DIY Landscaping IDEAS for Small Yards
Small yard landscaping is no easy task. Despite less surface area, homeowners, or apartment owners who want a flashy curb appeal, need to work that much harder to make their yards stand out. Fear not, as there are five easy and simple small yard landscaping tips you can do to make sure your home or apartment doesn’t get lost in the neighborhood chatter.
Add Flowers With Different Colors
Whether you’re decorating your apartment porch or small front yard, plenty of flowers with different colors can certainly invigorate any home exterior. Because you’re working with a smaller space, you need flashy elements that really pop. While your neighbor may have a bigger yard, they may not be able to plant different types of flowers due to the different maintenance schedules. Since you have a small yard, it won’t be nearly as much work.
Additionally, given your modest area, each flower will shine bright and get the recognition it deserves.
Nonetheless, be careful to not go too overboard with your flowers. You don’t want your small yard turning into a high maintenance project. After all, that is one of the three most common landscaping mistakes.
Water Your Lawn Often
This may not apply to apartment owners, but for those who have small front or backyards, you absolutely need to water your lawn on a regular basis. Given its size, a brown patch or dead grass with stand out like ugly weeds or poor siding.
Make sure you water your lawn early or mid morning so you don’t let fungus and other germs infiltrate the beautiful landscape you’re working so hard to maintain. Most lawns only need 1″ of water each week, and for most climates, keeping it damp during the day in the summer is usually all it needs.
Grow Some Vegetables
A terrific way to really utilize your small yard or apartment porch is by growing vegetables. Not only will you save money when you go to the grocery store, but you’ll also be adding a fun element to your yard, something your neighbors will surely notice.
Planting vegetables does require a more concrete landscaping schedule, but it’s not as hard as you think. A raised bed system can eliminate extra digging and cut down on your small yard landscaping.
Patrick Rodysill, of Star Apple Edible Gardens in San Francisco, says eager landscapers should plant smaller edibles in front and longer-season vegies in back.
On top of having an attractive front yard or porch, a vegetable garden is a great conversation starter. Don’t be surprised if your kids want to get involved or other neighbors stop by for a question or two.
Plant Wisely
When it comes to small yard landscaping, location can play a vital role. With less room to work, you need to move freely about as you plant new tomatoes or water those white lilies.
Small yard landscapers should plant flowers and shrubs in strategic positions to reduce run-off and wasted water. Use natural substances when you can to control both diseases and pests, as organic lawn care practices may increase your lawn’s longevity and influence your watering needs.
Curb Your Front Yard
Curbing is not just designed for large front yards. Curbing adds precision and definition to all landscapes, no matter their size. Better yet, depending on the materials you choose, curbing can be an easy and fun DIY project.
If you simply want to border an area of your lawn with decorative brick or paver stones, then go at it yourself. Such materials can be adjusted as much as needed. If you decide to update the area later on, there won’t be any major expenses.
Concrete, on the other hand, will be a little more complicated. Unless you’re an advanced DIY landscaper, we highly recommend hiring a professional, which, according to our curbing cost estimator, runs most homeowners $1, 196.
Conclusion
Don’t let your small yard or apartment deter you from creating a dynamic and beautiful landscape. If you follow these simple tips, your yard or porch will not get lost in the neighborhood clutter and you can be proud to call yourself a small yard landscaper.
