So, you have a small yard? So what! It’s not all about the size, but how you make use of what you have. Even though some people think that small yards are a lost cause, they are actually blessings in disguise, and here’s why. With the right approach, a small yard can be as beautiful as a big one, but it requires significantly less maintenance. Well, it actually requires the same level of maintenance, but all the chores last considerably shorter.
Therefore, stop lamenting the size of your yard and check out the tips on how you can maximize the beauty of it with smart planning and the right design.
Don’t downsize
The first thing you should keep in mind is the fact that you should never downsize any element of your yard design just because the space you’re working with is on the smaller scale. What this means is that if you decide to add pavers to your garden design, they should never be less than 4 feet wide because otherwise, they’ll simply look skimpy and out of place. Also, don’t ever try to scale down your seating area because it will only look stuffy and claustrophobic. Instead, think about all the elements you want to incorporate in the design and see if you can manage to fit them all in their right size. If not, it’s always better to give up on having, for example, a pool in your yard than it is to create one that’s so small, people might mistake it for a pond.
Blur the lines
As much as possible, avoid making a clear division between various areas in your backyard. For example, plant cypresses along the fence you share with your neighbor to get rid of the clear visual barrier and thus make your yard appear larger than it actually is. Also, instead of making a clear division between your seating area and the rest of the yard, think about framing it with shrubs or potted plants to make the transition more seamless. Finally, if you feel like you can’t tackle this task on your own, you can always seek professional help. Professionals such as experts from Think Outside Gardens can offer some professional insight and help you create a beautiful, cohesive environment.
Add layers
Your garden will also appear larger if you can’t see all of it at once. What this means is that you should layer all the separate areas of your yard but in such a way that they naturally “flow” into one another. For example, you can choose to elevate your outdoor dining area and frame it with tile planters that can work as a beautiful backdrop for the fire pit area. Also, you can achieve great things, design-wise, with various shrubs of different heights and shapes. This will bring an additional dimension to your yard and give it more visual depth.
Incorporate surprise elements
Another fun way to add more interest to your yard is by filling it with interesting statement pieces. For example, find a perfect place for a water feature and make it the focal point of its surroundings. Also, place an interesting stone statue here and there but make sure you don’t jam them all in one place. This way, you’ll create multiple focal points in your garden that will make it appear bigger, as all of them will work as separate areas merged into a luxurious whole. None of the elements needs to be big; they should just be attention-grabbing.
As you can see, none of the aforementioned ideas is too difficult to execute. The main thing is to come up with a layout, determine the design, seek professional help if you feel like you can’t handle everything on your own and stay focused to avoid getting too carried away.
