Small wonder

With an experienced designer and a creative approach, you can achieve big things in small outdoor spaces

A small garden can have just about everything a larger outdoor space can have you just have to be creative. Having built a new home in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, the owners wanted to make the most of their modestly-sized rear garden but they didn't really know what might be possible, so they turned to Matthew Sears, founder of Rich Earth.

"They had the desire for a garden that would be low maintenance, beautiful and function as a seamless extension of their home. It needed to be a practical entertaining space for family and friends and be able to cope with the owners' large dogs," says Matthew.

Matthew's innovative design, which he describes as "relaxed, unfussy and contemporary", cleverly addresses every element of the brief. To maximise the space and keep the plants from being trampled by the dogs, there are raised beds around the perimeter. These are home to hardy plants that need little attention.