Space is at a premium when you have a small backyard. You can only choose so many of the possible amenities for your space, but grass brings many benefits. Not only is green grass beautiful and enjoyable, turfgrass also helps keep the yard cool and the air clean.
The easiest way to add grass to your yard is to lay sod. So if you have a small backyard, consider some of the following ideas for incorporating a sod lawn.
Durable Lawn
You may decide to take up most of your backyard with the lawn. One of the varieties of turfgrass that can tolerate at least moderate foot traffic is creeping fescue. This kind of grass grows well in New Jersey, can withstand drought, and can tolerate foot traffic. It also doesn’t require much mowing, which is an added plus.
The reason being tolerant of foot traffic is so important in a small yard is because you'll be engaging in most of your activities on the lawn itself — the grass isn't just there for show. That said, if you're planning on dining or grilling outside, you'll want to pave some of the yard. Most likely you'll pave a small patio near the house.
Lawn Border
A small backyard still has the potential to be attractive. So, even if you want the lawn to take up most of your limited space, consider adding border planting beds. These beds can be raised or flat to the ground. A benefit of raised beds is you can flatten the lip for extra seating. However, such an installation might take up too much visual space.
With ground planting beds, you can leave their edges natural or add a hardscaping boundary. For instance, some homeowners border their planting beds with stones or with concrete curbing. Leaving it natural means the borders are blurred. This effect is charming if you prefer less formal gardens.
When planning your border garden, use the rules of color and perspective to good effect. Bright colors catch the attention, so you'll want to plant your brightest blooms in the front. Everything behind the bright blooms will recede into the distance. With this effect, the yard will appear larger.
Tiered Yard
Garden tiers are a common method for creating usable space out of a sloped yard. Even if you don't have a sloped yard, you can still use levels to create more living space in your backyard, thus giving you more space for a lawn.
In a tiered yard, your hardscaped area, such as a patio, will sit on one level. Said area can be raised or sunken depending on the format of your yard. For instance, a patio near the house will likely be raised. However, you might design a sunken fire pit further out in the yard. Raised planting beds can represent another level.
The lawn in a tiered layout is the "home level." In other words, the hardscaping will either be raised or sunken from the lawn level. This layout affords you best use of your lawn.
Focal Point Lawn
Another design method for making your yard appear larger is to create a design focal point. While designers often use hardscaping or planting beds, the lawn itself can become the focal point in a small yard. Sod is ideal for this plan because you can see the design the grass makes right away.
One way to achieve this ideal is to create a shape out of your lawn. For instance, you could have the sod laid in a perfect circle. You could design a path that borders part of the circle, and fill in other areas with a border garden. Conversely, you could have the sod laid in an amorphous shape that surrounds other elements in your backyard.
Enjoy the benefits of a lawn even if your backyard is small. Let Novasack Turf Farm
provide the sod for your yard no matter its size.
