A mentality of “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” often applies when it comes to our side centers. They tend to be long and thin and sometimes dodgy, which can feel discouraging in the design.
However, there are opportunities to transform these modest areas into practical, pretty and even playful zones that complement the rest of their backyard ideas. A new seat, a practical storage space or even an edible garden could be an option.
As an inspiration, I turned to landscape construction professionals – everyone who has experience in changing this kind of rooms. Below you will find many wonderful ideas as well as expert insights into plants, materials and more.
Many plants bring character to this side courtyard, in a setup of Punch
(Photo credit: Dobbies)
How to make the best of a side courtyard – look beautiful and functional
As the garden designer Annika Zetterman says: “Approach every room of your garden as an opportunity to give yourself joy and wild animals despite the size and shape.” If you have already looked through our little garden ideas, you will know that there are always stylish options that you can try.
Annika Zetterman is one of the most influential garden designers in Scandinavia. It creates fascinating gardens with love for the country, within the Nordic and beyond. Annika is the author of the bestseller book New Nordic gardensPublished by Thames & Hudson.
Create a quiet seating area
This side courtyard is part of the Hebe project from Living Gardens Landscape Designand offers a peaceful place to sit
(Photo credit: Brett Hilton (Photography) / Sacha McCrae from Living Garden's landscape design)
Sacha McCrae, the founder of Living Gardens Landscape Design, realizes how often the side courtyards forgot and relegated to a supply area or for the maintenance gardeners. However, it emphasizes how you can be several foot wide with a view of the window and that some simple changes can extend the number of square meters of a house and create great views.
She explains that in the above case there was previously a boring concrete paved area with raised brick planters, which made the room felt tight. 'There were nowhere to sit and the overgrown shrubs felt impressive.
“We have everything and created a flag stone for a small seating area for morning coffee at the beginning of a hard day,” she says. 'A bubbling bird bath is now opposite the French doors framed by red leaf Japanese Maples. The sound of the water can be heard from the inside when the doors are open. '
Sacha McCrae is the founder and designer at Living Gardens Landscape Design, a boutique Orange County, California, Garden Design Company. Living gardens creates inviting rooms outdoors, which are beautiful and functional and contain natural materials and lush, drought -tolerant plant palettes.
Use the narrow room with a putting green
A playful area in the Garden Studio Design's Quiet Cove Project
(Photo credit: Riley Starr photography / Garden Studio Design)
“This side courtyard reorganizes a traditionally overlooked space in an interactive and playful putting green and proves that function and fun in landscape design can coexist,” says the garden studio design team based in Newport Beach, California. “The use of artificial lawn ensures flawless, low -maintenance, low -maintenance surface all year round, while organic border plants soften the space and create a natural transition.”
Would you like to try it at home? In order to maximize the experience, the team suggests switching the ambient lighting for the evening game. They also recommend selecting drought -tolerant green, which supplements the lively green of the rac, without requiring excessive maintenance control.
Make a way
This project by Annika Zetterman Includes an elegant wooden path
(Photo credit: Annika Zetterman)
A side courtyard often acts as an important way from A to B, but that does not mean that it cannot be designed beautifully either. This design by Annika Zetterman is a perfect example that merge many plants with sculptural forms and interesting textures.
'Pillars of yew Shrubs stand large, perfect for narrow rooms while a tender Acer palmatum Changes the color with the seasons and swings with the walls with its earthy tones, ”says Annika. “Plant offers protection for small wild animals all year round.”
Nature Hills has a number of Acer available if you want one for your own room.
A carpet made of solid green Pachysandra terminalis Accentuated the hard landscape design and looks like it was holding the way and transferring people, Annika continues. It also emphasizes how the wooden path balances the heavy structures with its easy appearance. “If you look deeper, a circular sheet of steel is well tied under the way as fictional water, illuminated at night.
“All details together make this narrow garden a rich room, a place where you can always enjoy and explore.”
