I don’t have a garden. I have a yard.
It is not great, to be honest. It is an uneven square of concrete, that slopes down towards the house. As well as being a space for the kids to play, it is also a place to hang out the washing and it is also where our bin and recycling trolley is stored. It is a multi-use space, but it does not look very nice. I am not going to even show you a picture because it’s pretty crap.
Because we are in a rented house, it is more difficult to sort out. In an ideal world, I would like to even it up – perhaps put in some lumbar decking or dock accessories from a Decks & Docks Lumber Company or something, but y’know, we just pay the rent, so it is not up to me!
There are a few little things – generally inexpensive – that we can do to make it look a little better and make it a more welcoming place to sit in, things that we are going to do ready for next summer.
Paint the fences – Our fences are a dull dark colour, which is seriously uninspiring and boring. I am thinking of getting some fence paint, possibly in a light grey for a sort of nautical look (as we live on the coast!). That alone will make a huge difference!
Hanging baskets – As it is just a concrete yard, any flowers or plants would need to be potted. Having three boys who like to kick a football around, I’m not really into the idea of having pots on the floor – they would just get knocked over. What we can do though is put up some hanging baskets and add some flowers and colour that way.
Small outdoor furniture – There just is not the room to have a full-size dining table out there. I do want something out there, perhaps a little dining set or daybed to sit at for a morning coffee, an evening G&T, or to sit and do some work at when the weather is nice. Make sure you purchase a decent patio seat cover to protect your furniture from the elements when not in use.
Outdoor lighting – It is probably a blogger cliche now, but I do love fairy lights in the garden. We are going to get some and hang them around the fencing, giving a bit of soft lighting in the evening. Perfect for the summer get-togethers that we never have!
Screen off the bins – Probably the biggest bugbear of mine when it comes to the yard is the fact we have no choice but to store our bin and recycling caddies and trolley out there. It looks so unsightly. I am not quite sure how yet, but at some point, we are going to find a way to screen them off so that you can’t see them. If you have any ideas on how to do this, let me know!
What are your tips for making the most of a small garden? Let me know in the comments!
