You can then add ornamentation with plaques. White garden: The best plants to create a white border Jennifer Bramwell. pumila is an evergreen self-clinging climber or trailer to 3m, with rich green, ovate leaves 2-5cm in length on. Try the green tickey creeper ( Ficus pumila) or Virginia creeper. Ficus pumila (Tickey Creeper) to cover walls. Another more classical way to dress your walls is to plant creepers against them. Using outdoor mirrors is a fantastic way to add depth and space these are best installed as frameless sheets that either cover an entire wall or a large section. This vertical plane is very important as it is in the direct line of sight. Small gardens are often surrounded by large boundary walls. Attention to detail is important try to incorporate interest into the paving with stone inlays or green lines of dwarf mondo grass (Ophiopogon ‘Kyoto Dwarf’). Steer clear of unnatural looking products in a variety of colours that are too loud. Natural paving materials, such as decking, stone, clay or cement tiles can maximise usable space, create visual interest, reinforce the geometric lines of the garden’s design and integrate beautifully into the landscape. Ficus pumila (Tickey Creeper) wonderful for softening and disguising. Lawn is often not the best option for small gardens it is better to do away with it completely if possible. Dietes bicolor also with spiky foliage, this plant has more of a drooping. (Climbing fig, Creeping rubberplant, Figvine, Creeping fig, Climbingfig, Tickey-creeper, Creeping Ficus, Oriental spruce, Creeping rubber plant, Fig, ). This species invades forest margins, woodlands, plantations, roadsides and urban open spaces, naturally found in tropical dry forest areas. It is an invasive evergreen climber, capable of growing high into trees or covering shrubs. If space is a problem, paint your walls green so they’ll blend smoothly into the surroundings, or if it’s a new building, leave plastered walls unpainted. Dolichandra unguis-cati is also known as Cat's Claw Creeper. Texture is also important visual character (light and shade) creates depth.

Levels of greenery planted against boundary walls will stretch out the space. Avoid overusing gaudy, hot colours as these can ‘choke up’ the view, making the small garden look even smaller. Restrict your plant palette to layered contrasting greens, accenting with pops of localised statement colour using pots or focal points.

Tickey creeper plant