Cameron P
EH Smith Staff: Ecom Exec
If the first blog in this series got you thinking about your garden, this one is for those of us who have realised that not all outdoor spaces are created equal, and what works in one part of the garden does not necessarily work in another. This time around we are looking at ideas for gardens big and small, from making the most of a compact space to tackling larger gardens with a bit more ambition.
My garden is a good example. Behind the house we have a small private space. It is where I actually sit most, relax and pretend I am not going to spend the whole time thinking about what needs doing. Out the front, I have more space and considerably more sun, but if I am honest I have never really made the most of it. It is the space people see first, the one that gets the best of the day, and yet somehow it has always just been... there.
Sound familiar? I suspect it might.
The truth is, most of us have gardens that are a bit of both. A tucked away corner here, a sun-drenched stretch there, and the nagging feeling that with a bit more thought, both could be doing so much more. That is exactly what this blog is about. And as always, our landscaping teams from across our branches have been kind enough to share their honest advice along the way.
Previous Blog: The Secrets to a Garden Refresh: Quick Wins for Your Garden
This is the second in our Garden Refresh series, and if you missed the first one covering quick garden weekend wins, it is well worth a read before you start!
The EH Smith 2026 Landscaping Brochure
Featuring over 1,000 of the very best landscaping products, including unqiue porcelain, clay and sandstone pavers, durable composite decking moulded from natural timber, authentic woodgrain detail cladding, pergolas, drainage, fencing, dectorative garden stones and more!
View Online | Pick up a copy from your local EH Smith Branch
Garden Refresh Ideas for Smaller UK Gardens
A smaller garden doesn't mean a limited one. Some of the most considered, characterful outdoor spaces are compact, the key is designing with intention rather than just filling what's there. My back garden is small, and as it's the place I spend most time outside, I wanted to look at ideas that make smaller gardens feel bigger, more layered and more interesting, from quick additions, to more considered changes.
1.
Look Up
When floor space is limited, the instinct is to focus on what you can fit on the ground. But some of the most effective small garden transformations happen on the walls and boundaries around you, not the floor beneath you.
Start with what sits behind your planting. Outdoor composite wall cladding is one of the most impactful upgrades you can make to a smaller outdoor space. Our Millboard range is moulded from real oak and comes in some beautiful finishes, from the warm, contemporary feel of Golden Oak to the rich browny-red tones and lovely grain patterns of Jarrah Oak, the whitewash effect of Limed Oak and the stunning near-dark-grey depth of Burnt Cedar. A well-chosen backdrop makes even modest planting feel deliberate and considered, and Millboard requires virtually no maintenance once installed.
For raised beds, our natural stone & concrete garden walling is a brilliant option that works beautifully in smaller spaces. A low raised bed built from decorative stone or treated timber sleepers adds height, structure and texture to a garden without taking up significant floor space, and the planting within it draws the eye upward in exactly the way a small garden benefits from. It also gives you full control over your soil, which is a real bonus if your garden ground conditions are less than ideal.
Planting in layers within and around these features adds the finishing touch. Potted trees, climbers against the cladded wall and lower planting in the raised bed together create a three-dimensional space rather than a flat, four-walled box. Start simple and build from there.
Top Tip from the EH Smith Landscaping Team:
"Composite wall cladding completely transforms the feel of a smaller garden. Our Millboard range looks incredible as a backdrop to planting because it has that genuine warmth of real oak without any of the upkeep. It is one of those additions that makes everything around it look more considered."
Suzy | Landscaping Product Leader | EH Smith Cannock
Products to help with this tip:
Decorative Walling
Natural stone & decorative walling.
Composite Cladding
Moulded from real oak, in a range of colours.
Treated Sleepers
Add style & dimension to your outdoor space.
Composite Decking
Perfectly replicates the beauty of prime oak.
2.
Small Space? Go Large With Your Paving
It sounds counterintuitive, but larger outdoor paving slabs in a small garden actually make the space feel bigger. Fewer grout lines mean a cleaner, more seamless finish that the eye reads as more open and expansive. It's a trick used regularly in interior design, and it works just as well outdoors.
Porcelain paving slabs in 900x600mm or 1200x600mm formats are ideal for this. They look modern and considered, work beautifully on patios, pathways or even as vertical features, and the practical benefits are hard to argue with too because porcelain is highly durable, resistant to staining and weathering, and remarkably easy to clean and maintain (that’s a big win in my book!)
