How Can I Turn My Terrace Into A Garden? (Part 1)

The question is: How do you turn a terrace into a garden? Is it possible? The truth is yes! And it is that we usually fall into the mistake of believing that a garden must be in a more or less large area, full of a multitude of plants yes or yes, when the reality is that there are many types, so many, that the only thing we have to do is to think carefully about how we want to renovate the space concerning the tool we will provide it. Achieving some nature as soon as you leave the house can be achieved, not only on the terraces but also on balconies. So, if you dream of decorating yourself, write down these ideas 😉.

Calculate the Area You Have Available

Even if it is only 10 x 5 meters or even smaller, the first thing to do is calculate the terrace area. This is the most important thing, which will save many headaches because thanks to this information, you will choose much better plants and furniture (if you want to put some) and their location.

Choose a Design for Your Garden

Do you want a garden type jungle or forest, Zen, minimalist, modern, Xero-garden or freestyle? I strongly recommend that you choose a predefined style because you know its characteristics. For example:

• Jungle/Forest Garden: corresponds to English garden. In them, the plants are placed in such a way that they form a forest. There are few “human” elements, such as fountains or furniture, because what is sought is harmony with nature.
• Zen Garden: the Zen gardens are characterized by the presence of few plants but placed to make the place an ideal area for meditation and relaxation. There is usually a typical Zen corner, i.e., a more or less ample space filled with sand and a few stones in the middle. The sand symbolizes the sea, while the rocks or boulders represent the islands that makeup Japan. Each element indicates something; everything has its own function.
• Minimalist Garden: Minimalist gardens are those where there are hardly any elements. You want to make the most of the space, make it look bigger, and decorate it with relatively small objects and plants.
• Modern Garden: The modern garden integrates the latest trends in landscaping. Nowadays, more and more people are moving towards separating the different parts of the garden with low hedges or other barriers, fountains and/or ponds, LED lighting, paved or stone paths or parquet, and modern furniture.
• Xeriscaping:  It is the perfect style if it rains a little in your area. Plants with low water requirements are chosen, which do well in your area, and the paths are usually made of gravel or small stones.
• Freestyle: It is a garden where you can combine different styles or “create” a new one. For example, my garden (it will instead be very young) is more forest-like than anything else, but it is preparing to integrate the properties of Xero gardens, and I hope it also has its own Zen corner.

Make a Draft

Plan more or less where you want to place the plants and the rest of the decorative elements. Draw if you want them, the relaxation area, the pool area and/or others. This way, you can get an idea of ​​how your terrace will turn into a garden. It is important to know the adult dimensions that the plants will have to make the draft even more useful.

It’s no secret; there’s an impressive spectrum of ways to create a creative style for compact garden balconies without structural or architectural changes. When beautifying this area, it’s important to choose furniture, accessories, plants and so on that complement the layout and leave as small an imprint as possible on the precious little space. Check out all about these and the next steps in the second part of this article.