If not utilized properly, small spaces can all-too-easily become wasted spaces. Just because your home’s square footage is lacking, however, whether it be inside or out, doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style: it just means you have to work a little harder to keep your areas cozy rather than cluttered and functional rather than fruitless.

At Rhine Landscaping, our experienced professionals can help you design an outdoor space suitable to your needs and desires. No matter how large or small, we’ll set up a refuge of plants and hardscaping elements to create a relaxing environment outside your home.

Here are some of our favorite tips for making the most of a small space:

  • The Center-of-Attention: Anchor your garden by creating a focal point visible from the different angles of your yard or patio. Just be sure that the piece you choose to highlight – whether a fountain, sculpture, or tree – is an appropriate scale for the size of your space.
  • Go Undercover: Be sure to hide any unattractive fixtures outside your home with plants, walls, or other hardscaping features. A bulky air conditioning unit or electrical boxes shouldn’t distract from the natural elements in your landscape.
  • Keep it Contained: Container gardening is a great way to create interest by having varied levels, and to bring greenery to the hardscaped areas of your garden.
  • Diversify: Rather than limiting your options with regards to plants by keeping only one or two of the same variety, differ your choices, bringing interesting texture and heights to your landscape.
  • Simplify, Simplify, Simplify: While varying your plant choices, be sure to keep the color scheme somewhat uniform, staying within the same tone of green and choosing one additional complimentary color to prevent sensory overload.
  • Satisfy the Senses: Be aware of your senses, particularly your visual perception, as creating long lines can make a space seem larger. Appropriately placed water features can create distant trickling or bubbling sounds, likewise giving the illusion of a bigger landscape.
  • Wall Climber: Use the walls of your courtyard or fence around your yard to gain additional space for greenery: creeping vines and hanging baskets or containers maximize your space.
  • Finders, Keepers: If there is a visible element in a neighbor’s yard that appeals to your design senses and seems to fit into your space, incorporate it by drawing attention to that beautiful tree or rose bush with open space and appropriately leveled plants.
  • Go out on a Limb: Expand set-in-stone garden spaces with window boxes, planters, container gardens, and hanging plants near your window, doors, and porch. Bringing greenery to these otherwise empty spots will increase the size of your garden.
  • Be Artful: Don’t be afraid to make the most of art and decorative elements to add personality to your landscape. Try a birdhouse, statuette, mosaic tiles, or whatever else catches your eye.

Don’t let a little land limit you to little ideas: think big, and follow these tips to ensure you develop an attractive, well thought out landscape.

If you have any additional questions about Landscape Design or Designing for Small Spaces contact Rhine Landscaping by calling 410-442-2445 or click here today!

Rhine Landscaping in Baltimore, Maryland can handle every aspect of your landscape, from hardscapes and patios / walkways, to retaining walls, water features such as fountains, fireplaces / firepits, swimming pools, landscape design, landscape installation, outdoor kitchens, decks, pavilions, basement waterproofing, drainage and more.

We can help you transform your landscape.

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Sources:

Less is More: 10 ideas to maximize a small garden