16 Small Yard and Garden Landscaping Ideas to Make the Most of Your Space

A wooden pergola gives this small garden landscaping an elevated feel. Arbors and pergolas are classic small yard landscaping ideas and great ways to frame a view, but you can do the same with shrubs, small trees, or even pieces of garden art.

This small yard landscaping idea may seem contradictory, but we promise it works: Break up open areas of a small space so it feels larger. Here, different furniture groupings and paths divide a small backyard landscape into attractive and restful seating nooks.

It may seem counterintuitive, but boosting intimacy actually helps small backyards. Why? Creating escape nooks for reading and resting divides up a space and creates specific zones. Here, a mid-height fence and lots of pretty plantings help to screen out the view beyond.

This small yard landscaping idea adds function and beauty: Place bold, bright flowers right in view. Because your eye automatically goes to them, the rest of the small garden landscape will seem to recede and feel larger.

Long, straight lines trick your mind into thinking a small garden landscape is bigger than it really is. To take full advantage of this illusion, subtly slant the far ends of the lines toward one another and create a focal point that joins them together. In this small backyard idea, a fence does the job and is enhanced by repeating rows of flowers and a pergola.

There's no better way to up the visual interest of a landscape than mixing it up with unexpected elements. Here, the mixture of paving materials, lawn, hardscape, and container plantings adds enough flair to a small backyard garden that you hardly notice the landscape's size.

Create a truly original space by implementing a series of small space landscape garden hacks. Espaliering is one trick that isn't as complicated as it looks (and it's elegant, too). Use it to dress up a plain shed or house wall in a small backyard.

If your neighbors aren't into gardening like you are, take advantage of their nearby spaces to create the feel of a vista in your small garden landscape. This small backyard is packed with color and texture—but the open views and soaring trees next door keeps it from feeling cramped.

The highlight of this small garden landscape is the fire pit with welcoming chairs. Placing the seating spot just next to a paved patio, as well as creating a secondary seating spot near the fence, helps the small backyard feel more spacious.

Big, bold tropical plants create a lush feel, especially in a small landscape. Their large leaves can manipulate the scale of a small backyard to help it feel larger, and their unusual shape helps to boost the "cool" factor of the area.

Horizontal space can't be taken for granted in a small backyard. That's why it's good to look for shrubs and trees that grow up, not out. Try dwarf varieties if you don't have enough room for regular-sized plants, as well as more columnar evergreens (bonus—they brighten up long winter days, too).

A focal point is a great small yard landscaping idea to draw attention and help outdoor spaces feel put together. Here, a simple seating area and vertical planter take centerstage and offer a restful nook.

In a small-space backyard, it's easy to ignore the areas that are out of view—such as the corners of the house or garage. Turn those spots into unexpected showstoppers, with this small backyard idea: Add a centerpiece tree, an oversize container, and flowers and foliage plants for interest.

If you really love plants, don't need a lawn, and are limited by a small backyard, consider this idea: Get rid of the grass. Stagger your plants for height and include walking paths so you can tend things in the center of the space. Remember: Our homes and yards should reflect the things we love.

You can give your small backyard a sense of height by raising up plantings, even if only by a foot or two. Try retaining walls or more formal raised beds integrated with other hardscape features, such as stairs. This will help direct the eye up and create a pretty distraction from the lack of square footage.

Reducing visual clutter is another small backyard landscaping idea that cultivates a sense of calm and order. The easiest way to do that is to maintain a routine and devotion to either just a few plants, or just one color. Here, hydrangeas and boxwood line a path to a small deck in the backyard.