For those of us who live in the city, the idea of having a beautiful garden might seem like a pipe dream. There’s less surface area to work with, often a lack of sunlight, and more concrete than actual dirt. However, you don’t need a lot of space to create a gorgeous garden that you’ll want to spend time in.

To help you on your way, we’ve compiled a list of handy garden ideas below, and if you need supplies, you can get an online quote from local gardening suppliers.

Vertical gardens and layers

We’re not just talking about taking your garden up a fence or wall, but thinking about space vertically. When space is at a premium, you’ve got to make the most of what you’ve got. Create drama between tall plants and shrubs, and, if space permits, install raised garden beds.

If you’re limited to only using pots for your plants, then try using vertical layering, in which you fill each pot with a variety of plants. For example, a large pot can house a small tree, smaller plant or shrubs around it, and some trailing vines around the circumference.

Plants thrive when planted in these combinations, as they are given shelter, protection from the wind, and natural leaf mulch. This is especially important in balcony gardens or rooftop gardens where plants can be more exposed to the elements.

Use plants with slender silhouettes

When you’re in a small space, you don’t really have the luxury of planting large bushy hedges and trees. Instead, you can plant columnar plants that grow up, rather than outwards. The best part about these plants is that they quickly help to reduce noise in an inner-city garden.

Some of our favourite varieties include European hornbeam, slender varieties of red maple, cycads, and bamboo. If you have more time on your hands, you could experiment with topiaries and sculpt small plants into elegant cones and hedges.

Use hanging baskets

If you have a little balcony, you’re probably after some small garden ideas. Balconies with roofs are the perfect spot for hanging baskets – and the great news is, all kinds of plants will thrive in them.

While geraniums, begonias, and fuschias are popular, you can also grow things like herbs, tomatoes and strawberries – making your hanging baskets both pretty to look at and functional.

Growing your own fruit and vegetables is a great way to eat fresh and healthy produce without any harmful pesticides. The Yarra City Council also encourages pupils to do their own gardening to engage with the community and health purposes.

Think of your garden as an outdoor room

The faster you start thinking about your garden in this way, the more you’ll commit to making it a space you’ll want to use. In urban gardens, you’re likely to come up against noise pollution and a lack of privacy.

Besides planting columnar trees to address privacy and absorb sound, you can also use climbing vines, which are perfect for creating overhead privacy when grown on a trellis.  If you want to create a green fence, you can coax your vines across cable wires that are easily mounted between posts.

To ramp comfort levels up a notch, we recommend buying some comfortable outdoor furniture, using warm lighting and purchasing a water feature. None of these items need to cost the earth, and there are plenty of products on the market at an affordable price point.

If you’re after more expert advice on how to transform your urban garden or need garden supplies to give your space an overhaul, then speak to a local gardening supplier.