Katie Phillips
One of Tilly’s founding principles is to bring great landscape design to a wider range of homeowners and that includes those small backyards, side yards, or those funny-shaped, quirky, and unique plots of land! Here we pull together some design ideas and Tilly plans that bring your small backyard to the next level.
Having open space may be a visual desire for your backyard or having a lawn to throw a baseball back and forth may be a must have.
It's important to carefully consider the layout of your outdoor area if you don't have much square footage. The effect of blending your indoors and outdoors can be achieved in a number of ways for great results in a small backyard. Find ways to blur the lines between the inside and outside, so that your backyard can be thought of as an extension of your home.
This can mean features like French doors, extending the flooring of your interior into an outdoor patio, installing big windows, or placing some container plants near the entrance to your yard. For example, sometimes a railing around a deck can cut a space in half and make it feel smaller. Just the small act of having clean lines between your garden and grass can help delineate areas in your yard and physically feel more organized and purposeful. We love an eclectic garden, but if you aren't a professional designer this style can feel messy and chaotic. Try something practical like growing tomatoes up a vine, or create a small herb garden in pots on the side of your home. These structures can look beautiful with vines growing up for privacy or they can be a nice way to divide a space.
We love a pergola as a way to add charm when entering a small backyard from a driveway or side yard. When it comes to fun for kids and designs for small backyards, consider a climbing wall or mounted chalkboard on a fence to entertain them in a contained (and vertical) manner.
This separation doesn't have to feel confined, just a few potted plants on a deck can give division to a dining table and a hot tub area.
Think about what makes sense in your yard - do you want to keep things simple with a single beautiful tree that is a focal point?
Do you have a modern home and ornamental grasses can provide a great border along a large rectangular walkway? There is foldable furniture and small bistro tables that are perfect for smaller gatherings and don't take up floor space.
While we like this tip for any space, incorporating sustainable design practices is always a great small backyard idea. By embracing concepts like xeriscaping, selecting native plants, removing your grass and using artificial turf or incorporating more gardens, you are keeping your yard low maintenance, therefore allowing yourself to enjoy it more. One great way to obtain the maximum use out of a small backyard is to create spaces that can serve more than one purpose.
Create focal points with a fabulous rug, statement fire pit, fun cushions on your patio furniture, a bright water feature, or a colorful mural on a fence. We've seen our design team add hanging plants to a second story wood deck, add a kid's playroom below a set of stairs or turn a swampy corner into a fantastic raised bed garden. For example, beautiful concrete pavers from a deck to a garage or outdoor fireplace create a modern look and are a practical addition.
With a small backyard, lighting can increase the amount of time you can spend outdoors when the sun goes down earlier in the winter. Storage can be made into an attractive addition to a patio or deck space rather than a pile of junk to hide.
Also keep in mind your and their privacy, i.e., no balconies near their windows, don't put an outdoor shower within view! No matter the size, our deisgn team has backyard landscaping ideas for every unique situation.
Tilly’s easy online landscape design process has been embraced by homeowners across the country and in Canada. We match you with a professional landscape designer who is familiar with your region to help you create the perfect custom plan for your outdoor space.
To start our process you’ll fill out a questionnaire about your property that helps our design team understand your goals, needs and existing landscape. You’ll then connect with your designer on a video call to meet them, show them your space and talk about your priorities.
Tilly can also provide recommendations of local installers who can help you complete your landscape project.
This will include a scaled drawing, lists of materials (which you can order directly through Tilly to install your project) and detailed installation instructions to help even a first time DIY’er tackle a yard project!