Garden studio design Balboa Beauty Project includes a contemporary but charming connection
(Photo credit: Riley Starr photography / Garden Studio Design)
We also love this side courtyard from the garden studio design. “A cobblestone path makes the transition soft, while layered green and climbing roses give life to space,” they explain.
'The pergola provides structure for the entry and at the same time serves as an architectural accent that increases the curb's edge of the house. Thoughtful details, such as built-in seating, statement planters and warm wooden tones, feel more like an expansion of the house than just as a pass-through. '
Grow with increased beds
Increased beds are presented in Garden Studio Designs Quiet Cove Project
(Photo credit: Riley Starr photography / Garden Studio Design)
If you are interested in a simple vegetable garden, a sunny side courtyard with a little more space could be the right place.
“Next stations with sufficient sunlight offer the perfect opportunity for a edible garden -ideal for the culinary cook, which is only a few steps away after fresh, locals,” says the garden studio design team.
They comment on the design shown above and explain how raised pine boxes offer a special space for growing herbs, vegetables and seasonal products, while the gravel path keeps the area low and accessible.
“If space and sunlight allow, we also recommend planting Espaliered fruit trees in order to give the room height and dimension, especially when the garden boxes are overturned seasonally.”
Fast -growing trees have a variety of fruit trees.
Consider installing a shower outdoors
Garden studio design Quiet Cove Project has a stylish shower outdoors
(Photo credit: Riley Starr photography / Garden Studio Design)
“This side courtyard is located directly on the primary bedroom and the bathroom of the residence and, by installing this tailor -made shower outdoors outdoors, became a functional and quiet retreat,” says the garden design studio team. “It is a perfect demonstration of how even tight rooms can meet a purpose beyond the circulation.
'The light-colored gravel and limestone paving stones offer a natural but clever foundation to ensure proper drainage by transpray and at the same time maintain a coherent aesthetics. The vertical wooden treasure fence gives warmth and privacy (with the same wood stain as the structure of the shower to create cohesiveness in the entire room), while dense green makes the edges soft and the feeling of seclusion improves. '
Would you like to create something similar? The team strongly recommends that they layer evergreen plantings for all year round, as shown above. They also suggest integrating materials that survive over time like aged brass and natural stone in order to “create a room that feels both deliberately and timeless”.
Keep practical objects out of sight
A chic storage space with decor of Lights4fun
(Photo credit: Lights4fun)
Particularly narrow side centers may not be suitable for seating. However, they can still be incredibly useful.
Consider with you to put well -organized memory, e.g. B. a high block shop or a chest for outdoor games. Alternatively, you can make a perfect place for a flower bank – together with compost and tool fragrances.
Speaking of compost, your side courtyard could be the ideal place for a worm. You can also add a rain barrel connected to the roof channel of your house – a great way to sustainably to the garden.
50 gallon rain barrel
Collect a prerequisite for rainwater to moisturize your plants with this well-rated rain barrel from RTS home accents. Its flat design makes it a good choice for closer rooms.
Faqs
How should you choose plants for your side courtyard?
According to Sacha McCrae, a limited range of plants in a small space is of essential importance so as not to overwhelm it. “Just keep it,” she adds.
Of course, the best options are those that work with their hardinity zone and the floor type and sunlight available in the room. Otherwise, you risk fighting a lost fight that tries to keep you happy and healthy. Our plant list for shadows is a good starting point if your side courtyard doesn't get much sun.
Always remember to check the possible variables of plants, which is particularly important if the space is for a bonus. Vertical garden ideas such as the use of climbing plants can complement narrow areas well.
How can you wait a side yard?
The landscape design with gravel is a good option for simple side farms: it helps with drainage, does not have to mow like a lawn, looks good and can also improve the garden safety due to its crunch subfusion.
Consider combining it with drought -tolerant landscape design ideas for a stress -free space.
As soon as you have given your side courtyard a shine, don't let your front yard neglect! Our list of expert ideas has a lot to inspire you.