This garden micro trend is perfect for transforming a small backyard this summer

The geometric trend in garden design is definitely something to pay attention to if you're designing a small outdoor space. Geometry is the best friend of small garden ideas, and if you can make one change to your backyard this summer, it should involve a geometric pattern or design. 

Wild gardens might be all the rage in larger gardens, where natural and unstructured planting schemes have space to make an impact, small gardens benefit from a little more order, symmetry, and coherent use of materials and colors.

Geometric gardening might summon up images of formal boxhedges trimmed into neat sharp lines. While this is certainly an aspect of the trend, this year we're seeing many gardens embracing geometry not just in planting but in the design of the garden itself. Rectangular concrete planters and hexagon paving are popping up all over our Instagram feeds. 

If you are looking to add a little order to your backyard here are three clever ways to try the geometric garden microtrend out for yourself.

1. Embrace symmetrical planting

In any garden plants will always be the true star of the show. Make sure yours complement your structured furniture and design by keeping things simple and symmetrical by investing in a small variety of plants.

Landscape designer Fernando Wong, and Martha Stewart's co-judge on the Discovery+ show Clipped is an outspoken fan of incorporating a pattern into your garden by buying lots of the same kind of plant. Streamlining your choice of plants will help create that impression of recurring patterns, especially when they are of the same height, shape, and color.  

2. Be playful with your patio

If you do want to change up a bit more than just your planting scheme, your patio pavers are the first landscaping feature you should be looking at to give your backyard the covetable geometric, high-end look. Concrete paver experts from Peacock Pavers say, 'thoughtful negative space between concrete pavers can add a lot of visual interest.' 

Whether you choose to 'punctuate' that space with grass or smaller pavers or bricks in a contrasting color, spacing out your large pavers will create a more organic and natural look for your patio ideas. 

3. You can never go wrong with a pergola

Finally, another easy way to incorporate a formal geometric shape into your garden without having to change it too much is to build a pergola. What is a pergola if not a geometric pattern executed in wood? 

If you color-coordinate it with your garden furniture, the effect will be even stronger. Plus, you'll visually add height to your small garden – an all-around win.