Small Space Gardening Course

Learn how to plan and create your own compact green space with our gardening short courses in Sydney!

iving in the urban sprawl of Sydney is great for lifestyle, food, entertainment and action. It often means though that we are competing for space and the thought of a lush green backyard becomes a thing of dreams. But that doesn’t have to be the case!

In this gardening course, learn how to plan and create your own small space urban garden in Sydney. Adapt to your environment and push boundaries, get in touch with the plants around you and most importantly get creative and have fun!

Small gardens can be created for food, enjoyment, interest, improving your environment and general well being, for exercise, to build a community and to satisfy our need to connect with the natural world (biophilia). 

Whatever your reason and individual needs, together we will go through the steps required to create your green space, and provide options and inspirations along the way.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this small space gardening course, you should be able to:

• Identify suitable garden styles for urban small garden spaces
• Determine appropriate light availability, aspect, and environmental conditions for plant growth
• Assess any structural limitations of small space gardens
• Apply fundamental plant care principles
• Integrate creativity with practical sustainability
• Develop a personalised small-garden concept

Course content

What will be covered in this small space gardening course?

Styles of Small Space Gardens 

• Different garden types: usage, spaces, concepts, heights, sizes, areas, volumes
• Inner city gardens
• Small & green space gardens
• Multi-purpose gardens
• Community gardens
• Botanical gardens
• Wild and untamed gardens

Categories of gardens

• Zen gardens
• Balcony gardens
• Courtyard gardens
• Flower gardens
• Cottage gardens
• Rainforest gardens
• Kitchen gardens
• Indoor gardens
• Vertical gardens
• Green wall gardens
• Container gardens
• Alfresco gardens
• Fresh herb gardens
• Vegetable gardens
• Urban mini-farm gardens, vegetables & herbs
• Vertical gardens
• Cactus gardens
• Succulent gardens
• Bonsai gardens
• Water container gardens
• Water plant indoor gardens
• Streetscaping

Styles of Small Space Gardens 

• Different garden types: usage, spaces, concepts, heights, sizes, areas, volumes
• Inner city gardens
• Small & green space gardens
• Multi-purpose gardens
• Community gardens
• Botanical gardens
• Wild and untamed gardens

Structural limitations

• Base/floor types tiles, timber, concrete, terracotta
• Mains water availability & tap location
• Drainage systems
• Structural hurdles and practical solutions

Plant requirements - basic needs 

• Growing media
• Sunlight
• Nutrition
• Water, moisture and humidity
• Structure and stability

Aspect | Location | Light

• Photosynthesis
• Level of sunlight
• Minimum / maximum amount of sunlight hours
• Full sun, Partial sun / Partial shade / Full shade
• Dappled sunlight
• Seasonal differences in light

Watering systems

• Manual
• Automatic
• Self-watering
• Water containment, drainage and saucers

Potting Mixes

• Different growing media
• The art of composting

Pots and Containers

• Types and styles

Fertilising, food and nutrition

Nutrition | fertiliser | not fertiliser

Intended audience

Who is this small space gardening course for?

This course is ideal for beginners and experienced home gardeners

Course venue

Rozelle Campus

2A Gordon Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 (corner of Gordon St & Victoria Rd in the grounds of St. Joseph's Church)

Course materials

What to bring to class

• A sketch pad, pencil and eraser
• Notepad and pen or a tablet to take notes

Additional Information

Please note - this course does not contain horticultural advice on: 

• Pest or disease identification
• Pest or disease management
• Use of chemical treatment for plants.

Specific plant selection advice is also available from your local horticulturist to help with plant requirements for your specific situation. Your specific local area plant species are not covered in this course.