If you’re working with a small space, it can be easy to overlook its landscaping potential, but we encourage you to rethink the possibilities that lay before you. There is a lot that can be done to dress up a small outdoor area without making it feel too cramped, and our landscaping experts have some tips to share. Let’s dive in!
Understand Your Goals
When you first start thinking about small backyard design, it’s important to consider how the space will be used and what your ultimate goals are. If you are really into plants but not super into open space, skipping the lawn and adding a lush flower garden could allow you to make the most of your space. If you’re looking for a place to relax and unwind, creating a seating area equipped with a small table and chairs could be the starting point from which you spring other ideas. No matter the amount of space you have, there are great opportunities in front of you. Narrowing down your goals and examining your expectations for the space is a great place to start when it comes to making the most of smaller areas.
Create a Focal Point
Creating a focal point or a view in your small backyard space can give the area a grand feel. Beautiful arbors or built-in features like pergolas are a great way to frame the space and make it look ultra-intentional. We also recommend shrubs, hedges, small trees, and outdoor art.
Add Color
Whether with a stunning flower bed or funky outdoor furniture, adding color to your space can really go a long way. Another tip – adding bright colors at the front of your space and allowing them to recede nearer the back of your property can make your space appear larger.
Create a Hang Out Zone
If you’re designing an outdoor space, you want to have room to hang out with friends and family. Adding some furniture that fits the area without overpowering it is an excellent place to start. Also, diving your area into different zones can create the illusion of more space. While this may seem counterintuitive, adding a small garden and a pathway that leads to a small seating area can really make your property seem bigger than it is.
Mix it Up
One of the best ways to overcome the feeling of a small, boring space is to add different elements to your backyard. Features that offer dramatic visual relief like paving stones, planters, grass, and structures add interest to the area, helping you forget its size and focus on its impact.
Add Texture
To expand on our last point, adding textured elements to your property can increase its impact too. Bold tropical plants, for example, can create a luxurious feel in a small space and up the cool factor too.
We also recommend playing with different kinds of plants, stones, woods, and cushions and making a design that’s unique to your style.
Take Advantage of What Is Already There
If your backyard space is fenced in or features walls, work with these elements to bring function and interest to the space. You can always hang planters or grow vines vertically or add a piece of art to showcase the area instead of hiding it.
Use Vertical Plants
While horizontal plants can easily crowd small spaces, vertical plants fit right in, and the taller they are, the grander the space will appear. A good landscaper will be able to help you find the right plants for the space, whether your property is shady, sunny or a mixture of both.
Take Advantage of Every Corner
While it can be easy to overlook corners that aren’t a central focal point, adding interest to every area of your small yard can help it pack a punch. We recommend adding a cute shrub or small flower garden to that barren corner or a small seating area in a space that will otherwise go unnoticed. Being intentional about your small space without overcrowding it is the keen balance to strike when it comes to landscaping small backyards.
Use Raised Planting Areas
Using raised planters can add dimension to your area. Adding a retaining wall or even a formal raised bed alongside other hardscaping features like patio stones and steps will help draw the eye upward, creating the illusion of space you’re working to develop.
Keep it Simple
While we’ve been pushing the narrative of more is more in this blog, we also want to remind you to keep things simple, not only because it will be easier to maintain but also because you don’t want to overwhelm visitors. We suggest taking a few of these suggestions and really running with them.
Work with a Professional
While many people choose to complete landscaping projects themselves, working with a professional team can really go a long way, especially when it comes to making the most of your small space.
Passionate and experienced landscapers, like the ones at Pacific Lawn & Pest, can help you figure out what kind of landscape design will work best in your space and bring it to life before your eyes. We also have access to some of the industry’s best products and materials, all at great prices.
Connect with Pacific Lawn & Pest to Discuss Landscaping Small Spaces
If you’ve recently moved into a new home, or if you’re sick of looking at a boring outdoor space when you have a small landscape to design, Pacific Lawn & Pest wants to work with you. We have helped dozens of homeowners make the most of small backyards, and we look forward to showing you what we have to offer.
To learn more about our expertise or to schedule an on-site consultation with our experts, we invite you to reach us at (509) 218-1775. We look forward to helping you build a backyard space that you can enjoy without breaking the bank.
Give our experts a call today!