It’s not always easy to come by spacious backyards. High-density places call for designers who can make the most out of small spaces. Doing so means converting narrow, tight, or weirdly shaped outdoor spaces into beautiful extensions of a home.
Whether you live in a townhouse, loft, apartment, or a house that has more indoor space, you can still get creative! There are numerous ideas worth your time such as adding a patio, water features, carving out a yard, and so on.
Luckily, these small backyard ideas are simple, fun, and easy to implement in any landscape.
The ultimate win-win situation is finding ways to make your small backyard look and feel bigger than it actually is.
Today, there are numerous garden styles and designs for every small plot of land. The best part is that most of these ideas allow you to work with what you already have to make an outdoor haven.
Here are our top small backyard ideas for 2020.
Create Your Own Succulent Wall Art
The sky’s the limit when growing herbs, succulents, vegetables or flowers in a container attached to the wall. This idea for backyard decor can make a plain wall look like a plant art gallery and save up space in the process.
You can use old coffee cans, wooden boxes, wine crates, or even some of your rubber boots! The one limit to a small backyard design is your imagination.
A ladder also makes a great substitute to use as a stand for your container plants. All you need to do is add a fresh coat of paint to it and put it on display.
Grow Herbs in Hanging Planters
If your wall doesn’t seem like a viable option, why not try your fence line or a large tree? Hanging plants in your small backyard save up on space and allow you to be as creative as possible.
You can choose to have a herb garden in planters that hang upside down from your ceiling. You could also hang them near your windows.
This is an idea that’s not limited to your backyard area – your kitchen is another option. It’s also a great way to keep your favorite herbs safe during winter.
Make sure your herb garden is well labeled for you to keep track of what’s what.
Get crafty with the containers you use for hanging planters. Consider using old tires, wicker baskets, mason jars or even try bird cages. If you have a chandelier you’d like to revamp, you could turn that into a hanging planter.
Create a Woodland Garden
If your green thumb is itching to create a forest-like oasis in your small backyard, a woodland garden is the best way to go. The design you settle on allows you to make the perfect space to unwind and relax.
This type of garden is completely immersive. It provides layers of green foliage that can help soothe the spirit and mind. Adding a few plants that give off a lovely fragrance adds to the whole appeal. We recommend:
- Primroses
- Foxgloves
- Red campion
- Sweet woodruff
To make a perfect woodland garden, be sure to ‘crown lift’ trees by removing its lower branches to allow more sunlight to pass through. Do this to large shrubs as well and it helps them thrive in the dappled light.
Turning your space into a woodland yard is easy to do with information from our blog. Our articles are vast and cover a wide range of plants you can add to your collection.
Create a Cottage Garden
There is a cozy allure of a cottage garden filled with colorful and fragrant flowers. One tip to creating a lush small yard is to plant your flowers close to each other. Don’t be afraid to mix and match colors together.
A cottage garden is one great way to bring out your personal style and taste. Everything goes and you don’t have to follow the rules.
This whimsical yard design can also be created around an outdoor patio with flowers such as:
- Lilacs
- Roses
- Dianthus
Make it a Multi-Use Yard
You can design your outdoor space to accommodate a range of low-prep activities and people. Even a small yard can be great for entertaining people of all ages.
Incorporating multiple small backyard ideas can make the area look fun and inviting. There are numerous activities to enjoy with your family in an outdoor space:
- Set up a birdhouse and enjoy bird watching from time to time
- Have fun playing a game of kick croquet on your lush grass using hula hoops
- Have a movie night or slumber party in your outdoor area
- Create a miniature village garden for children to play with and learn from
A small yard can have a fire pit, string lights, patio pavers, and more depending on what best fits the landscape. You can also indulge in another backyard idea for children by adding storage spaces to store outdoor toys.
Build a Fire Pit
Adding a fire pit to your outdoor space can help create a focal point for your backyard. If you love minimalist designs, you can add in a few elements to accentuate this feature. You could add:
- Interesting lighting
- Plants on your patio borders
- Unique seating and dining spots
Thankfully, there are simple DIY designs that are perfect for a small yard due to flexibility in size and shape.
Ideally, if you do not have enough space for a fire pit, you can make another object in your small yard the main point of focus. A small fountain or herb garden can do the trick.
How Do You Design a Small backyard?
Planning is important to ensure you make the most out of a small backyard. Seeing as there’s so much you can do with your small space, you need to be cautious of overcrowding it.
For backyards, ideas worth taking into consideration revolve around a few factors.
Available Space
You need to map out your yard and design it to scale. Revamping is all about working with what you already have and making it better. Even if you decide to do away with old structures and start afresh, be mindful of the space you have. Take note of what can actually fit the space when it comes to your new ideas.
Available Materials
What materials would you like to use? What’s affordable and what materials match the style? Remember, your outdoor area is an extension of your indoor area and you can create a design to match.
For instance, if it is your patio you are upgrading, consider what materials best match the rest of your home. Concrete is one of the cheapest materials you can use to make a patio and blends well into a diverse space.
Overall Theme
Ideas for backyards have to start with a theme. If you know what you want your yard to look like, it becomes easier to revamp items that match that style.
If your theme is bohemian, you know that color is all part of the fun. If you are after a modern English garden, you know that it is all about clean-cut, elegant designs for your yard.
Want More Ideas?
At Gardening Channel, there’s no end to all the small backyard ideas you can get. We appreciate the fact that your backyard should be a unique sanctum and an expression of your art.
Become a backyard gardening expert. Transform your green space into the haven of your dreams.
Photo from pikrepo
