Small Backyard Ideas That Make a City Garden Feel Bigger

A small backyard can feel like more of a challenge than an opportunity. With careful planning, though, even a narrow city lot can hold a place to eat, a patch to grow things and a corner to unwind. The trick is to make every square foot work hard while keeping the space feeling open.

Divide the garden into zones

Think of your backyard like a small apartment. Give each area a job, such as dining, lounging or growing, and use changes in paving, planting or level to separate them. Zoning makes a garden feel bigger because the eye travels from one space to the next instead of taking everything in at once.

Grow up, not out

Walls and fences are valuable real estate. Trellises, climbing plants and wall-mounted planters add greenery without taking up ground space.

• Train climbing roses, clematis or jasmine up a sturdy trellis.
• Mount planter boxes on fences for herbs and trailing flowers.
• Use tall, slim planters to add height in corners.

Choose paving that flows

Large-format pavers with narrow joints look calmer than lots of small units, which can feel busy in a compact space. Running the paving in the same direction as the longest view of the garden draws the eye outward and makes the yard seem longer.

Pick furniture that earns its place

Built-in bench seating along a wall saves space and can hide storage underneath. Folding or stackable chairs can be tucked away when you need room, and a small round table is easier to move around than a square one.

Light it for the evening

Soft lighting extends the time you spend outside and adds depth after dark. Low path lights, string lights overhead and a few uplights on trees or climbers make the garden feel layered and inviting long after sunset.