Balance Raw And Order
Landscape designer Joel Loblaw is known for creating urban gardens that are simultaneously loose and structured. And when it comes to backyard ideas, he never runs out of stock. In the backyard of this reinvented Rosedale Georgian, hes used cedar, polished concrete, steel and river stones to complement neatly contained shrubs and other greenery.
Make It A Child’s Wonderland
Kids these days…all they want to do is stay in the house and play video games! But if you turn your backyard into an outdoor kid paradise, then you’ll certainly be doing your part to encourage them to get outside and get some all-natural Vitamin D. Won’t this make your backyard really just a kid’s backyard? Yup. But let’s face it…that’s what life is for parents!
Splash In A Natural Swimming Pool
Swim au natural.
Natural swimming pools use plants and a biological filtration system instead of chemicals to purify water and keep it clean. Basically, its like giving nature all the tools it needs to create an ideal swimming hole, and it means you do less work since you dont have to constantly monitor chlorine and chemical levels. In addition to their low maintenance, natural swimming can blend almost seamlessly with the rest of your backyard landscaping.
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A Cottage Garden’s Colorful Planting Palette
Plants like iris, alliums, echinacea, roses and foxglove emphasize the cottage style of this colorful backyard garden. The flowering plants are primarily pink, white, yellow and blue a soft palette that complements the natural shingles of the home. Flowering shrubs, roses, perennials, annuals and spring bulbs ensure that the garden is in bloom from March until late fall.
How Do You Grow More Plants & Repeat It
Answer: You need to fill your rooftop garden with plants of different varieties. It is a very hard task initially, but if you follow a few steps below and have patience, youll find yourself growing more and more plants in no time.
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Create A Relaxing Meditation Space
Photo via @trangjanick
Give your outdoor living space a facelift with a calming meditation space. Find a secluded spot in your yard and set up large pillows and blankets for lounging and a table for incense. If your relaxation station is near a tree, hang decorative ornaments or a swinging chair for some extra flair.
Add Comfort With Pillows
Adding pillows is easily one of the most affordable small backyard ideas on a budget. Pillows can make your yard more welcoming by adding a touch of comfort to metal and wood patio furniture. Choose durable outdoor fabrics with bright colors and eye-catching designs for a style that lasts throughout the year. This backyard idea is more affordable than you might think. Sewn pillow covers out of outdoor fabric can be used to recover old pillows.
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Or Get A Paddling Pool For The Kids
If a swimming pool just isn’t an option in your backyard but you still want to splash around with the kids on a hot day, get one of the best paddling pools. They’re cheap, easy to store and clean, and many are big enough for the whole family.
Looking for something more permanent? Make your own stock tank pool for under $500.
Use Brightly Colored Flowers In Your Garden
This may sound obvious, but I can’t tell you how many backyards I’ve seen that are just green on green on green. That can be okay, but consider thoughtfully curating your flower and plant selection based on color. Go for some bright blues, yellows, and reds to add some nice contrast throughout your backyard, and consider flowering vines that blossom all year long.
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Build A New Wooden Garden Fence
Building fences can be your greatest bet to keep your garden safe from unwanted intruders, including your neighbors dog that sneaks into it. It offers peace of mind when youre not around, as the fences can hinder dogs and any other intruder from making a mess. It is also an effective way to divide areas in your backyard.Besides, building fences can be a fun activity you should try, making your backyard look organized.
Build An Outdoor Fire Pit
Theres no better way to bring the family together than with smores over a fire pit. But you dont need to spring for a contractor to put one in with one trip to the home improvement store, you can have your own backyard campfire station in just a few minutes. If you need to get rid of rocks from another project, building a fire pit with them is a great way to do it.
Here are a few ways to make your own fire pit without overspending:
Fire Pit Ideas on a Budget
- Concrete retaining wall blocks about $1.25 per block, total cost of $50
- Cinder block caps about $1.50 per block, total cost of $40
- Concrete fire bowl about $3 for one bag of concrete, $56 total
- Dirt floor fire ring free, if using natural stones from your own woods
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Work With What You Have
If you dont have a lot of space to work with, you can easily transform an already existing area into a backyard or garden area. Take this converted driveway, for instance.
