Making good use of every inch in your small yard can be a challenge for some. Over time we have made every square inch of our sloped and narrow yard work for our needs while looking nicely landscaped as well.
We have several designated areas in our yard and the yard is actually only about 33 feet wide. There is a play area at the side of the house which could now be taken down since our kids don’t use a playhouse and sandbox anymore but we have kept it up so far for when friends come to visit with their small children.
Below is a photo of our yard when we moved in and just started to work on the stairs and upper patio. We also didn’t have a fence yet.
The stock tank pool is now on the left side of those stairs and the cat enclosure is on the right side of that hill, leading all the way to the top.
And here are the stairs going up the hill now:
Another view from up top looking down where you can actually see the rock stairs much better than from the bottom. It shows that it’s not as grown in or overgrown as you may think it is from the bottom.
The rock stairs are lined with different colored foliage coming from bushes, trees and a variety of different hostas which are my favorite.
DESIGNATING DIFFERENT AREAS IN YOUR SMALL YARD LANDSCAPING
Creating different designated areas within your garden just like rooms in your home is one of my favorite ways to landscape any yard, not just a small yard like ours.
We sectioned off different areas with rocks and plants to create an intimate feeling. Our patio has a retaining wall with plants behind it and the stock tank pool is located right behind it to the left. (click HERE to read more about the DIY setup)
The rock wall and the fact that it is nestled within the hill also gives it a cozy and intimate feeling.
ADDING DIFFERENT COLORED AND TEXTURED PLANTS AND ROCKS
To me the most important thing when “decorating” your landscaping with plants is choosing different textures and colors for interest, just how you would inside of your home. Usually, I never pick a plant by their flower color but I try to stick to choosing the plant according to the foliage since that is what you see most of during the growing season.
I mentioned that I love hostas and we have a large variety of them with different sized and colored leaves. If you aren’t sure what you are doing yet and want to start somewhere, I think adding hostas is a great place to start. Plant the large ones in the back with the smaller ones in the front.
I also like breaking those hostas up with different ornamental grasses like the light green one below or with different ferns. These types of plants alone give you a great variety of texture and color.
We live in a climate where it gets really cold in the winter which can make it harder to chose plants but what I mentioned above works really well for us in our climate.
If you live in a warmer climate than you have a lot more to choose from for sure.
Of course, let’s not forget about the texture and colors the rocks add to the landscaping. They are always my husband’s favorite part. He is almost like a caveman collecting big rocks and taking pride in grouping them. LOL
(By the way that candle is my favorite new citronella candle and I found it at Homegoods but unfortunately, it isn’t available online. I searched forever to buy more. It is called Aloha Paradise Island Coconut Cintronella Candle by DW Home. Buy one if you see it at your local Homegoods or TJ Maxx. So so good!)
We have a little herb garden to the right of the pool where the rock stairs are leading up to the rock seating area and wall.
Below are also two cellphone photos I took while we were just hanging out one night to show you what the pool looks like at night. We love it!
DESIGNATE AN AREA FOR YOUR PETS
My pets have always plaid a huge role for me when I was growing up with dogs and now loving and owning cats. Designating an area in our yard is a must for us and we wouldn’t want it any other way.
Behind the table, you can see our cat enclosure. A tunnel leads to it from our living room window and another tunnel leads up to our upper patio.
They love being outside with us this way. It is way too dangerous for them to roam the neighborhood. If you watch my cat enclosure video or pool video then you can hear the gunshots from the outdoor shooting range.
Source: cuckoo4design.com/small-yard-landscaping
Source: cuckoo4design.com/small-yard-landscaping
