Landscaping Small Yards

Landscaping Small Yards
Landscaping small yards is a challenge.  You don’t want everything crammed together.  Everything should feel comfortable and nice.  There are some design techniques that can help the small yard feel great.

Diminished Spacing
A small yard should not be boxy.  The pattern should be hard to decipher.  To accomplish this task use lines that appear to diminish in the background.  This will make the yard seem larger.  One use of diminished spacing is a stone pathway that leads to……? 

Foreground and Background
Use a large tree in the foreground and smaller plants in the background.  This use of size will help the yard seem larger than it really is. 

Dwarfs and Minis
Many plants have a version of them that is smaller.  If you can get more plants in a small space, and they aren’t crowded, the yard will seem bigger.  Sometimes you need to plant all the plants in miniature except the larger foreground. 

Hidden Rooms 
A little path that ends at a secluded “room” or space will make the yard seem larger.  It will seem that the yard actually goes somewhere and is useful.  It doesn’t have to be a room, but should be a space that is more beautiful and useful than the rest of the yard. 

Quality Counts
Many of the largest yards just don’t look great.  For example for most people it is too expensive to maintain and install five acres of pristine landscaping.  If your yard is smaller, don’t despair.  You can make it one of quality and enjoy it.  If you succeed in making the small space look great, you will soon forget that the yard could have been larger.