It’s exciting to own a new property, but when budget is an issue, there are certain comprises every homeowner should make. This often begins with the amount of available space you can own. If you’ve been dreaming about owning sprawling grounds and massive gardens for every type of greens, sometimes you have to make do with a compact backyard.
But, no matter how small it may be, there are still a lot of things we can do with a small backyard. While it may not be possible to build a swimming pool or a literal bed of roses, you can turn whatever space you have into a sanctuary where you can enjoy your morning cup of coffee, read your favorite book, have an afternoon tea with loved ones or just simply take in some outdoor views.
Here’s a simple guide on how you can turn small backyards into a truly functional space. See how the following design and landscaping maintenance ideas can help you make the most of your tiny space:
Create an illusion of a larger space by making small backyard zones
This may sound like a contradictory design idea. However, many landscaping experts have proven that this trick truly makes a small backyard feel spacious. Make full use of the open areas of your small yard by breaking them up in order to create that larger feel.
If you plan to put a few furniture pieces, use them to create partitions in your small backyard space for that nice resting spot. Landscaping rocks can also work to divide your available space and create specific groups and paths.
Turn your small backyard into a multi-purpose space
So, you want a garden, a greenhouse, and a dining space? While this may sound pretty ambitious if you only own a small piece of land, there’s certainly a way to design your backyard and have all of these in one contained spot – define its specific function.
Start by thinking about the things you’d like to have in your outdoors. Whether it’s a small table with a few chairs for a simple reading or coffee area, a swing chair, or even a mini fire pit so you can enjoy some s’mores, you can certainly have all these small areas as long as you know how to do simple size adjustments.
Do some vertical landscaping for increased “height”
Even in interior design, there’s a design principle in which having high ceilings is believed to create an illusion of a bigger space for a small living room. This can also work for designing backyard. Create the same illusion of more height in your backyard by focusing on upwards design.
While it may be impossible to add more width to your compact backyard, you can make the area look a lot more spacious by doing some vertical landscaping tricks. Start by looking for a variety of plants that grow a certain height, such as sprawling ivies, perennials, and low-maintenance trees that offer a large amount of shade.
Create that relaxing backyard that will make you forget you have limited space in the first place.