Landscaping Ideas for Small Blocks With a Double Garage

small paving jobs adelaide landscaping a small block with a double garage can be tricky. A large portion of the frontage may already be taken up by the garage, driveway and pedestrian access, leaving only narrow spaces for plants, trees and garden beds.

That does not mean the front of the property has to look dominated by concrete.

The right landscaping ideas for small blocks with a double garage focus on using limited space carefully. Instead of trying to squeeze a large garden into a small area, you can use narrow planting beds, compact trees, vertical greenery, layered planting and permeable surfaces to soften the frontage.

This approach is particularly useful for Adelaide homes, where hot, dry summers make plant selection and water use important considerations. Adelaide has a Mediterranean climate, with most rainfall occurring between April and October and generally drier conditions through summer.

Start With the Driveway and Garage Footprint

On a small block, the driveway will often be the dominant element of the front yard.

With a double garage, there is usually less flexibility because vehicles need enough space to enter, exit and manoeuvre comfortably.

Rather than treating the driveway as something that gets landscaped around afterwards, make it part of the overall design from the beginning.

Consider the relationship between:

• Garage door
• Driveway
• Front entrance
• Garden beds
• Street frontage
• Letterbox
• Bin storage
• Existing trees
• Utility services

The Adelaide Garden Guide specifically recommends coordinating trees, services and driveway access so they do not conflict with each other. It also suggests using permeable paving or porous materials in appropriate areas to create opportunities for additional planting and soil volume.

A useful design principle is to soften the edges of the driveway rather than trying to hide the entire driveway.

Create a Narrow Garden Bed Along the Driveway

One of the simplest landscaping solutions for a small block is a long, narrow planting bed running beside the driveway.

Even a relatively narrow strip can create a strong visual separation between the hard driveway surface and the house.

The Adelaide Garden Guide uses a minimum 0.7-metre-wide garden bed alongside a driveway as an example for providing space for soft landscaping. This should be treated as a design guide rather than a universal requirement for every property.

A narrow garden bed can include:

• Low native shrubs
• Ornamental grasses
• Groundcovers
• Compact screening plants
• Small feature trees where space allows

The key is to avoid filling the entire strip with plants of the same height. A layered arrangement generally gives a small garden more visual depth.

Use a Small Feature Tree Instead of Several Large Trees

A tree can make a small frontage feel more established, but choosing the wrong tree can create future problems.

Large spreading trees may interfere with garages, driveways, overhead services, underground infrastructure or neighbouring properties.

Instead, look for a tree that suits the available soil volume, mature height and canopy spread.

PlanSA’s Adelaide Garden Guide includes lists of small, medium and large tree options specifically to help people choose trees for small home gardens.

The Plant Selector+ tool from the Botanic Gardens of South Australia can also be searched by suburb or postcode and filters plants according to local conditions, including soil and landscape type.

Where should the feature tree go?

A feature tree does not necessarily need to sit directly in the centre of the front yard.

On a small block, it may work better:

• Beside the driveway
• Near a front corner
• Between the driveway and pedestrian path
• In a deeper side garden bed
• Near the entrance, provided there is enough soil volume

Think about the tree’s mature size, not how small it looks when planted.

Use Layered Planting to Make the Garden Feel Bigger

A small garden can look flat if everything is planted at the same height.

Instead, create three visual layers.

Low layer

Use groundcovers, small grasses or low-growing plants close to the driveway.

Middle layer

Add shrubs and compact plants to create body and colour.

Upper layer

Use a small tree or taller feature plant to provide height.

This technique gives the eye several points to focus on and can make a narrow garden feel more substantial without requiring much additional floor space.

Green Adelaide notes that local native plants can provide attractive, resilient and relatively low-maintenance landscaping because they have adapted to local soil, climate and water conditions.

Consider Vertical Landscaping

When horizontal space is limited, use the vertical space.

A narrow garden bed against a fence can incorporate:

• Climbers
• Vertical screens
• Trellises
• Narrow shrubs
• Wall-mounted planters
• Layered foliage

Vertical landscaping can also help break up a large garage frontage.

For example, a tall planting screen positioned beside the garage can soften a large blank wall without requiring a wide garden bed.

However, keep vegetation away from garage doors, access paths and areas where it could obstruct vehicle visibility.

Soften the Double Garage With Planting

A double garage can become the strongest visual element on a small frontage because of its width.

Rather than placing plants randomly around it, use landscaping to create visual breaks.

One approach is to frame the garage with planting.

For example:

Tree → low planting → garage → low planting → feature shrub

Another option is to use a taller planting zone on one side and a lower garden on the other, creating an intentionally asymmetrical design.

The objective is not to completely conceal the garage. It is to make the garage feel like part of the overall frontage rather than the only feature.

Use Permeable Surfaces Where Appropriate

A small block can quickly become dominated by concrete and paving.

Where the design and site conditions allow, permeable or porous surfaces can introduce additional opportunities for water infiltration and planting.

The Adelaide Garden Guide specifically illustrates the use of permeable surfaces around tree locations and driveway areas to help provide soil volume and improve garden opportunities.

Possible applications include:

• Permeable paving
• Gravel
• Porous paving systems
• Stepping stones through garden areas

The material should still be selected according to how the area will be used. A surface carrying regular vehicles needs a different construction approach from a pedestrian garden path.

Choose Plants for Adelaide’s Climate

Plant selection becomes particularly important on a small block because there is less room to replace plants that struggle.

Adelaide’s climate features warm to hot, dry summers and cooler, wetter winters.

That makes climate-suitable planting a practical choice.

Green Adelaide recommends considering local native plants, which have adapted to local environmental conditions.

