We associate landscaping projects mostly with large scale gardening. It is as if you need acres of land to create archways, cobbled paths, and sculpt plants. On the contrary, landscaping is possible in the smallest of gardens, even in the ones that can be found on somebody’s balcony in a high-rise. That been said, there is no reason not to play with your own backyard and decorate it the way you like. Beside goodwill and the appropriate ideas, what you are going to need the most is imagination and ideas on how to actually transform your yard into a real garden. We are more than happy to offer you some chic ideas on how to landscape your backyard. Ready to start?
Cover the ground with geometric patterns
If you are not a big fan of gardening, then most likely there are patches of clear ground in your backyard. Such unused space is an eyesore but there are ways to reshape it, literally. Use whatever material you have at hand that is solid enough to be tread upon. Old concrete slabs or ceramic tiles will do just fine. Cut them into geometric shapes and place them orderly over the bare ground. Once combined, they will form a regular pattern that will give a whole new look to your backyard. This landscaping method is rather useful when it comes to creating pathways as well. If you do have a garden, you can criss-cross it with custom made paths such as these.
The use of gravel
Another neat and fast solution for creating pathways is the use of gravel. It can be placed in almost any part of the garden you deem necessary. It can be walked on, it prevents soil erosion, and it solves drainage problems. In addition to all this, it simply looks nice. Industrially produced and packaged gravel comes in various sized and more importantly, in various colors. Choose the color that best fits your garden. The most neutral shades are the most common ones at the same time: white, grey, and brown. Gravel is actually a modern design feature as many architects and landscaping experts use it for their projects.
A helping hand
Since your backyard is small, it shouldn’t take a lot of effort to landscape it. However, a help from a friend is always welcome. The form of this help does not necessarily have to be labor, as your friends can simply give you cutting from plants in their garden. However, if you are thinking of doing a complete makeover to your backyard, then professional help is really the only way to go. According to Jonishan civil contractors from Sydney, any major residential landscaping might include water pipe laying, land clearing, and tree removal. These are all landscaping undertakings on an industrial scale and should be left to the professionals who have the necessary gear, machines, and years of experience in structural landscaping.
Pergolas and lighting
One addition to your backyard that never goes out of fashion are pergolas or arbors. They are quite easy to make and can be attached to the house using just two support beams. There are also free-standing pergolas that cover the garden set table and chairs. Some are roofed for protection against the elements, while others are open and can be adorned with climbers. Out of all the ideas we offer you here, this one is perhaps the most posh.
In addition to covering your backyard, you can light it up so it can be used during the night time as well. This will come in handy, especially during the summer when you can sit in your garden up until late. A single light source above the back door ought to be sufficient to light the entire space. As an alternative, you can place several pillar lamps around the perimeter, so as to keep the flying pests as far away from your home as possible. The most common lamp posts are made of plastic and are quite affordable.
Give it a personal touch
The element of surprise is necessary for any garden to become truly your garden. Remember, you are the one landscaping it, so introduce a quirk here and there that is meaningful only to you. This means the bold use of materials, for instance. Scrap metal and wooden planks can be randomly built into the fence around the yard. You can use old car tires to create tables and wood stumps to model chairs. Basically, take landscaping as an opportunity to artistically express yourself. This way, shaping up your backyard will not be a chore, but rather a relaxing activity to take up in your free time.
If you have set your mind on landscaping your backyard, we hope that these ideas are good enough to start with. As you have seen, landscaping is not a process that requires a lot of money since it uses the existing materials that get recycled in the process.
Chloe Smith is a design enthusiast and a part-time writer always willing to share tidbits of advice. She believes that passion, courage and, above all, knowledge breed success. When she’s not working, she’s probably somewhere cuddled up with a good book, and a cup of lemongrass tea (or more honestly binge-watching the newest Netflix hit show).