If you have a driveway you arent using, you can easily add some plants, fencing, and a great sitting area to create the illusion of a backyard. Have a garage you dont use, either?
You could transform it into a pretty great covered patio area or even a sort of garden area. Add a skylight to let in all that natural sunlight.
Cinder Block Corner Planters
We love the industrial feel of the cinder block planters and how easy they are to get set up. All you need are a few cinderblocks , and you have a great planter that can fit even in the tiniest of spaces in your backyard or patio. Simply stack them to your liking, fill them with soil, and plant in them. Get creative by spray painting stencils on the side to add some color.
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// Create Outdoor Room Or Zones
Designing different outdoor spaces can help increase the functionality of your yard. This separation doesnt have to feel confined, just a few potted plants on a deck can give division to a dining table and a hot tub area. Or outdoor rugs are a great way to establish different areas, it can clearly mark a grill area from a seating area or outdoor living room.
Plant Flowers Around Your Mailbox
When youre giving directions to your home, wouldnt it feel good to say, Mine is the one with the pretty mailbox. No one will be able to miss your driveway when you surround your mailbox with a flower bed or a small trellis with self-climbers like hydrangeas or roses.
Cost: One perennial plant from a nursery typically will cost between $10 and $30.
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Make Your Small Yard An Extension Of Your Home
Make it outside and create an impact in your yard with diverse designs.
The design team of mother and daughter has made use of a cramped and ugly garden and transformed it to expand the living area.
Adding a table, chairs and a few quirky outdoor lighting concepts transforms the dull concrete rectangular area into a comfortable and low-maintenance place for the entire family to delight in.
Mirrors can give an airy feel, and they are also the perfect addition to any small backyard landscaping idea. Install it on the wall or set it up on a table for potting, and dont fret that the glass will get smudged and give it an authentic look.
If youre looking to make your small garden appear larger, consider using a mirror with the right placement to create a continuous pathway. Pick a lightweight or tough mirror glass and ensure it is sealed against water.
Backyard Bar For Small Yards: Bring The Bar To You
For many people, the bar is a fixture of backyard entertainment. Its where they mix drinks, lay out hors doeuvres, or even gather to chat with their friends. But what do you do when there isnt enough room for a built-in in your yard? Get a bar cart.
A bar cart is a great way to maximize your yards party potential without sacrificing space. You can load up the cart with your favorite drinks, snacks, or anything else your guests enjoy, roll it out for a while, and roll it away when it is not in use. Its a quick and easy way to transform your yard from a small seating area to a LITERAL party on wheels.
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Place Fine Textured Plants Near The Perimeter Of The Yard
Plants with small leaves are less visually demanding and dont take up much space. They also reflect a lot of light which causes them to more or less blend into a background and appear distant. Place these plants near the borders of the yard and use large-leafed plants toward the front or at a focal point, as mentioned above.
Squeeze In A Bistro Set
You can still enjoy a meal outdoors, even if you don’t have space for a full dining set. The best bistro sets come in a variety of styles and materials you’re pretty much guaranteed to find one that matches your backyard and home style. Surround your bistro set with colorful, multi-height plants to create a textured, romantic breakfast area.
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What Is The Cheapest Way To Cover A Backyard
To spend more time in your yard, you need to get away from the gravel on your floor and use trees as cover. It could be time for some backyard architecture to give your yard some style.
Backyard PergolaIn small yards, architectural structures like arbors and pergolas are perennial favorites.
You can use one to frame a view, hang a swing, or even hang a climbing garden. These backyard constructions height creates the illusion of extra space, while the elements themselves provide interest and character.
A pergola is an excellent addition to your dream backyard. First, clear an area on a deck or patio for the addition. Then, you can take the style up another level and hang some backyard curtains of your favorite color, you can make yourself from outdoor fabric. These will offer extra shade, creating the quintessential outdoor living space as you save money.
Small yard landscaping is essential and picking trees that grow up rather than spread outward is better for a small yard.
Choose Small Outdoor Furniture for a Small Yard Patio furniture and outdoor items that are large and bulky take up a lot of space and rapidly overwhelm a tiny backyard.