For maximum effect, go for lighter coloured tiles with a complimentary paving grout. They reflect more light and add further to the sense of space. Paired with simple, minimal furniture and you've created something that feels deliberate and designed rather than squeezed in.
And here is another fantastic tip from Andy:
Top Tip from the EH Smith Landscaping Team:
"For smaller gardens, I often recommend using decorative gravel alongside paving where a full pack of slabs would be more than you need. It’s a great way to fill out the space without buying an additional pack, while adding texture and visual interest to the overall design."
Andy | Landscaping Development Manager | EH Smith Shirley
Products to help with this tip:
Porcelain Paving
Adding a clean, considered finish to any garden.
Concrete Paving
Versatile paving in a huge range of styles & budgets.
Natural Stone Paving
Our range of stone paving in beautiful, natural colours.
Decorative Gravel
Ideal for filling those gaps in your garden & as a feature.
3.
Make Every Corner Count
Large gardens work because they give different areas different personalities, a kitchen garden here, a shaded seating spot there, a wilder corner somewhere else. There is no reason a smaller garden cannot do exactly the same thing, just on a more compact scale.
Creating small micro-gardens throughout your space adds variety, interest and a sense that the garden has just been thought about that little bit more. The key is using materials as well as planting to define each zone and give it its own identity. A dedicated lush foliage corner anchored by good quality ornamental bark, a garden gravel filled Mediterranean pocket garden with drought-tolerant planting and decorative slate chippings or gravel as the surface, a small raised herb bed near the kitchen door built from garden stone walling. Each area distinct, each area purposeful.
Feature paving is another brilliant way to signal a change of zone within a smaller garden. Even introducing one or two of our decorative porcelain paving slabs into a seating area or pathway gives that space its own character and separates it visually from the rest of the garden without needing a physical barrier. It is a subtle touch that makes a big difference to how considered the overall space feels.
It is also worth paying attention to how your garden behaves throughout the day. Even small gardens have microclimates, spots that get hotter, areas that stay shadier, corners that hold moisture longer than others. Once I spent some time watching where the sun moved and where the warmth sat, and planted accordingly, all my plants seemed to be alot happier and heathier! The right plant in the right microclimate will thrive with far less intervention than one planted in the wrong spot.
Products to help with this tip:
Decor Paving
A stylish statement piece for your garden.
Mosaic Paving
Create a lively, patterned garden patio.
Decorative Bark
Keep garden beds healthy as well as tidy.
Garden Slate
Perfect for a drought resitant garden.
Questions Our Landscaping Team Get Asked Most about Small Garden Spaces:
Use large format paving slabs like 1200x600mm porcelain paving to reduce grout lines and create a more seamless look, incorporate wall cladding or raised structures to draw the eye upward, choose light colours for hard surfaces to reflect more light, and divide the space into distinct zones utlising a range of materials includoing decortive garden stones, paving, natural stone garden walling and wooden sleepers to create depth and interest.
Large format paving slabs in light colours are ideal. They create fewer grout lines, giving a cleaner and more open appearance. Porcelain is also low maintenance, durable and weather resistant, making it a practical as well as aesthetic choice for smaller outdoor spaces.
Yes. Even compact outdoor spaces have areas that receive more sun, retain more heat or stay shadier throughout the day. Identifying these zones and planting accordingly makes a significant difference to how well plants establish and how much maintenance they need long term.
Composite wall cladding is one of the most effective ways to transform the feel of a smaller outdoor space. The Millboard range, moulded from real oak, comes in a variety of finishes from warm Golden Oak to the near-dark-grey depth of Burnt Cedar. It requires virtually no maintenance once installed and gives even modest planting a considered, designed backdrop.
Raised beds are a brilliant solution for smaller gardens as they add height, structure and planting space without taking up significant floor area. Garden stone walling is a particularly attractive material for raised beds, adding texture and character whilst giving you full control over your soil conditions.
A combination of large format porcelain paving, decorative gravel, composite wall cladding and defined planting pockets offers a high impact, low maintenance solution. Hard landscaping reduces the area that needs regular upkeep, while considered planting in defined zones keeps things manageable and visually interesting year round.
Garden Refresh Ideas for Larger UK Garden Spaces
More space sounds like a luxury, and it is, but larger outdoor spaces come with their own challenges. I know this from my own front garden, which gets the best of the sun and has more room to play with than the back, yet somehow has always felt like it lacks a bit of direction. Without a bit of thought, larger spaces can drift into a collection of separate areas that never quite come together. Whether you want to think differently about how you use the space, carve out a hidden corner that feels more private, or get your patio right from the ground up, the ideas below are worth considering if you are ready to make a proper change.
