The patio area with vertical planting and an array or mirrors.

I don't want to jinx anything for you all but through the showers this week there have been glimpses of blue skies and glimmers of sunshine, indicating that summer may well be on its way. I love being outside as much as possible, but I have very limited outdoor space available to me. 

Figuring out how to maximise my 2m by 2m courtyard garden to make it as usable as possible for me was an important part of planning my renovation. Here’s what I learned about making the best use of limited outdoor space.

As with every space, it’s important to first consider how you want to use it. For me, I wanted a few things:

Additional dining space for larger gatherings 

Somewhere to lay out and relax on nice days 

A swimming pool (ok fine so I didn’t get everything I wanted) 

In a 2m x 2m space, some items on this list seemed incompatible (if not impossible), so I had to get creative.

First up, creating an outdoor dining space for entertaining, which generally requires a table and chairs. The chairs are easy and I’ll get to those, but a table is tricky — if you have limited space then a table is either a permanent feature in your garden or requires storage space that you may not have. Luckily my builder came up with a genius solution for this — he used leftover building materials to make a table that folds up against the garden wall, meaning I can have a large dining table when needed but can easily free up the space to lay out in. If you’re handy you can do the same, or you can buy pre-made folding tables designed to be mounted on walls — I have seen a range of these available on Etsy.

Chairs are simpler — I absolutely recommend having a built-in bench along one wall. It is by far the best use of space to fit people around a table. Wood or tiles are the best materials here — mine is made from the same tiles used in my downstairs bathroom, and I like the consistency that brings. Just check they’re suitable for outdoor use. For additional seating you can buy folding garden chairs which can be hung on the wall when not in use — mine are from Ikea and I spray painted them to fit my style.

One thing I plan on installing this summer is a retractable awning. These are a super way to maximise the space available to you — it means a light shower won’t ruin your outdoor dinner party. There are more affordable options that involve manually winding the awning in or out, all the way up to electronic options that also include lighting and heaters.

I will concede that due to our weather, this isn’t the most frequent way I use my garden.

However on those beautiful summer days there’s nothing better than soaking up the Irish sun!

I don’t have the storage space for a garden lounger so instead I bought myself a hammock. I couldn’t love it more. All it took was installing two hooks in the garden, and when not in use hammocks fold down to practically nothing. They’re easy to keep clean, and there’s nothing nicer than that gentle swaying motion.

Hammocks are available in a number of lengths so you’re likely to find something to fit your space — just make sure you measure correctly and leave enough space for it to move in.

If for some reason you hate hammocks, or cannot fit one, I think inflatable outdoor furniture is a great option. Again these store away much more easily than foldable furniture. Just make sure you cover the plastic with a throw or blanket — bare skin and inflatable furniture are not friends.

I don’t have green fingers. I have given up on gardening. I don’t have the patience to repot and replant things, and I don’t have the talent to keep pretty plants alive. However, I did want greenery to create a sense of peacefulness and to improve the air quality in my city garden.

Much like my garden table, the solution here was to go vertical. Luckily for me my friend Jonny Gannon (gannonandassociates.ie) is an exceptional landscaper, and in exchange for me making his wedding cake he installed the most beautiful vertical garden wall for me. Even I am able to (mostly) keep these plants alive — this wall is north facing and doesn’t get much sun, so what works best for me here are ivys, heucheras, and ferns. I’ve even managed some hardy herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and parsley.

The garden wall comprises felt pockets (bought on Amazon) nailed to a plywood board, which in turn is screwed onto my garden wall. The pockets act as plant pots but be warned that they dry out a lot quicker, so plenty of watering is required. Overall it’s not difficult to install and believe me— if I can maintain a garden wall, anyone can.

Could you please advise where you got your vinyl tiles and who fitted them?

Sounds exactly what I'm looking for, for my kitchen & utility room. Just a bit worried about table and chair marks!! Thank you very much.

I bought my LVT flooring from Deco Designs in Dublin. The brand is Moduleo. I’m really happy with both the brand and the fitter, happy to recommend both. Some other LVT brands you could check out are Karndean and Amtico. In my experience nothing has marked this floor — I drag my table, chairs, bike, stilettos, wheelie suitcases, couch, across it and it so far seems pretty indestructible. Any scuffs have been very easy to clean.

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