How to Landscape a Small Area in Your Yard

Welcome to the DIY landscaping blog. Here are some more ways to add beauty and visual interest to your yard.

Small areas can be a landscaping challenge for a variety of reasons. But with a little bit of planning and forethought, you can easily landscape a small area to make it more functional and attractive.

Today, I’ll share one of my recent projects with you, because it’s a prime example of what I’m talking about. I have a small rectangular space in my backyard that’s been a real pain to work with. You see, it’s sectioned off from the rest of the backyard by (A) the foundation of my house, (B) a flagstone path and (C) a privacy fence. So in order to mow this small area, I have to turn the lawn mower off, lift it over the path and into the grassy strip, and then turn the mower back on. Like I said, it has been a real nuisance.

This is a good example of how landscaping can make a small area more convenient and attractive at the same time. My goal with this project was two-fold. I wanted to get rid of the grass, and I wanted to replace it with something attractive. It’s the first thing you see when you walk through the gate, so it had to have some visual appeal.

Here’s what the finished product looks like. My step-by-step process is outlined below.

Landscaping a Small Area - By the Numbers

This project was fairly simple, and it only took me about five hours total. The hardest part was figuring out what to do with this small space in order to achieve my dual objectives (removing the grass and adding visual appeal). For this project, I decided to replace the grass with a small plant bed and then fill it in with mulch. Here are the steps I did along the way:

1. First, I removed the grass. I was working with Saint Augustine grass, which comes up pretty easily. I recommend using the flat side of a pick for this purpose. Also, be sure to get as much of the root system as possible, to prevent the grass from growing back.
2. As always, I used a weed-control cloth to reduce the chances of the grass coming back. I put it down two ply and then staked it with small metal landscaping “staples.”
3. Next, I added a small edging border. The foundation, fence and flagstone path created a border on three sides. So all I had to do was use an 18″ strip of edging on the fourth side (the one you see in the picture above, between the mulch and the gravel).
4. I chose some plants that do well in semi-arid climates (I’m in Texas). I also needed plants that would thrive in only partial sun, because the fence creates shade for half of the day. I chose a species of cordyline, which is the reddish plant you see in the picture. I also interspersed some mondo grass in between the cordyline.
5. Looking back, I wish I’d used a brighter-colored grass in between the cordyline, to make it “pop” against the dark mulch. But hey … you live and learn.
6. Once all of that was done, I filled in the bed with hardwood mulch from a recycling place nearby.
7. Lastly, I added some pretty river rock to fill in the small area between the side bed and the one along the back of the house. I intentionally avoided having a mulched bed beneath the gutter downspout, because the rainwater would just wash it away.

So there you have it, an easy solution for landscaping a small area in the backyard. This is just one approach you might take. Your solution will differ from mine, based on what you’re trying to accomplish and how much space you have. But this project summary will at least give you some good ideas to work with. Good luck.

1 Comment

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  By VIVIAN, May 25, 2009 @ 6:43 am

  THANKS THIS WAS JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.

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