This design technique spotted at Chelsea Flower Show is a must for small backyards
You can elevate a compact space with a lesson from an RHS-medallist designer – and this look is right on trend


RHS’ Chelsea Flower Show 2022 has offered us a host of design techniques and trends that will shape gardens far beyond the British capital. The event is a melting pot of backyard ideas for spaces of all sizes – whether you’re working with a balcony garden or have a spacious plot beyond your home. However, the latest technique to emerge from this year’s event is made with small spaces in mind.
The lesson comes from designers Darryl Moore and Adolfo Harrison, who created St Mungo’s Putting Down Roots Garden (pictured above and below) in collaboration with the charity.
While the garden itself was certainly not one of the smallest at the Chelsea Flower Show, it did showcase a clever diagonal line design technique that is perfect for making a small garden look bigger. And the best part? Diagonal lines are also at the peak of current garden trends – so you can emphasize your exteriors in style.
Using diagonal lines to accentuate small gardens
What does this small garden idea involve? According to the designer, it is all about how you use diagonal lines.
‘I really like diagonal shapes. They are dynamic, and they create a sense of movement through a space,’ Darryl shared with H&G. He used the pattern on both the fencing and floor to create a pathway and a sense of a journey through your garden. ‘We play with circles that are a bit more static – they are an anchor point. So, you have two different designs,’ Darryl says.
While diagonal lines can create the sense of a journey in a space, they also lead your eye upwards – opening the garden beyond the fencing into the space above. Garden design expert Phil Deakin from NeoTimber similarly emphasizes that you can cleverly use lines on your fencing to ‘take your eye upwards’ and consequently make the garden feel larger.
Why are diagonal shapes trending?
Alongside their ability to ‘extend’ a small garden, diagonal stripes feed into one of the biggest trends of the moment, according to Pinterest. The platform saw a 42% increase in interest in bold stripes, such as diagonals for 2022. Bringing this motif into your garden also allows you to celebrate maximalism in your garden landscaping ideas – no matter the size of the space.
‘Maximalism is in, so stripes can be pretty out there - don’t be afraid of breaking the rules, in some ways, that’s the point,’ adds Karen Yu, the Marketing & Product Strategy Manager at Zinus.
If you’re looking for a fashionable way to enhance your garden, Chelsea may have offered you the solution you desire.
Sign up to the Homes & Gardens newsletter
Design expertise in your inbox – from inspiring decorating ideas and beautiful celebrity homes to practical gardening advice and shopping round-ups.

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens, where she leads the celebrity/ news team. She has a history in interior design, travel, and news journalism, having lived and worked in New York, Paris, and, currently, London. Megan has bylines in Livingetc, The Telegraph, and IRK Magazine, and has interviewed the likes of Drew Barrymore, Ayesha Curry, Michelle Keegan, and Tan France, among others. She lives in a London apartment with her antique typewriter and an eclectic espresso cup collection, and dreams of a Kelly Wearstler-designed home.
-
Dyson just announced the slimmest vacuum cleaner ever, but has ditched its famous cyclone technology – as a vacuum tester, I'm intrigued but skeptical
It won't clean carpets, but it will take up less space than any cordless vacuum on the market
-
How to grow cucumbers indoors – experts reveal 5 things you must get right for great harvests without needing any outdoor space
Discover why variety, lighting, care are essential to a great cucumber harvest
-
WOW!house 2023 launches at London's Chelsea Harbour – see the work of the world's best designers
It’s that time of year again, we take a tour of the much-anticipated WOW!house event at the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour in London
-
The sentimental way the RHS Chelsea Flower Show plans to pay tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II
The aptly-named Garden of Royal Reflection commemorates the Queen at the UK's most prestigious floral celebration
-
RHS Chelsea Flower Show – 5 trends to watch out for in 2022
These trends sparked conversation at Chelsea – will they reshape your garden and planting habits this year?
-
Mushrooms are the next big 'house plant' trend to emerge from RHS Chelsea Flower Show
The most surprising statement of 2022 has made its debut at Chelsea – and it comes in the shape of fungi
-
The Design Centre’s new project is ‘one of their most ambitious projects to date’
We’re on the verge of a ‘pioneering’ event – it’s time to move Chelsea Harbour to the top of your must-visit list
-
London Design Week 2022 will be the most meaningful yet – here’s why
Spring’s unmissable interiors event is back – and you can join from anywhere in the world
-
This is the ‘somber’ color combination to avoid in your garden, reveals expert
Landscaper and gardening expert Dan Pearson is acclaimed for his plant pairings – but this is the one he always avoids
-
A sneak peek at the Lighting by Design exhibition, launching at Chelsea Design Centre
The show shines the spotlight on innovative lighting using glass, texture, color and white