Collapsible chairs and portable fire pits can be stored in the garage when you need more space. In addition, use double-duty furniture, such as benches that convert to a picnic table or have built-in storage to reduce clutter and open up yard space.
Always choose patio furniture that is functional while buying for a small yard.
Add A Cheeky Hammock Or Two For Chilled Vibes
The rug and the hammock help make the small space feel more like an outdoor room than a backyard, which is a great option if you have a small backyard and are not sure how to make the most of it. You don’t need to try to transform it into a green space, just see it almost like an extra room, with a few potted plants dotted about, too. Oh, and use paint to add some splashes of color. We can’t resist a bit of pink, so naturally, we are in love with @emeraldterrace ‘s backyard.
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Plant Trees And Shrubs
I also feel like I dont need to talk too much about why trees are a great addition to your backyard. They are not only planet-savers, but they also increase curb appeal and provide comfort and shade for your small patch of Heaven.
Shrubs play a critical role in the ecosystem of any garden, providing shade and protection. They can improve air quality, soil stability, and serve as habitats for a variety of species and other organisms.
In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, small trees and shrubs are also useful in the landscape, especially when you choose kinds that provide seasonal interest.
When it comes to protecting you from an unsightly view, the aesthetic value of bushes is one advantage. Using bushes to their full potential will ensure that your neighbors junkyard will no longer exist when youre sipping your morning coffee on the terrace.
Shrubs can also create a living privacy boundary and divide one region of your yard from another, according to your preferences.
Kick Back With A Firepit
A cozy firepit is the epicenter of outdoor entertaining.
Nothing screams summer more than the sound of a crackling campfire. Firepits make perfect focal points in a backyard, so if you want one, consider planning the rest of your landscaping around it. Banken features a boulder fire, which he says gives a natural rugged look thats softened by the mulch and ground cover for flooring.
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Combine Different Types Of Landscaping To Create Multiple Spaces
Turning one larger small backyard into a series of smaller backyards will make it feel bigger by creating different feelings in different parts of the yard. The grass part, for example, could be for play, while the stone part would be for lounging and eating. Think about how you plan to use your backyard and landscape accordingly.
Build Your Deck From The Ground Up
Or, if you dont have a deck or patio in your backyard, you can always build one from scratch.
Admittedly, this budget-friendly backyard requires time and a close attention to detail. In fact, levelling a sloped backyard can take a few days. But, as this final product from home decor blog I Spy DIY proves, the results are so worth it.
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Broken Pot Fairy Garden
Westend61 / Getty Images
Add a whimsical and fun design element to your backyard with a potted fairy garden. This inexpensive project only requires a large clay pot, soil, small plants, and moss. Embellish with small outdoor furniture to create a one-of-a-kind conversation piece that captures the imagination.
And get your kids involved! Let them express their creativity and surprise you with their creations!
Add Texture With Beach Pebbles
Youll love your rock garden of pebbles when you see how much they can do and how little they cost. Fill in the crevices between your flagstones with these pebbles to give your stone walkway some charm.
Want to make your favorite stones and plants shine in your rock garden? Lay down some landscape fabric and some pretty pebbles, and your rock garden will have a whole new look.
You can also use small pebbles to create an elegant garden path. Just remember to grab some edging to keep those stones in place.
Cost: Beach pebbles cost approximately $1 per pound.
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Put Everything In Its Place
Williamson Chongs backyard design for this multigenerational family home in the Annex includes plenty of places to stash kids toys. Here, the kitchens oak panelling transitions seamlessly outside into ipe decking. The decking folds up to form seating, a storage trunk, a barbecue surround and a garden fence. Hot backyard design idea: let your outdoor millwork do double, even triple, duty.
Vintage Or Handmade Backyard Decor
Utilize fabric and vintage finds for backyard makeover ideas on a budget. Sweeping fabric curtainsâmade from yardage, sheets, or other suitable materialâadd elegance and beauty. Plus, they can shield family and friends from intense rays at key times of the day. In place of a more expensive light fixture, repurpose vintage elements into decorative backyard focal points. Here, nonworking chandeliers are outfitted with candles and trailing vines.
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