This work is aimed at those who want a garden that will respond to the time that they can devote to its upkeep. Limited time does not mean limited style: with good planning, some of the most effective small gardens can be maintained with surprisingly little input. The author looks at 20 successful new gardens. Graded into those which require low, medium or relatively high maintenance, they range from an elegant parterre to a serenely reflective water garden. Each is presented with photographs and an annotated planting and ground plan. By discovering the reasoning behind the design and by explaining how they can be emulated and adapted, the author shows how each can be mined for accessible ideas.