A small yard can have just as much potential as a spacious one. Rather than leaving it as an awkward empty space in your exteriors, or something used as a storage area, you can transform it into an extension of your living space through landscaping.
With a manicured lawn and beautiful assortment of plants and blooms, your curb appeal will immensely improve, and so will the value of your home. In addition, you may find a new enjoyable hobby in gardening, as it is known to benefit our physical and mental health.
If your small landscape is in dire need of TLC, prep it for a makeover by gathering incredible tips and stealing design ideas from this guide.
How to Arrange Your Plants
Since your work area is limited, making flower beds and hedges are out of the question, but that won’t make your little garden any less lovely. To make up for the lack of an ideal space, use every inch available, including the walls and crevices.
Consider dwarf plants, bonsai, columnar plants, and trailing plants. You can grow a 1-foot tall pine tree and surround it with perennial shrubs. Plant a columnar tree in the corners, and make a statement by using giant planters for your trailing plants and other favorite blooms.
Create a vertical garden on your fence, installing a latticed structure on it, and filling it with wall planters containing colorful plants, like berries. Consider incorporating recycling by hanging planters made of reused plastic bottles. And if you’d install pavings, make use of the gaps in between by filling them with succulents and vining groundcovers. Plant ivy in shaded areas, and put the succulents in well-lit spots.
Making a Patio
If you’ve been wanting a good outdoor lounging space, your small yard may accommodate that as well. Small patios are fun to design and decorate, not to mention useful when you have guests over in the summer.
Generously layer your patio to enhance its coziness despite the little space. Use an outdoor area rug, lots of throw pillows, a garden set, stools that can double as accent tables, and a couch.
Hang drapes as well to incorporate privacy, but try not to choose thick fabrics, as they may darken your patio. Consider gauzy fabrics instead, because they’re airy and lightweight. But if you’d need a more effective enclosure occasionally, go for privacy screens or folding shutters.
Add pops of color to emit vibrancy and a casual atmosphere. Blue and green tones fit outdoor spaces the best, since they complement the natural environment, but don’t hesitate to use whatever color floats your boat!
Place a bar cart in there, too, to make cocktails and picnics convenient. And save a space for a small fire pit, so you can still snuggle in your cute patio during colder seasons.
Lighting Ideas
Your garden will never be complete without beautiful landscape lighting. And we’re not simply referring to generic, LED lights. Rather, we’re thinking of floor-mounted lights, hanging lanterns, and everything dramatic.
Assuming you already have security lights installed, your little garden and patio should only be filled with soft, romantic illumination. If you have a bench along a path, light that up with a lamp post at the back or beside it. To draw attention to your shrubs, install light fixtures underneath them.
If you’re irked about exposed cords, consider solar lighting. They don’t have any annoying cords and they’re energy-efficient and affordable, too.
With these tips at hand, giving your small yard a makeover has just become more exciting. Treat it as your summer project and bask in nature’s calming and nourishing properties.
