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Photos: Small-space garden ideas

Paul Bricault gathers artichokes from the 3-by-12-foot rooftop vegetable garden of his home in Venice. He grows artichokes, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, celery, parsley, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, plus a lemon and orange tree.

Paul Bricault gathers artichokes from the 3-by-12-foot rooftop vegetable garden of his home in Venice. He grows artichokes, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, celery, parsley, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, plus a lemon and orange tree.   (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Small-space gardening isn’t impossible. It involves thinking outside the proverbial garden plot. Here we share several unorthodox space-saving ideas from some of our past garden profiles. Have a creative small-space gardening solution you’d like to share? Send it to [email protected], and we’ll consider it.

Small-space gardens

A swimming pool is transformed into a rain catchment system and tropical garden in Manhattan Beach.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Small-space gardens

Designer Velvet Hammerschmidt’s rooftop garden is a long, narrow space anchored by a fountain at one end, a dining and entertaining area in the middle and a children’s play space and sun-lounging deck at the far end.   (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Small-space gardens

A terraced hillside became an outdoor dining area shaded by two tall lemon cypresses and a spreading bocconia tree.   (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Small-space gardens

A home theater screen ascends to reveal a small garden outside.  (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

Small-space gardens

Once paved-over and occupied by cars and a clothesline, this Venice courtyard is now an important living space for architect John Frane. A raised platform contains a soaking tub, a fountain and a fire pit.   (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Small-space gardens

Julie Burleigh needed to grow vegetables where she had full sun, and that meant the frontyard. In raised beds constructed from scaffolding, Burleigh planted romaine, oak leaf and red sail lettuces as well as arugula.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Small-space gardens

Rows of potted plants create a border along a driveway and serve as a nursery.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

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Small-space gardens

A potted Bonfire begonia is placed on top of another pot on a narrow side yard so that it can be seen from inside.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Small-space gardens

A Malibu cactus garden, all planted in pots. The tall plant by the door is Pachypodium lamerei.   (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Small-space gardens

Square concrete paving stones seem to float over the pool in this Venice garden. A carpet of Synlawn grass covers the seating area in the frontyard. Reddish-brown dracaena in the foreground.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Small-space gardens

In the foreground of James Duell’s tiny garden are, right, sedum coppertone plants and a fence made out of buddleja and bougainvillea stakes.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

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Small-space gardens

The concrete slab of a former carport was cut to create a grid of pavers. Leftover strips of concrete were moved and stacked to create a koi pond and bench.   (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Small-space gardens

Steven Wynbrandt transformed his backyard in West L.A. into a biointensive urban mini farm.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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