If you think gardening can’t be for you because your yard is too small, think again. There are plenty of ways to turn a small space into a great little garden – all you need is a few tricks of the trade for maximizing the space you do have. You’ll have your secret garden in no time.Just as you would with any backyard – large or small – the first thing you need to do is familiarize yourself with the specifics about gardening in your region and the things that are unique to your space that might impact how you garden. Learning about your area means understanding the climate, the kind of soil, and the nature of plants that thrive there. Your local gardening center or greenhouse can be a great resource for learning this information, or you can turn the internet and do some research on your own. Understanding the space in which you will be planning your garden means figuring out if you get full sun, part sun or if you are in the shade – or if different parts of your planned gardening area receive different kinds of sunlight. You will also need to consider things like slope and how effectively you will be able to water your plants. Again, your local gardening center or the internet are both good places to take these facts and figure out what they mean to you regarding choosing plants.The last stage in your initial prep is to measure your space. This is vital for a small landscape because you will need to carefully consider the root systems of the plants you will be using. You can’t just cram in plants and think it looks beautiful because they seem to fit on the outside. Planting the wrong kinds of plants – plants with larger root systems – means that your plants are maybe strangling each other underground, leaving them unable to survive. Make sure to keep your measurements in mind at all times when planning your garden.Once you have all of your facts in place, it is time to start planning your garden.The trick to gardening in a small space is to look for unique techniques to maximize your space. For instance, instead of trying to plant all of your plants in the ground look into decorative, tiered gardening containers that let you plant several rows of plants in a small space. If your small space is a patio or balcony, you can plant all of your plants in containers – plant developers have devoted a lot of energy in recent years to developing species of common plants that thrive in small spaces, so you can even grow vegetables in small containers on a porch. You can also consider gardening techniques like hydroponics gardening that take up less soil space and require less spacing between plants.Now, it is time to plan the aesthetics of your small garden. Using lots of large plants and shrubbery will not only limit the variety of plants you can include but will also make your small garden look cramped and even smaller. Your best course of action for a flower garden is to use several, smaller plants with bright blooms so that you will get the most bang for your buck. You can jazz up your garden and add drama by including a focal point. A central point is one stand out the plant in your garden that draws in the eye. This is your time to use a large plant – just makes sure it is one that is hardy and blooms for a long time, or else the point will be lost.As a small space gardener, you have lots of options for creating a beautiful space as long as you do the groundwork and make sure you work within your limitations.