A small backyard doesn’t mean a small garden. A size restriction is just an opportunity to get more creative—and we have the inspiration that you need to get started.
Here are nine landscape ideas to make the most of limited space!
Multiple Stories
In a forest, many plants all coexist in the same space. How? They each occupy different levels above the ground. Groundcovers cover the empty spaces on the soil. Above them, you find small flowers and bulbs. Then you have larger perennials, shrubs, and finally, tall trees in the canopy above. Try imitating this multi-storied approach in your small backyard for a complete and lively space.
Multiple Bloom Times
Have you ever watched a meadow or forest throughout the seasons? You’ll notice that flowers appear at different times. The crocus sprouts before anything else then disappears from view as other flowers replace it. Each one blooms, then dies back, leaving space for something else. You can borrow this strategy in a small backyard by growing bulbs or perennials with different bloom times.
Vertical Gardening
When you can’t expand your garden horizontally, you can grow it vertically. Attach planters to walls and fences. Install a trellis or pergola for vines. Many vegetables, like peas, cucumbers, indeterminate tomatoes, and squash, will climb vertically and free up your small backyard for more plants.
Patio Gardens
Do you wish you could grow plants on your patio or deck? You can! All you need are some containers. The beauty of containers is that they can be moved around, replaced with new plants as the seasons change, and even decorated during the winter. You can even build a raised bed right on top of a patio.
Dwarf Plants
Is your backyard too small for a giant sycamore or an oak tree? No problem. You can still enjoy a wide selection of trees and shrubs in dwarf size. Get the blossoms, colors, and leaves but in a size that suits your landscape.
Lots of Textures
Make a small backyard look bigger by adding plants with various textures. Try blending fine-textured plants, like lavender or yarrow, with plants with bold leaves. More visual stimuli make your small landscape appear fuller and more interesting.
Less Grass
If you lack garden space, you can remove some or all of your lawn. The question is, how much grass do you want, and what will you use it for? You may think that lawns are less maintenance, but that’s not necessarily true. A landscape with mulch and plants suited to your climate can actually be less maintenance than a lawn—and more interesting to look at, too!
Lots of Diversity
Why do old-growth forests seem so magical? Part of the answer is the amount of biodiversity. The wide variety of creatures brings an incredible amount of stimuli to your senses and imagination. Aspire to the same feeling in your landscape by boosting the diversity of plants, bringing more butterflies, bees, and birds.
Decorative Stones
If you’re adding more variety of plants, why not add more kinds of materials, too? Stones bring new textures, color, and a whole new feeling. You can place a few larger boulders as intriguing focal points, or lay down stone paths, edging, or mulch.
Ultimately, it’s not the size of the space that makes it beautiful or not. It’s how you use it. A small yard with lots of diversity can be just as attractive as a large yard, and even more so, than a big yard with little in it!
For more backyard landscaping ideas, swing by our centros de jardinería in Chicagoland!
Platt Hill Nursery es el principal centro de jardinería y vivero de Chicago.