap?
I've thought about paving it all and leaving the trees, having pots for greenery and some climbers. Not sure whether I'd go for Indian Sandstone or Black Lime stone.

What would you do with it?

It might be small but it's gorgeous! I love it - how about clearing one side and building a "bar" that you could all sit at to eat down one side? I'd leave the left hand side if possible.

oooh, I like that idea Butternut.

I've had a landscape gardener round and he said to clear it, pave and leave trees (cherry and Olive on the right hand side towards the end). My worry is I'm not particularly minimalist or contemporary. I might miss the green.

I would pick the sunniest spot and pave that for a mini patio for a table and chairs. You could trial it by using bark to see if its the right spot. Prune back ruthlessly any tree blocking the sun to open it up.
The trouble with lots of pots is they all need watering.

Oh I love it just as it is!

Do you have an Abrahams maisonette? Such a great style of property.

Gosh, I love it. I love woody/green gardens. Have a look on pinterest for small woodland garden and you'll fall in love with it again.

I agree, a focal point for seating would be nice, on the left under the tree makes sense. I'd also be working magic with festoon lights.

What's the view from the other end?

Also, I don't like the paving idea, it will feel contemporary at best and sterile at worst. I like the combo of gravel and riven slabs that you have now.

I know your garden isn't this shape, but see how you can make a cosy seating area with the right furniture?

Here's another lovely one.

How about keeping the trees but keeping everything else at knee height like this? I also like this path idea, ground cover planting in between planks.

Thanks everyone, you are so lovely to say you like it as it is.

I had fallen out of love with it because it's basically a massive cat toilet with nowhere to sit together with my girls. The borders have lost their shape and I'm always at work so maintaining it was come low down on my priorities.

Kokusai: not sure if it's an Abraham's Maisonette - it's got lots of character though

mayhew: yes re pots - can you see my graveyard of pots that I've failed to tend to/ refresh? Perhaps I need to rethink this.

Yes Arsey - I'm a lover of green and pretty lights. I agree it might become stark and at present it is a little oasis of green - just need to get the balance right! x

ooooh, like that last one Arsey

What's behind the tubs on the right? A wall or a fence?

Here's a view of my garden from the other end - can you see the beds? Should I get rid of one or both so as to get more space.

Is this photo taken from your back door? I rather like how your path already has a curve in it, could you make that a bit more pronounced, into an S shape, so the cherry is in one curve then put a seating area in the other one? I think that might work where the right hand side of the metal arch currently is.

Then you could do festoon lights from the house corner on the right to the cherry then across again to the fence/wall above the seating area.

x posted. Will have a think.

My garden is very leafy with a sitting area near the back door. The trees are violently pruned every other year.

I wouldn't get rid of one side of the beds but a patch. Keep the beds and path then clear a square. You could get a small sofa set such as b and q do. I have a very small thin area too. The set fits in there at a squeeze but look great with all the plants round it. I'd just add more webbing and gravel to the bit you've dug out. At the end of the garden how about a thin rectangle table with stools tucked under it for outside eating. Lots of solar lights. Magical.

Mayhew your garden is lovely - beautiful that you can open your doors on to it like that, looks restful.

silversream -thank you. so you'd keep the beds or you'd add gravel to them keeping a patch free for planting? I'll have a look at sofa sets. I agree with lights.