For many gardeners, plants are the essential ingredient in efforts to create a satisfying visual result and this is no more true in small garden spaces. In this project in Dundrum, Dublin 18, a relatively new but small rear garden is transformed by plant type & selections. A broad mix of trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials to create a riotous colourful result which demands attention whilst providing lots of visual stimulus.   Another key design component for smaller gardens is flexibility so choose planters which provide sustainable growing conditions for mature trees or shrubs. In this instance we used the excellent steel planter boxes (Biohort Belvedere Planters) which provide flexible growing conditions but can be easily moved to frame a particular view and/or variable spatial layouts.   A diverse range of plant types (trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses etc not only provides a seasonal and constantly changing colourful seasonal displays but which one which is easily sustainable and requiring very low maintenance.