1.
Think Differently
Now this bit is entirely my own opinion, but I believe the best gardens rarely look like everyone else's. If you've got the space, then there's a lot to be said for being a little braver here and there to give the garden a unique character.
Don't be afraid to mix materials. Stone alongside timber, gravel beside large format paving, corten steel garden edging with lush planting. Contrast is what gives a garden its character. And don't be afraid to include something a little unexpected either. I love this swing from Picture Perfect Gardens as a perfect example, a simple addition that completely changes the feel of a space and gives it a personality all of its own.
With our surprisingly warm UK summers, the idea of a proper al fresco kitchen or dining area is gaining real appeal too. Dedicated zones styled for purpose, e.g. cooking, dining and relaxing, bring a structure to a garden that makes it feel designed rather than assembled.
Our porcelain mosaic tiles are a beautiful way to add detail and personality into these kinds of spaces, whether as a feature surface, a splashback for an outdoor kitchen or simply a detail that catches the eye along a path.
Products to help with this tip:
Garden Furniture
Our collection of outdoor furniture.
Mosaic Porcelain
Create a lively porcelain tile patio.
Flexible Garden Edging
Reliable, easy-install garden border edging
Garden Stones
Decorative chippings, gravel, slate & stones.
2.
Create Your Own Secret Garden
There's been a brilliant resurgence in conversation pits, fire pit areas and more intimate outdoor spaces recently. My neighbours recently put in a conversation pit into their garden, and at first, I’ll admit I was thinking ‘what is this? 1980?’ but I have to say I am now jealous. The use of decorative brickwork, stone, gravel and planting looks great. After a few years of open-plan everything, the idea of a tucked-away corner of my garden that feels more your own and considered has a lot of appeal.
This isn't about hiding from your neighbours (pretty sure we all spy a little bit right?). It's about creating a space where sound, light and atmosphere have been thought about, somewhere that feels like it belongs to you rather than just being the bit between the fence and door.
Segmenting your garden into distinct zones is the starting point. Planting, low walls, sleepers, garden pergolas, changes in surface material. All of these can signal a shift from one area to another without needing a physical barrier.
Top Tip from the EH Smith Landscaping Team:
"Utilising materials to create a more secluded space in your garden can make even an hour feel like a mini getaway. Think carefully about the size of your garden furniture and where you want it to go, then section off those gathering areas around it"
Suzy | Landscaping Product Leader | EH Smith Cannock
Products to help with this tip:
Composite Decking
Bring a sense of luxury to your outdoor space.
Pergolas
Perfect setting for relaxation & entertainment.
Garden Walling
Adds an authentic statement to any garden.
Garden Sleepers
Adding natural textures to your space.
3.
Get Your Patio Right, From the Ground Up
A new patio is one of those investments that's just worth doing properly. The bit most people think about is what's on top. The slabs, the colour, the finish. The bit that determines whether it stays looking so good is everything underneath.
Start with a solid MOT sub base. It's not the glamorous part of the job but it's the foundation everything else depends on. From there, the choice between a dry sand bed or a full mortar bed will depend on what you're laying, different materials have different requirements and getting this wrong early causes problems later. If you have questions, come and ask our team! By the amount of advice they have given me for this blog, I think you can see their level of expertise! Find your local branch, and have a chat with your local landscaping product expert, they won't steer you wrong.
Now when it comes to choosing your paving:
Top Tip from the EH Smith Landscaping Team:
"When it comes to choosing your paving surface, think about what's already around it. Sandstone typically goes beautifully with period properties, whereas porcelain looks stunning with rendered and contemporary properties."
Dawn | Landscaping Product Leader | EH Smith Leicester
The brickwork on your house, any existing walling, the overall colour palette of the space - a patio that ties these elements together always looks more considered than one chosen in isolation. Mixing materials and breaking up larger areas with contrasting borders or feature sections adds interest without overcomplicating things.
Don't overlook garden drainage either. The more paving you introduce, the less natural drainage your garden has, water needs somewhere to go. Planning for this from the start, with the right ACO drainage channels in the right places, saves a lot of headaches further down the line. If you don't believe me, have a chat with our landscaping team to hear some drainage horror stories!
And if all of this feels like a lot to think about at once, that's completely understandable, because ...well … it is! There are a lot of moving parts to a patio project done well. Our landscaping team are on hand across our branches to help you work through it, from subbase to surface finish.
Products to help with this tip:
Garden Paving
From stylish patios to practical pathways.
