You don’t need sprawling lawns to create a lush green sanctuary. Owner of Terra Firma Landscapers, Damon Johnson’s advice? Work smart, think creatively, and always plant with love.
Plants that work
Play with scale. Compact plants minimise the space they take up, leaving room for more variety – and more colours and textures. After all, variety is the spice of life.
Create microclimates. Hardy boundary plantings act as natural windbreaks and protection, helping your smaller garden thrive.
Layer your heights. Think in terms of plant ‘hierarchies’. By mixing different heights, you give every plant enough light and water while adding lush, vertical interest.
Match water needs. Group plants with similar requirements. Damon’s water-wise favourite? Ornamental grasses (Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’) with Aloes (Aloe marlothii). For moisture lovers, pair tree ferns (Dicksonia antarctica) with Arum lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica).
Think local first. Indigenous and endemic plants usually perform better, but don’t be afraid to mix in something unusual. Just make sure it suits your climate so you’re not babying it through every season.
Choose with your heart. Planting is personal. Go for plants that bring you joy – the ones that feed your soul.
Bring the green inside. Indoor plants connect your living spaces. Damon recommends Bamboo palms (Chamaedorea seifrizii), Love palms (Chamaedorea elegans), Ficus alii (Ficus maclellandii), and Dragon plants (Dracaena fragrans Lemon and Lime or Dracaena marginata Tricolor).
Pet check. Always double-check that your indoor or garden plants aren’t toxic to pets.
Fill your life with plants. Beyond the practical, plants create calm, belonging, and connection. Surround yourself with greenery daily – it keeps you grounded.
Think beyond borders. Even small gardens can host a wide selection. Use ground covers to creep and trail, perennials and shrubs for structure, and trees as proud focal points, not just boundary markers.
Clever tricks for small gardens
Play with height. Use vertical gardens, stacked pots, or low retaining walls to maximise planting space without eating into your floor area.
Add art. Murals can instantly extend the visual line of your garden, tricking the eye into thinking the space is bigger.
Disappear the edges. Paint boundary walls in dark green, charcoal, or black to blur hard lines and create the illusion of depth.
Use mirrors wisely. Placed correctly, they open up a small garden. Just avoid positioning them where they’ll reflect direct sun, as this can scorch your plants.
Layer your planting. Mix different sizes to add depth and perspective. Position larger plants upfront and smaller ones behind to give the impression of distance.
Create mystery. Hidden nooks or partially obscured pathways spark curiosity and make your garden feel like it stretches further than it does.
Spend smartly. Choose smaller versions of fast growers and invest in larger specimens for slow growers. This way, you get impact without blowing the budget.
Group your plants. Mass plantings make a strong statement. Keep medium plants in clusters, smaller plants in larger groups, and let your feature plants or statement trees shine on their own (or in groups of up to three, depending on the size of your space).
Water features
A water feature doesn’t need to be big to make an impact. Compact designs can go vertical rather than horizontal, saving space while still giving you the soothing sound of running water – plus a sculptural element that doubles as décor.
Using a built retaining wall for your water spout or letterbox outlet is another clever trick to save ground space Just keep in mind: the higher the spout, the louder the sound of the falling water.
Here’s a good rule of thumb … for every metre in height, allow about half a metre of splash radius in your catchment area or sump. If your sump is small, you’ll need to top it up more often – but increasing its depth rather than width can give you more water storage without eating into valuable ground space.
Placement matters too. Different features create different sound levels, so think carefully before positioning one. A loud, splashing fountain might be too much right next to your patio dining area, but it can be brilliant at masking street noise or chatty neighbours.
When it comes to pumps, bigger is better. Choose one with more capacity than you need – it won’t work as hard and will last longer. Adding a flow-control valve means you can dial the water pressure (and sound levels) up or down to suit the mood.
The beauty of water features is their versatility. From sleek and modern to rustic and natural, you can customise them with mosaics, cladding, textures, or paint finishes to create a real showpiece. They become instant conversation starters – and over time, you’ll treasure not only the tranquillity they bring but also the life they attract. Birds, insects, even the odd frog will make your water feature part of their world, becoming what Damon fondly calls your garden’s “natural caretakers”.
What to avoid
Choose non-invasive roots. As a rule of thumb, stick to plants with non-invasive root systems. They’re far less likely to cause damage to foundations, paving or boundary walls.
Match plants to conditions. Always choose plants that suit your garden’s natural conditions: sun or shade, wind direction, frost, soil type and water availability. Half the battle is won before you’ve even planted if your selections are suited to the environment.
Watch your canopies. Trees with large, spreading canopies can easily become a headache if planted too close to the house or over a boundary wall. They block light from rooms, darken your interiors and can cause neighbourly disputes.
Think about maintenance. Some plants are high-maintenance, and that’s a commitment for years to come. Be honest about how much time (and budget) you want to spend on upkeep before you buy.
Mix textures and colours. Avoid planting beds that look flat and monotonous. Vary textures and colours to add depth and interest – too much sameness can make even a lush garden feel dull.
Vary the heights. If everything grows to the same height, plants compete for light and space and none of them truly shine. Use different heights to give structure and variety.
Plan for mature size. It’s heartbreaking to chop down a tree that’s taken 20 years to grow because it’s lifting paving or pushing over a wall. Always consider the full-grown size of your plants before you place them.
Plant with purpose. Pick plants that suit the role you want them to play. For screening, go with evergreens that offer year-round coverage. Deciduous trees are brilliant for shade in summer and sunlight in winter. This also applies to entertainment spaces and pools: the wrong tree can leave your boma too cold in winter or your pool too shaded to warm up in summer.
Details: terrafirma@global.co.za or follow @TerraFirmaLandscapers on Facebook.
