6 Ways to Create a Quiet Outdoor Oasis With Minimal Square Footage

Just because your yard space is seriously lacking in square footage doesn’t mean that you’ve got to sacrifice on greenery. Whether you live in a downtown townhouse co-op or tiny apartment, you can still enjoy an outdoor oasis that’ll provide you with a quiet getaway from the concrete jungle and some privacy from your very-near neighbors.

Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing when it comes to spawning the perfect outdoor conservatory when space is limited.

1. Think Vertical

If you can’t plant too far out, then go up. Make use of as much vertical space as you can when you’re dealing with a lack of territory. Planting in a vertical manner can actually help to create a periphery of privacy from your surrounding neighbors, and can effectively block out noise that tends to be prevalent in city cores.

Layer your greens: plant tall trees at the most high-reaching layer, bushes at the next, and grasses and flowers at the lowest layer. You can effectively create a gorgeous green space without much square footage at all.    

2. Install a Vine-Laden Pergola

A pergola is the perfect way to section your backyard off from the rest of the neighborhood. It’ll offer privacy and even a little noise deflection, which can come in handy if the next-door neighbor is a little on the loud side.

A pergola will also offer a great deal of shade while still letting a little sunshine in, which is convenient if your yard is positioned to get a lot of afternoon sun. Leave it in its natural wood color, or paint it to go with the rest of your home’s exterior coloring. To really bring outdoor essence in, line your pergola with ivy or even grape vines to surround yourself in nature.

Just be sure to check with your local building authority to make sure your pergola fits the size and height that’s permitted in your area. The last thing you want is to build it, only to have to take it down after one of your neighbors complains that it doesn’t meet code.

3. Fill Your Deck With Potted Plants

If you don’t have any green yard space at all and are stuck with nothing but a bland concrete deck, consider outfitting it with pots of varying shapes and sizes. Mix and match between modern metal pots with terracotta and wood planters to create an eclectic deck space.

Fill all your pots and planters with hardy shrubbery, plants and flowers that will be able to withstand all the sunshine without having to be watered every second of the day. This idea will help provide a charmingly diverse look that’s very personal, and will offer just the right amount of green space that you crave after a day in the city.

4. Add a Space-Efficient Waterfall

Who says you can’t cram in a waterfall in your yard just because of its tiny size? These days, landscape architects and designers have created savvy ways to allow homeowners of small-scale homes and yards to still be able to enjoy the serene sounds and pleasant sights of falling water right in their own backyards.

Not only are they a refreshing accent to any outdoor space, they also offer the perfect way to cut down on unwanted noise that might make its way into your backyard. You don’t even need to have a gushing waterfall, either. Even the simple and understated trickle of water flowing is enough to bring serenity to your outdoor space.

5. Expand Your Indoor Space to the Outdoors

If your indoor space is just as tight as your outdoor yard, consider extending it to the outside world. You don’t necessarily have to add square footage to your interior to visually expand the area. Depending on which room of your home accesses the yard, you can decorate the outdoor space to allow the interior room to easily flow outside.

For instance, if it’s your living room that opens up to the yard, add an outdoor rug to create an added living space on your small deck or yard. If you access the yard through your kitchen, consider adding a dining table or even outdoor appliances. With the type of exterior technology we’ve got at our fingertips these days, anything is possible.

6. Integrate a Crafty Lighting System

After all the work you’ve put into designing and creating your backyard space, you want to be able to use it as much as possible, including in the light-limited hours of the evening. That’s where smart lighting comes into play.

Add lighting for both functionality as well as to highlight certain components, such as a dining table or the waterfall you recently installed. A smart lighting system isn’t just left at one type of light; instead, think layers of lights. Landscaping lighting by your plants will create ambience, while sconces provide various functions, including task lighting near your barbecue. And LED strips along the ground or fence illuminate walking paths with minimal effort and cost.

Landscape architects and designers have come up with ingenious ways to visually expand teeny outdoor yards, many of which are affordable and easy to implement. Give one of these ideas a shot to create the perfect outdoor oasis, no matter how microscopic your yard may be.