If Your Small Garden Is Looking Tired in July, Designers Say to Remove These 7 Things – It'll Feel Bigger, Fresher, and More Inviting

Successful small garden design is always a combination of certain factors. It isn't just about the planting, but also the accessories that elevate the space and turn it into an intentional spot to be enjoyed.

Creating a curated space is everything when it comes to styling up small gardens. Designers use the 'less is more' approach, particularly when it comes to planting. Instead of cramming in every possible variety they focus on an edited selection of key plants and materials then repeat them throughout the design to add cohesion.

If your small garden could use a refresh, July is the perfect time for a mid-season edit. Below, designers share their favorite easy updates to transform a smaller yard, along with what to plant in July to keep your display looking fresh right through fall – it can be as simple as creating a focal point with a statement planter, like this large terracotta one from Amazon.

1. Get Rid of Hard Edges

Many small garden designs tend to be square plots with rigid, clearly defined boundaries that instantly reveal the garden's size limitations. This can make the space look visually heavy and unwelcoming.

One of the easiest landscape designer tricks to tap into when overhauling small backyard ideas is to reconfigure the space by learning how to soften the look with layered planting and curves to make the design feel more harmonious.

There is a trend in 2026 for rigid layouts in small gardens giving way to softer, organic forms, according to Kevin Lenhart, design director at Yardzen.

'Think curved pathways, informal planting edges, layered garden beds, and outdoor rooms that feel integrated into the surrounding landscape rather than imposed upon it. You won't find straight lines, blocky rectangles, or equal spacing in nature,' he explains.

Even something as simple as using these landscaping pebbles from Lowe's to fill paths can create a softer look.

Kevin Lenhart

Kevin is the Design Director at Yardzen and a licensed landscape architect. He is a LEED-Accredited Professional in Neighborhood Development, and holds a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design. As a designer, Kevin’s practice is rooted in a commitment to making high-quality design available to everyone, and to using design to improve physical, cultural, and ecological well-being.

2. Use Natural Materials

Right now there is a clear move away from garden designs that feature large areas of outdoor paving. Instead the trend is to remove sections of pavers for a less uniform approach. Alternatively opt for a complete change as part of your July small garden edit with a completely different look by removing them altogether.

'Materials like natural stone, Belgard Cobble pavers™, and gravel (like this pea gravel from Walmart) don't just provide structure; they carry the color, texture, and character of the surrounding landscape into the designed space,' says Kevin.

'Hardscape still plays a critical role, guiding movement, defining space, and anchoring planting, but increasingly as a supporting element rather than the dominant voice,' he adds.

Using traditional materials was also a key theme at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show, with many of the show gardens using reclaimed materials such as reused stone, brick, timber and gravel in an irregular, less 'designed' way.

This shift reflects a broader move toward softer outdoor living: environments that feel layered, responsive, and connected to place.

3. Create a Curated Collection

It's so easy to keep adding to the garden when you spot something you love at the garden center or store. But, do this enough and things can gradually start to look messy.

Designers are big on the idea of a curated garden, and this could be the answer for you too, especially if you're thinking of ways to do a July small garden edit to smarten up the look of your outdoor space.

Curated gardening means making more considered choices to pull together a collection that feels intentional. One where plants, materials, and accessories relate to one another, so the effect feels much more harmonious.

An easy way to start is with plants or pots. Consider removing those that don't work with the rest of the collection.

'Aesthetic-driven subcultures, such as #cluttercore and #cottagecore are trending, signaling a preference for layered, nostalgic, and curated environments,' says Katie Dubow, garden trend spotter and president of the Garden Media Group. 'In a disposable culture, collecting offers permanence.'

These vintage-style floral pots on on Amazon are a great place to start.

Katie Dubow

Katie Dubow is the President of Garden Media Group, and the driving force behind the annual Garden Trends Report. A seasoned communicator, she travels the globe to research and present emerging garden trends, sharing her expertise with audiences worldwide. Katie is also a frequent guest on QVC, bringing her passion for gardening and her deep industry knowledge to a broad audience.

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4. Remove the Lawn

Designers everywhere are looking at ways to replace the traditional lawn for a more resilient option. The latest turf-free garden ideas are a more environmentally-friendly and low-maintenance option.

'Clover blends, native grasses, gravel gardens, and groundcovers are taking the place of lawns, each bringing texture, permeability, and regional character without the water and pesticide load,' says Kevin. 'At Yardzen, traditional lawn square footage has dropped 25% year over year in favor of more flexible, layered systems.'

There are several natural and aesthetic ways to break up lawns.

'Gravel, in particular, offers more range than it's often given credit for, from cottage garden paths to desert courtyards,' says Kevin. 'Choosing a high-quality stone color drawn from the regional palette can root a design in its local landscape more effectively than almost any other material decision. It gives a space a sense of belonging to its place, its ecology, its climate.'

It's easy to grow a clover lawn using this clover seed from Amazon.

5. Use Fewer Plants

Garden designers rely on 'repeat planting' of a few easy varieties as their go-to for filling flowerbeds. Repetition of plants provides structure, flow and impact, and anchors the design visually.

The trick is to use fewer varieties but bulk up on numbers, weaving plants throughout the design in groups of three, five, or seven. Choosing self-seeding flowers is a way to achieve this look with minimum effort.

Instead of up and over annuals focus on longevity with native, resilient planting that has adapted to your local growing conditions, as this has a better chance of thriving in your garden.

Clumps of perennials are easily divided in spring or fall to grow your collection of favorite varieties. Choose plants like coneflower, salvia and astrantia that are also repeat flowerers right through summer.

You may find this hori hori garden knife from Amazon makes dividing plants easier.

6. Opt for Small Multi-Stem Trees

If you either inherited a tree or planted one yourself that is now dwarfing the garden and making it feel dark and oppressive it's probably time to consider removing it. Instead opt for a variety that's more appropriate for the size of your space as part of your July small garden edit.

Ornamental multi-stem trees in smaller garden spaces are a hugely popular option with garden designers. They choose them because they add structure, anchor the space, and create dappled shade, as well as offering something beautiful to look at.

Consider the best trees for a courtyard garden or small space chosen by designers time and again, including Japanese maple and olive trees,

If you have a small courtyard garden symmetry can be a powerful device, such as planting up super-sized pots (like this set of two large pots from Wayfair) on either side of an entrance. Ideally choose a variety that offers blossom in spring, a leaf canopy in summer, berries in fall and winter structure. This 'Autumn Brilliance' serviceberry tree from Fast Growing Trees is a good option.

7. Add Some Drama

No designer garden is complete without a centerpiece that commands the show. Designers will remove any accessories that don't add a strong visual note, too. If you feel your garden is lacking a special something it's time to inject some drama into the design to take it from bland to bold.

There are several ways you can do this. A well-placed bench in an original design that's a piece of art in itself, or an unusual pergola that adds architectural qualities will beckon you to sit down and enjoy the space.

Another easy solution is to add a small bistro set with a charming plant on the table to create a special moment in your design, like this acacia wood bistro set from Amazon.

A tall stylish planter or garden urn (like this terracotta one from Anthropologie) filled with flowers spilling over the edges or striking an unusual outline draws the eye immediately. You can even add an empty one in among the plants to create a focal point in itself.

Perhaps your flowerbeds or borders are nicely planted but need a little something extra to add interest. A garden sculpture placed among your plants will immediately elevate the design and create a worthy focal point.

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Just because a garden is small doesn't mean it can't be both beautiful and inspirational when you're designing it, as long as you avoid the most common small garden mistakes and find easy alternatives that will work to transform your space.

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