Garden Drainage
Ensure your paving lasts for years to come.
MOT Sub Base
Ensuring a stable base for your paving project.
Paving Compounds
All weather jointing compounds & grouts.
Questions Our Landscaping Team Get Asked Most about Larger Garden Spaces:
Yes you do. A solid subbase, typically MOT Type 1 hardcore, is essential for a long-lasting patio. Without it slabs can shift, sink or crack over time as the ground moves beneath them with pressure from above. It's the part of the job you don't see, but it's the part that determines whether everything above it holds up.
Start by looking at the dominant tones in your brickwork, for example are they warm reds and buffs, cool greys or sandy yellows, and then choose a slab colour that complements rather than competes. You don't need an exact match, but a sympathetic palette ties the whole space together. Bringing a brick sample/picture to your local EH Smith builders merchants when choosing slabs is always a good idea.
No matter the size of your patio, the key is planning drainage before laying begins. However the more paving you introduce, the less naturally water can drain away, so incorporating ACO drainage channels at the right points is important. A slight fall built into the patio surface also helps direct water away from the house and towards your drainage points.
Mix materials rather than relying on one surface or finish throughout. Combine paving with gravel, timber with stone, or introduce a feature element like a conversation pit (yes, they are back), a fire pit area or secluded seating zone. Unexpected details give so much personality, a mosaic paving tile surface, a swing, a dedicated al fresco dining space, are all examples of what makes a garden feel individual.
Start by defining the zone with a change of surface material, a pergola, low walling or sleepers rather than a physical barrier. Think carefully about furniture size first and build the space around it. Adding planting, lighting and a fire pit or outdoor burner transforms a corner of your garden into somewhere that feels genuinely private and considered, whatever the size of your outdoor space.
Design Tips to Keep in Mind, Whatever Your Garden Plans
Before we get into the final tips, a reminder that this section applies to everyone, whether you're planning a full large garden overhaul or just freshening up a small corner of your garden. These are the things worth keeping in mind regardless of garden scale, budget or ambition.
1.
Draw it out ✏️
This one gets overlooked more than any other, and it shouldn't really. A rough drawing forces you to think about plant placement, spacing, where paths and patios will sit, and how the different areas of your garden will connect and flow. It gives you something to refer back to when the project is underway and the decisions start coming thick and fast.
Even for smaller jobs, a quick sketch on the back of an envelope is worth doing. It's the difference between a garden that feels considered and one that feels like a series of separate decisions that never quite came together.
2.
Plan and Plant Ahead ☘️
A garden that only works in the summer months isn't really working hard enough, and not what we’re going for here. I want to start enjoying my garden all year! So, this year when I’m thinking about my refresh, I’m thinking about all four seasons and how the space will look, feel and function throughout the year, not just during the good four weeks.
That plant I’m thinking of getting that will look spectacular on a late summer evening might struggle through a hard frost, need cutting back significantly or die back entirely by October. Knowing that before you buy rather than after makes a big difference to how your garden holds up through the colder months.
Think practically too. If you enjoy wandering around your garden, consider how small cut-throughs or paths could make that more enjoyable whatever the weather. If I want to start spending more time outside, because winter tends to keep me firmly on the inside looking out, what might actually tempt me outside? A fire pit or outdoor wood burner changes the whole proposition of a cold evening in the garden, suddenly it becomes appealing rather than something to get through until spring.
3.
Get Inspired ✨
Sometimes the best thing you can do is stop planning and start looking. Our landscaping displays across all our branches give you a real-world sense of how different materials, colours and combinations go together. Which is something no screen can fully replicate, you can look with your hands and get a sense of depth and texture.
If you're stuck between two paving options or can't quite picture how a particular aggregate will look in your space, come in and see it for yourself!
Our new 2026 Landscaping Brochure is a great place to start too, showcasing our full range of garden paving, composite decking, decorative aggregates, garden furniture and more, all in one place.
And if you're still not sure where to begin, just talk to us! Well, maybe not me, as I had to learn all this too. But our landscaping team across all branches are on hand to give honest, impartial advice on garden design, product choices and everything in between. No obligation, no hard sell. Just good advice from people who know their stuff!
Discover Our Landscaping Displays
Our landscaping displays across all our branches give you a real sense of how different materials, colours and combinations work together in practice. There's only so much a screen can do, so come and see them for yourself!
© EH Smith Builders Merchants
Images: Supplied by EH Smith, courtesy of our suppliers and valued customers including Picture Perfect Landscaping.
