skip to main content
Photos
Photos
Stories
Stories From Houzz
Houzz Discussions
Houzz Research
Houzz TV
Advice
HOUZZ DISCUSSIONS
Sign In
Houzz Logo Print
Explore Discussions
Design Dilemma
nitinjoshi11

Need Ideas for Backyard

10 years ago

Hi. We have just moved to our first house, which has a small backyard. With spring around the corner, i have been planning to do some landscaping. Having not done something like this is a challenge, but you gotta start somewhere. My initial reaction was to paint the boundary wall and plant some short conifers along the boundary with thin shrub in between each tree. My concern is that it would make the already small backyard look even smaller. I also plan to plant some grass and add a stone walkway at the center with some screen at the end. This sounds a bit ambitious and perhaps lacking creativity. And that is why i am here. I could really use some creative ideas on what could be done.

Featured Answer
  • 10 years ago

    An outdoor room is like any other room. First decide what you want to use it for. For example, my back yard has a couple of rooms.

    The "dining room" is a table and 4 chairs under an inexpensive ($150) 12 ' X 12' Home Depot gazebo . The gazebo gives a pleasant feeling of enclosure and privacy when we sit at the table, and it also keeps the table clean and dry. We have a big hydrangea shrub right at the edge of this area to mark its edge. It's pleasant to sit so close to something blooming.

    The "living room" is 2 comfortable chairs and a love seat around a coffee table. We entertain there and pull the dining room chairs over if there are more than 4 of us. We also sit there to read in the evening. There's a smallish tree right beside it so it's pleasantly shady.

    The "kitchen" is the grill and a small table to set things on, and is closest to the kitchen door.

    Once you have decided how you want to use the space, you'll need to decide whether you want a new "floor". We have a low L-shaped deck that has the three rooms. Or you may decide on a concrete or slab patio for all or part of it.

    Farther from the house is some grass, and then more big shrubs (evergreen and blooming - little maintenance). And a little raspberry patch because it's fun to eat them right from the bush.

    The landscaping really comes last, once you have decided on the functions of the area. Don't start planting without a room plan. You may want, for example, to put one of your rooms right against the fence or wall, and if you've already planted shrubs or made beds then they will be in the way. You want to plant trees and larger shrubs so they are useful as the walls and roof of your rooms. Be sure to check the mature size of your plantings (it's on the tags) so you don't end up with branches hanging over your roof or over your neighbor's property.

    Don't make the mistake of putting in so many beds or plantings that you don't have time to sit and enjoy. A few low-maintenance shrubs that are planted close to where you sit are just as enjoyable as big swaths of flower beds that need weeding, annual bedding plants and maintenance (unless gardening is a hobby that you enjoy spending time at.)

    Enjoy your new home!

    Comments (14)

    Sponsored
    More Discussions
    Bathroom Additon
    0
    bathroom redesign / incorporate laundry
    0
    Help with new roof colour!
    2
    Upper Funnel vs. Lower Funnel Marketing: Why Smart Brands Focus on Bot
    0
    Design advice on 2 bedroom addition to 1960's 78sqm house.
    1