Not everyone wants or needs a huge home with lots of outdoor space, and plenty of people are perfectly content in smaller dwellings. However, one thing you have to be when you live in a small property is adaptable; you need to adjust to the size of your home and make the most of the space you have, which can lead to some imaginative solutions and interesting ideas.
This is especially true when it comes to working with small yards and outdoor spaces. Landscaping for small houses can feel like quite a challenge, as you need to be very careful in how you use the available area. This guide will offer some inspiration and assistance for small yard landscaping, covering some essential tips and creative landscaping ideas for small houses.
Design Small Backyard Zones
Ultimately, the key to small yard landscaping is ensuring you value every square inch of space and use all of that space to maximum effect. People with bigger yards don’t need to worry so much about the placement of their plants or the size of the yard furniture they buy, but when working with a limited amount of space, you need to be very careful and considerate.
A good way to start is to measure your yard space and draw up a plan of how you’d like to divide it. Having a little seating area for relaxing, another location for a small vegetable or herb garden, and another area with a patch of lawn can help to make space seem bigger and give even the smallest of yards some structure.
Add a Touch of Color
Small backyards don’t have to be bland and boring, and they don’t have to be dominated by plain wooden decking or classic green lawns, either. You can make them a lot more attractive and inviting by experimenting with color in a fun and original way. Many small backyard designs make clever use of color, as this helps to make even the smallest locations look more extensive and exciting. Choose a color and paint your lawn to make it extraordinary.
For example, setting up a little garden can allow you to introduce lots of colorful plants and flowers to the area. If you’re short on space, you can use plant stands and arrange your plants vertically or even use an old ladder to place pots above one another. Feel free to add little decorations you like, such as wind chimes or wind spinners, to give your yard a splash of color.
Create Special Backyard Locations
If you have a small backyard, you have to accept that it simply won’t be big enough to have a pool, a play area, a lawn, a vegetable garden, and so on. However, it can still be memorable, and many people have chosen to get very creative with their small backyard designs. You can search online for landscaping designs for small backyards and find plenty of innovative ideas for inspiration.
Some people have made little tiki bars in their small backyards. Others have used the space they have for dining and relaxation, finding tables, chairs, and a grill to fit, and using the yard for meals, which is one of the best landscaping ideas for summer. Others like to make the space as fun as possible for their kids, setting up play equipment and toys. The sky’s the limit!
Have a Nice View
Having a special location for kids, relaxation, or BBQs is a great idea, but you can also maximize your space by using it for one thing. Create a beautiful viewing area or something that draws everyone’s attention to the yard. Decorate a nice section, capped off by a beautiful wood pergola that people can gravitate towards. Add a few plants, shrubs, and garden art, and you have a perfect landscaping idea for a small house that changes the entire dynamic of the landscape.
Integrate Flower Walls
One of the best ways to make the most of limited floor space is to work vertically rather than horizontally. If you choose to spread potted plants and flowers all over the ground, for example, you’ll quickly run out of room, but if you set up a plant stand or flower wall, you can go up and up without reducing the amount of floor space in any way.
This is one of the best methods for small yard landscaping, and flower walls can bring so much color and life to even the simplest of spaces. Plus, they offer a lot of versatility and variety, as you can play around with many different flower types to get other aesthetic effects. Since flower walls are artificial, you won’t need to worry about working to improve the quality of your soil or remembering to water the plants all the time.
Pay Attention to Your Trees
When landscaping for small houses, you need to be very careful with any trees on the property. Trees can be so beautiful and add character and personality to outdoor spaces, but when you don’t have much room to begin with, their huge size can become a bit of a problem.
Make sure to learn all about tree trimming to keep your trees in check and prevent them from growing too big, as branches that extend too far could even become hazardous to the safety of your home in storms and strong winds. Additionally, don’t forget to keep an eye out for infestations or contact a local plant care professional to help keep your plants under control.
Add a Layer of Unpredictability
While landscaping for small houses can be difficult due to the lack of space, a great way to make up for that space is by adding a level of unpredictability to the atmosphere. Most people entering will come in with preset notions or ideas about the basics of what you could do with the area, so using special colors, styles, and design ideas are a great way to switch up the mood.
By mixing up certain bright colors, you can take your eyes off the size of the yard and focus on the complexity of making those colors work. Add in elements like chairs, tables, plants, and shrubbery that add to the color scheme, and you have an amazing yard that will leave your friends and family wondering how on earth your yard looks so great!
Don’t Ignore Those Tight Spaces
Most landscaping ideas for small houses tend to focus on the main areas of a yard. Small spaces and corner locations out of view tend to be ignored, and it’s certainly understandable why. But adding them into design plans is a great way to add additional elements and textures to your yard without a massive investment. Turn these unexpected areas into works of art by adding large centerpieces, plants, or foliage, or create your own personal design for the area.
Reduce Clutter
If your yard is small, the last thing you want to do is fill it with a ton of things. A tiny wide-open yard will always feel bigger than a giant yard with various tight spaces and low visibility ranges. Sometimes the best design ideas revolve around reducing unnecessary items that reduce the area individuals can explore around the yard.
Remember, clutter doesn’t just include the old couch you can’t seem to throw away. Clutter also means cutting down large droopy plants and finding more minimally designed items to replace ones that take up a ton of space. Benches without backs and slim metal chairs are just a few examples of products that can improve curb appeal without feeling like a clunky mess.
Flower Filled Pathways
If you have a nice driveway and want to improve your front yard landscaping, consider a strip of flowers on your pathways. Create a lush grouping of flowers that lead up your steps or toward the entrance to your home that’s completely different from the look of the plants around it. Another great landscaping idea for small houses is to add a low-ground garden directly in the middle of the driveway so that plants aren’t ruined as you drive in and out.
Need Help Landscaping Your Small House? Contact Cacti Landscapes Today!
Making the most of a small yard can seem like a challenge, but with the right attitude and a careful approach, small yard landscaping can produce some amazing results. Follow a few of these landscaping ideas for small houses, or think of your own to help set up your backyard the way you want it to be. No matter what you do, make sure it’s fully functional and creative and blends in with whatever vibe you desire to create for your tiny house. Want to discover more about landscaping for small houses? Contact our Las Vegas landscape design pros today for tree trimming, small landscape design, and all your other yard needs and services.
