Perhaps you have a small yard, or maybe the majority of your space is relegated to another task. Either way, you don't have a lot of space for a garden. That doesn't mean you have to do without the pretty accenting of flowers and other ornamental plants. Instead, create a small garden with whatever space you have available.

Mailbox Garden

The land around a mailbox is often under-utilized in landscaping. Change this by transforming your mailbox into the centerpiece of a pretty mini garden. You could change out the stand so that it's more decorative, or simply use the existing structure. Either way, start by training a climbing plant up the stand. Clematis is a pretty option, but Home and Garden TV also recommends other delicate climbers such as morning glory, passion flower and cup-and-saucer vine. Fill in the rest of the land with low flowers, such as petunias and daisies, that don't impede access to the mailbox itself.

Foundation Garden

Another often overlooked space is the land against the foundation of your house. Shrubs are a common planting for this area, but you can also transform it into a pretty garden. Define the length of the space with architectural plants such as ferns or an ornamental grass. Next, select tall, delicate flowers for the back – columbine, iris and snapdragon are a few pretty options. Fill in the front with some bushier flowers such as begonia, geranium, sweet alyssum and globe amaranth. Finish the garden with a front border of geometrical plants such as ornamental cabbage, sedum or other varieties of succulent.

Water Garden

If you have a low-lying spot that tends to collect water, consider transforming it into a water garden. Ring a spot with pretty rocks to further trap the moisture. Plant a few tall, water-loving plants in the center. Elephant's ear, papyrus and monkey flower thrive in wet areas. Add some shorter plants around the perimeter, such as trumpet creeper, water hyacinth and water lettuce. When selecting plants for your water garden, just make sure they tolerate wet roots well but don't require full submersion.

Romantic Cutting Garden

If you have a small, open space, consider transforming it into a cutting garden. The classic anchor plant for such a garden is a rose bush – if space is very limited, look for one of the dwarf varieties. From there, fill in the space with flowers that make stunning bouquets. Corn cockle, cosmos, coneflower and dahlia all offer gorgeous blooms. Look for flowers that have tall stems and long bloom times to make for pretty vase displays.

Whether you want to fill in an unused space or create a special kind of landscaping, add beauty to your yard with a small garden.