We’ve had many clients who let their backyards stay bare for years because they thought it was too tiny for proper landscaping. It’s a pity because tiny backyards have a lot of landscaping potential. Since the area is limited, you’re not pressured to populate every square foot with foliage or outdoor fixtures. It’s also cheaper and easier to maintain because there are fewer plants to look after.
What matters most is not the size of your yard but what you do with the outdoor space that’s available to you.
Make the most of your backyard by turning it into an outdoor area that’s a true extension of your home. You can do some DIY landscaping if you feel like it. Here’s a short guide.
How to do Landscaping on a Tiny Backyard in Seven Steps
1. Plan your landscaping.
You don’t have to go very much into detail or burn the midnight oil planning the landscape for your tiny yard. Just take stock of the space and imagine what you want it to become. Consider your priorities, too. Do you want to enjoy sitting out on your backyard in the evenings and maybe even have al-fresco dinners? Then you’ll need a mini patio or sitting area.
Do you have grandchildren who like to play in the yard? You may have to clear out the bulky flower beds you formed out of bricks so they can have a more expansive turf space for games and activities.
Iron out your ideas so that you can have a roadmap on what materials to buy and what to do in the succeeding steps. If you want something completely new, feel free to consult us for more landscaping design ideas.
2. Clean your yard.
This step is exactly as it sounds: clean your yard. Remove all accumulated debris, including outdoor furniture and fixtures that can get in the way.
3. Install the hardscapes.
Let’s go back to your plan. Do you want to have a concrete or paved path from your patio to the back gate of your yard? How about narrow, raised flower beds with concrete edges that will serve as benches? Build or put them in place first. You’ll be doing the landscaping around these structures as it’s easier and more sensible this way.
4. Prep the soil.
Once the hardscapes are in place, you should be able to see your backyard start taking shape. You have to loosen and prep the rest of the yard for planting, save for the area where your mini-patio will be. This step is especially crucial if you want to have healthy turf in your yard.
To prepare the soil, use a transplanting shovel to remove old, dried grass. You also have to loosen the compact areas by digging a couple of inches with a shovel and turning up the soil. Next is the most critical part: amending the soil or mixing an inch or two of compost with the loosened soil. You can ask for soil amendment recommendations from local gardening supply stores.
It’s also during this stage that you should finalise your plant choices. You’ll have more accurate estimates of the space that needs foliage by the time you finish prepping the planting zones.
5. Choose your plants.
There are three kinds of plants you’ll want to look for: plants that grow upwards, low shrubs, tall trees. Yes, you can plant a tree in your tiny backyard. Trees grow slowly when their roots don’t have plenty of space to grow (think of bonsais). They’ll need regular pruning, but the effort will be worth having a shaded area in your backyard during the summer.
You might realise at this point, too, that it would be advantageous to have a professional landscaping team creating your dream backyard. We can source a wide range of foliage and ensure that you get the healthiest, lushest plants for your yard.
6. Go plant.
Most of your plants will arrive in pots, so you can assemble them in their designated areas and finalise where to plant each one.
Regarding the large plants, you have to pack the soil tightly around the roots before carefully removing the entire thing from the pot. If the plants are in a paper pot, cut the pot carefully. Transfer the plant to the hole (it’s okay if the hole is shallow; you don’t want the plants to be too deep) and fill it with soil and compost. Water the plants immediately after.
For your grass installation, lightly spread fertiliser or compost before laying the turf in place. Make sure the edges of the turf strips aren’t visible. You may also have to cut the edges of the turf strip so that your grass doesn’t infringe on the hardscapes.
7. Furnish and decorate.
Most of the back-breaking work is done at this point. All that’s left is to furnish your mini-patio. You can use your existing outdoor furniture and lighting fixtures or purchase new ones that are better suited to your newly landscaped yard.
Landscaping backyards can be done in a day, but only with advanced preparation and knowledge of everything you need to do. If you feel that this job is more than you can handle on your own, we’re happy to help.
Green Oasis Landscaping has been transforming backyards and commercial lawns in Perth into beautiful and functional outdoor spaces. You can count on us to make your backyard an outdoor living area you will be proud of.
Contact us today.