11 Simple Solutions for Small-Space Landscapes

Try these tips to maximize the impact in even the smallest landscapes.

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Use Color Effectively

Create a View

Make It Cozy

Use the Power of Perspective

Break It Up

Create Extra Interest

Let Your Imagination Run

Borrow Views

Make a Destination

Use a Focal Point

Take Advantage of Texture

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Use Color Effectively

We love this trick: Place bold, bright colors in front of where you'll view them. Because they catch your attention first, the rest of the landscape beyond will seem to recede, helping it to feel larger.

Discover more on using color in the garden.

Create a View

Here, a simple pergola creates a view that gives this small front yard a grand feel. Arbors and pergolas are great ways to frame a view, but you can do the same with shrubs, small trees, or even pieces of garden art.

See other great arbor ideas.

Make It Cozy

This tiny back yard is full of lush shrubs that screen out the view beyond. The result is a cozy, private retreat -- and the small scale feels just right.

Use the Power of Perspective

Long, straight lines trick you into thinking a space is bigger than it is. To take full advantage of this illusion, subtly slant the far end of the lines toward one another. Here, a low split-rail fence does the job and is enhanced by two rows of large shrubs.

Break It Up

This trick may seem contradictory, but we promise it works: Break up open areas of a small space so it feels larger. Here, a colorful bed of roses, annuals, and perennials effectively divides a small back yard landscape into attractive nooks.

Add a garden in your yard with our free garden plans!

Create Extra Interest

Sometimes the best way to deal with a small space is to make a distraction. Here, the mixture of paving materials adds enough interest to a small back yard that you hardly notice the landscape's tiny size.

See our gallery of garden path ideas.

Let Your Imagination Run

Create a sense of mystery and intrigue with a series of garden rooms. They'll help your small landscape feel bigger; just make each room distinct and create views so you have only a hint of what you'll see next.

Learn more on creating garden rooms.

Borrow Views

If your neighbors aren't into gardening like you are, take advantage of their open spaces to create the feel of a vista in your yard. This yard is packed with colorful flowers -- but the open yard next door keeps it from feeling cramped.

Learn how to make your yard feel bigger than it really is.

Make a Destination

The highlight of this small landscape is a pergola draped with wisteria. Placing the pergola in the back corner of the yard gives you -- and your eye -- a destination, which helps make it feel more spacious.

See our pergola slideshow for more ideas!

Use a Focal Point

A focal point is a great way to draw the eye's attention and help small spaces feel tidy. Here, a simple stand holds a beautiful container garden. The purple paint on the stand harmonizes with the same-colored fence beyond.

Take Advantage of Texture

Big, bold tropical plants create a lush feel. Their large leaves can change the scale of a small space to help it feel larger. (Plus, many tropical plants are super cool!)

11 Simple Solutions for Small-Space Landscapes

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