How to make your garden larger

If you like an expanse of grass, no problem. But if you want something different, something that combines a feeling of being unfettered, a bit wild, then a cottage garden is the way to go. But if you also have a small space for your garden then you might want to make the garden larger. Often gardens are an expanse of grass encompassed, or framed, by a garden that is on the periphery of the grass, but the grass dominates the garden, it larger than than the garden, even if your garden is made up of perennials and the border of the garden isn't a straight line but various curving designs and formations. To increase the number of feet of garden space, and to make it more interesting, I suggest islands of flowers, garden plots that are cut from the grass. There is an illusion here, when you stand in front of a specific part of your garden you aren't looking at the garden as a whole, but at the specific place where you are standing. You can increase this "standing view" by increasing the paths in your garden and the easiest way to do this is by cutting islands from the grass, and this will increase the length of the paths. Islands of garden plots create paths through the garden. Here is a way to test this, pace off the length of your garden, the border of flowers and other plants on the periphery of the grass, then (if you've added these islands of flowers), pace off the garden including the paths around the islands. Your garden will be larger, you will have added to the variety and number of plants, and the whole garden will have a feeling of being in nature, not in a city garden. Avoid annuals, go for perennials. Aim for a controlled wild look. Grass is okay if that is what you want, but I like a garden that combines different flowers, different types of plants, perennial flowers, shrubs, rose bushes, a few herbs, a different sensibility, a garden that is inviting and welcoming to all who visit, and so on.

This is my garden as of May 1st, 2022. I work slowly so the "islands" don't look like much in these photographs, it's also spring here in Montreal and the season is slow. Just wait! Also, I work slowly, I like to plan and think out what I'm doing. It's the way I work and since a garden is a work in progress, this is what I've done so far. But you never know, I may never change the garden as it is, it's wait and see.

Those are day lilies on the right; they were growing in different parts of the
garden and I've moved some of them to the space on the left.