Behind a street-facing business office, a young family – he’s an architect, she’s an artist, they have tots – have created a garden that grown-ups and kids can enjoy. They welcomed visitors into their space this June on the Gardens of the Beach 2012 garden tour.

It’s a fine example of what you can do with a lot of ingenuity – and not a lot of garden. Even the pea gravel front terrace on Victoria Park under a silver lace vine-covered pergola can double as a parking pad as well as a shady outdoor seating area.

But the real story’s in the back.

Architect Will Hudson designed the Japanese-inspired gate and fencing from standard copper pipe and wood. You can just see how use of different paving materials – limestone crazy paving, wood decking and herringbone brick – breaks up the space. A hornbeam (Carpinus) hedge screens the deck area while offering a peep through to the other side.

Contrasting foliage softens a corner of the deck. Love the (what I think might be) weeping Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora ‘Pendula’), whose needles are a little coarser and whose habit remains more compact than the weeping white pine (Pinus strobus ‘Pendula’). If so, it’s a better choice for a tiny garden. Unfortunately, though, I’ve misplaced my notes, so I hope you’ll excuse some guesses.

Past the hedge, a small, brick courtyard defines its upper dimensions with simple posts and beams. Raised beds line the edges with a variety of trees and shrubs. The built-in benches and rustic table all contribute to the peaceful, Zenlike mood. It would be fun to pull up a cushion around the fire. But I can imagine children playing in this space, too.  There’s plenty of room to move. Notice the green roof on the shed next door?

You don’t need to keep it teeny when planting a small space. Here, a purple corkscrew hazel (perhaps Corylus avellana ‘Red Majestic’) and the chartreuse flowers of lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis), planted in mass, are simple and dramatic.  The verbena on the table isn’t doing itself justice in this picture. It’s actually the bold pink-and-white ‘Lanai Twister Pink’. But this was taken near the end of the garden tour, so perhaps it was tired of being on display.

The garden has small touches of whimsy, like this vintage gnome. Wish I could remember what those red things are; perhaps lanterns? I’ll update when my notes resurface. Meantime, enjoy the view.