Landscape designer Sharon Osmond of Oakland, California, shares interesting and unique tips for gardening in shady, small spaces. She believes an illusion of space can be created by crowding a small garden with an abundance of plants. A common mistake of gardeners working in limited space is allowing the borders of the garden to be seen, thus restricting it to a finite space. If you blur the edges, the viewer wonders what's around the bend. Even a 40' by 30' garden surrounded by neighbors on all sides can be designed in a way that provides both surprises and privacy. A mature evergreen ash provides a canopy of shade in the center of Sharon's garden. She uses only a few plants that bloom in the shade and fills out the color palate with plants that have attractively colored foliage. Contrasting textures--for example, combining plants with large leaves with those with straplike foliage--also adds interest. Sharon also favors dramatic color combinations, such as burgundy foliage with chartreuse. Containers also add interest to the small garden. She combines plants with the same growing requirements in a single container, creating a garden in miniature. By adding recycled objects to the containers--for example, doll heads and other doll parts--she adds a sense of whimsy to small spaces. Mirrors provide additional light and the illusion of space to a shady garden setting. Strings of beads hung in trees, glass gazing globes set low in foliage and various found objects keep the eye moving.
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