You can also use Plant Selector+ to search for plants based on your suburb or postcode rather than choosing solely on appearance.

For a small front yard, consider plants based on:

• Mature height
• Mature width
• Sun exposure
• Soil type
• Water requirements
• Root behaviour
• Pruning requirements
• Relationship with the driveway and garage

Use Mulch to Keep Small Gardens Manageable

A small garden does not necessarily mean low maintenance.

A large number of individual plants can actually make a compact frontage harder to maintain.

A simpler planting palette combined with mulch can make the garden easier to manage.

Green Adelaide recommends mulch as a way of reducing evaporative water loss and suppressing weeds. It also advises keeping mulch away from plant stems.

For Adelaide’s dry summer conditions, this can be particularly useful during plant establishment.

Create a Clear Path to the Front Door

A common problem on small blocks is allowing the driveway to visually merge with the pedestrian entrance.

Even when space is limited, try to establish a clear route from the footpath to the front door.

This can be achieved with:

• Different paving
• A narrow planting strip
• Stepping stones
• Low edging
• A small feature tree
• Changes in surface texture

The entrance should feel intentional rather than like a leftover space between the driveway and house.

Think About Privacy Without Making the Front Yard Closed In

A double garage can leave little room for a traditional privacy garden.

Instead of installing a solid wall of tall plants, use selective screening.

For example, a narrow hedge or vertically trained plant can provide privacy around a front window while keeping the rest of the frontage visually open.

This is particularly effective when combined with a small feature tree and lower planting.

Landscaping for New Small Blocks in Adelaide

If the property is a new build or redevelopment, landscaping should be considered before construction is finished rather than left until the end.

PlanSA’s Adelaide Garden Guide was developed specifically to provide planting ideas and garden designs for new homes and renovations, including examples of common infill housing layouts and small gardens.

The Planning and Design Code also includes landscaping and tree-related policies in relevant residential areas. The exact requirements depend on the property, zoning, overlays and development circumstances, so homeowners should check the applicable planning controls rather than assuming one landscaping rule applies to every Adelaide block.

This is particularly relevant on compact blocks where the double garage, driveway and building footprint leave limited space for landscaping.

A Simple Layout for a Small Block With a Double Garage

A practical frontage could be organised into five zones:

1. Driveway:
Keep vehicle access simple and uncluttered.

2. Narrow planting bed:
Use a continuous garden strip along one side of the driveway.

3. Feature tree:
Place one appropriately sized tree where adequate soil volume and clearance are available.

4. Front entrance:
Use a different paving material or planting to distinguish pedestrian access.

5. Garage frontage:
Use planting and screening strategically to soften the large garage elevation.

This gives the small frontage a clear structure without trying to fit too many landscaping elements into it.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Planting trees that become too large

A small tree in a nursery pot can eventually become a major structural feature. Check its mature dimensions before planting.

Making the driveway wider than necessary

Extra hard surface can make a small frontage feel even more dominated by paving.

Using too many plant varieties

A collection of dozens of unrelated plants can make a small garden look cluttered.

Planting directly against the garage

Allow appropriate clearance for maintenance, ventilation and access.

Blocking the pedestrian entrance

Planting should guide people towards the front door rather than forcing them around obstacles.

Ignoring underground services

Tree roots, excavation and service locations need to be considered before planting or constructing garden beds.

Choosing plants only for appearance

A plant that looks good at the nursery may not be appropriate for the property’s soil, sun exposure or available water.

Forgetting irrigation during establishment

Even drought-tolerant plants need appropriate care while establishing. Green Adelaide recommends deep watering for new plants and avoiding overwatering.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you landscape a small front yard with a double garage?

Start by defining the driveway, pedestrian entrance and planting areas. Use narrow garden beds, one appropriately sized feature tree, layered planting and vertical elements to soften the garage without obstructing vehicle access.

What trees are suitable for small Adelaide gardens?

There is no single tree suitable for every property. Consider mature height, canopy spread, soil, sunlight, available soil volume and nearby services. PlanSA’s Adelaide Garden Guide and Plant Selector+ are useful starting points for choosing plants suited to small gardens and local conditions.

How can I make a double garage look less dominant?

Use planting to frame or break up the garage frontage. A combination of a small feature tree, low shrubs, grasses and a narrow screening plant can soften the hard building lines without completely hiding the garage.

Can I have a garden beside a driveway?

Yes, provided there is enough space for appropriate planting and the design does not interfere with vehicle access, sightlines, services or drainage. The Adelaide Garden Guide provides examples of garden beds alongside driveways.

Are native plants good for small Adelaide gardens?

Local native plants can be a practical choice because they are adapted to Adelaide’s environmental conditions and can offer relatively low-maintenance landscaping. Plant selection should still consider the specific soil, sunlight and available space.

How can I reduce water use in a small landscaped garden?

Choose plants suited to the local conditions, group plants with similar water needs, use mulch and establish plants with appropriate deep watering. Green Adelaide recommends mulch to help reduce evaporative water loss.

Final Thoughts

Good landscaping on a small block with a double garage is less about adding more plants and more about using the available space deliberately.

Keep the driveway practical, create narrow but purposeful planting zones, choose trees according to their mature size, use vertical planting where useful and select plants suited to Adelaide’s climate. Permeable surfaces and mulch can also help make the available garden area more functional.

Before construction or planting begins, check the property’s applicable planning requirements and identify services, drainage and existing trees. For a new build, integrating the landscape design with the driveway and garage layout can produce a much better result than trying to add landscaping after everything else has been completed.

If your block is tight, a landscape designer or experienced landscaping contractor can help turn the available strips and corners into a cohesive plan rather than simply filling the remaining space with plants.