When you picture a nicely landscaped home, you likely imagine a big, sprawling yard with lots of different gardens and features. So, if your own yard is on the small side, you may initially assume a nice landscape is out of the question for you. That's not the case at all! You may not have room for a full-size pool and a grove of shade trees, but you can absolutely landscape a small yard very nicely. Here are some landscaping design tips and ideas for smaller yards.

Use your vertical space

Since you may not have a great amount of horizontal space, concentrate on building "up." Put planter boxes along the tops of fences. Consider mounting pots on the side of your shed and using them to plant herbs or vegetables. You could also create garden beds with some trellises for climbing plants, which allow you to fit more flowers into a smaller space.

Choose a color scheme

In a smaller yard, using too many different colors of flowers and plants can make the space feel crowded and close. If you want it to feel more open, choose one color scheme. For example, you could plant only pink and white flowers in your landscape. Or, you might want to choose only yellow-flowering plants.

Include multi-purpose elements 

When it comes to larger landscaping features, such as concrete patios and hardscapes, try to choose multi-purpose options. For instance, you may want to put your concrete patio in an area where it can double as a grilling area and a relaxation space. Or, if you create a brick path, line it with flowers so it can be both decorative and a functional addition to your yard.

Set something up against the back of the yard

You don't want the very back of your property to become wasted space when your yard is already so small. So, make it a feature of your landscape. It could be a concrete pad where you can sit and look towards the rest of your yard. Or, you could plant a line of special trees along your back property line, forming a sort of fence and focal point.

Just because your yard is small does not mean it can't look beautiful. There are lots of ways to make your landscape stunning and functional when space is limited. Contact a landscape installation contractor near you today to learn more.