Not all homeowners are lucky enough to have a spacious backyard. For those who live in places with tighter outdoor spaces, it’s just a matter of practicing smart design on a smaller scale. Whether you live in a condo, townhouse, loft, or house with more indoor than outdoor space, you can still carve out a yard with soil, trees, plants, patios, seating, and even water features. Here are some of the best landscaping ideas for small backyards.
How to Extend Small Backyard Landscapes
Once you start researching, you’ll find there are plenty of ways to make smaller backyard landscapes appear larger than they are. Check out a few of our favorites that are quick and easy to install:
- Trees: If you think there’s not enough space in your yard to plant trees, think again! Trees can be great for small-yard landscaping, especially ornamental or dwarf species of trees.
- A private garden: City dwellers often crave outdoor space. High walls and espaliered or climbing plants help to create a sense of seclusion.
- Container gardens: When you lack good soil or have an outdoor space that’s mostly patio or decking, add pots, low bowls, repurposed wooden boxes or crates, and urns.
- Hanging garden: Plants can be suspended from beams, eaves, or wall hangers.
- Texture: Using different textures in small-yard landscaping creates visual depth, which can help make your small yard seem bigger. Mix and match grass, gravel, mulch, and other greenery to break up the space and create a unique outdoor space.
- Stone path: Building pathways and walkways are stunning ways to highlight some of your favorite elements in your landscape. Not only that, but stone surfaces are often anti-slip, making it safer to walk around the yard.
- Vertical elements: The sky’s the limit when you grow your succulents, herbs, flowers, or even vegetables in a vertical container attached to a wall.
- A small kitchen and dining area: Love to grill? If space allows, you can add a basic grill, counter, outdoor refrigerator, and even grow a small herb garden to add flavor on the spot.
Talk with a landscape professional to get some of the best landscaping ideas for small backyards. They’ll be able to work with you one on one to determine what works best in your space.