Small or Large Garden? How to Choose the Right Size

Whether you dream of a small patio garden or a large backyard garden, every garden begins with intention. I’ve tended spaces of all sizes over the years, and each one reflects the heart of the person who cares for it. From container gardens arranged with love to the estate grounds I once oversaw, every garden has something to teach us about space, creativity, and what truly matters.

Today I had a conversation with a woman who told me about her own garden. She described how she planned her layout so the colors would flow, how she mixed vegetables, herbs, and flowers, and how she hoped to expand it this year. When I asked if she had any photos, she smiled and pulled out her phone.

To my surprise, her entire garden lived in a 6‑by‑9‑foot patio space.

Her photos showed a beautiful small container garden, thoughtfully arranged and full of life. She had used every inch wisely. It reminded me that anyone can have a garden as long as they have sunlight and the desire to grow something.

I complimented her work, and then she asked about mine.
“You always talk about your garden,” she said. “Do you really have one?”

I told her yes  but mine isn’t a container garden. My gardens stretch 157 by 57 feet, and they’ve taken years to build. They’re what most people would call a large garden. And yet, I’ve also worked as an private residence gardener, tending a property two times the size of my own. Those were feature gardens that had to be perfect every single day.

That experience taught me something important:
choosing the right garden size isn’t about how much space you have  it’s about how you want to care for it.
Gardening isn’t about size. It’s about intention, joy, and the simple pleasure of watching something grow.

People love to garden, whether they have a few pots on a patio or a sweeping landscape. The value is the same. Gardening is good for the soul, and everyone benefits from planting something anything that brings them joy.

I grow plants in the ground and in containers because containers add interest and texture to a garden. I find them at yard sales, big‑box stores, and online shops. A good container can turn a simple plant into a focal point and make even a small garden feel layered and inviting.

Here are some photographs from my garden.
I hope they inspire you to plant something of your own no matter the size of your space.

 Wildflower and ornamental grass garden

Garden pavestone path 

Butterfly garden

Hosta Garden

Circular hosta garden in front yard 

Hosta garden by the privacy fence

Lily garden path

Sensory Garden

Dog Kennel Garden

Backyard ornamental grass and wildflower garden

Black-eyed Susans along garden path

Get New Clients with Business Card

I never leave home without my business cards because a potential customer could approach me throughout the day and my business card could open doors for a new gardening or landscape contract.

A few weeks ago while walking my dog in the neighborhood I saw a neighbor approaching me and they greeted me with a friendly hello and stopped to chat.   They asked me if I was the gardener at the end of the block next to the nature sanctuary and I said yes. Then told me that a group of neighbors viewed my backyard and liked what they saw.  I took this comment as an opening statement for a possible new client and reached for my gardener’s business card.  

 

 

Grass Garden gets neighborhood attention and word-of-mouth clients.

The neighbor wanted to know about my skills as well as my brief work history.  I responded by mentioning a few clients that I did work for in the neighborhood and pointed out my skills and expertise as noted on my business card. I answered their questions and then ended the conversations by telling them to call me if they needed my garden services while they were on vacation or for general garden maintenance or specialty plantings.  

Update: Two days later while tending to my gardens I happened to glance at my driveway and saw the neighbor coming toward me.  They said that they were going on vacation and asked if I would look after their container gardens, and tomatoes, and water their yard as well as pick up their mail.  We agreed on fees for my services and my new client signed the contract. 

I have been tending to gardens for a long time and have not needed to advertise my services.  All new and repeat clients were due to word of mouth or from a casual conversation that ended with me handing them a business card.   

My business card may have been tossed in the drawer but when they needed a gardener they called me and for this, I am thankful because I have a new client and a new gardening contract.