How to Make the Most of a Small Backyard

If you live in an inner city town house or even an apartment, you may not have much of a backyard.  You can still do great things with your backyard despite its small size.  If you live in an apartment you might have access to a roof top garden or have a balcony that you can do something with.  Some homes on suburban blocks have smaller backyards too, something becoming more common as the population increases and the availability of land decreases.

Whatever the size of your yard it is always a good idea to have a shaded area, so plant smaller shade trees or have a patio.  You might not be able to fit in a large pool, but you could have a small plunge pool or spa to cool off in.  Despite the size you will still need to get the right pool filter to help keep it clean.

Shade

With any backyard you will get a lot more use out of it if you have either a patio or veranda to not only create shade in summer but also protect you from the rain during winter.  If you have a good sheltered area in your backyard you will find that you will sit out in your yard and relax and also it can be used as an entertainment area.  It’s a great spot for a barbecue and you can also protect your outdoor furniture by keeping them out of the weather.

Plants and Trees

Don’t think you can’t plant trees and plants in your backyard just because it is small.  Go to your nursery for advice but you will discover there are great varieties of smaller shade trees that are perfect for a smaller area.  They will have foliage that is more condensed and the branches of the trees won’t spread out as much as other larger types of trees.  You can also prune trees so they don’t get too big.  You might find that plants and smaller trees in pots work well in your space.  If you have a roof top garden you will be limited again on the types of species you can choose.  Great things to grow on a small balcony include colourful flowers in pots and you could also grow herbs and tomatoes. 

Court Yard

You can create a beautiful area to entertain and relax, even in a smaller backyard, by building decking or having pavers.  You can give yourself extra garden space by building up garden beds above retaining walls and create a lower level, or a pit, where people can sit and relax.  Disguise your back fence or wall by putting up a water feature, metal screening or even a mirror, which will make your garden space look larger.

Plunge Pool or Spa

If you really want to have a pool but don’t have the space there is no reason you can’t have a small plunge pool or even a spa.  You can have water jets installed in your plunge pool so you can swim against the resistance of the jets, or just use your spa for relaxing, cooling off or for when you have friends over.