When you have a townhouse, you usually have a small yard attached. Townhouse yards don't feature an average square footage, but, needless to say, they're usually petite. That said, a small yard is better than no yard at all. So you'll want to maximize your space for both beauty and outdoor enjoyment.



Below are some important elements that go into the hardscaping and landscaping for your townhouse yard.

WALKWAY

With a small yard, the centerpiece of the hardscaping may be your walkway. Indeed, the walkway may even widen to provide a mostly paved backyard. For the most part, the walkway will probably stretch from the backyard to the back fence. If you want your backyard to seem larger, add some curves to your walkway.



In addition, one nice aspect of working with small yards is you can upgrade materials since you'll be using less of the material. So consider using natural stone pavers. For instance, flagstone is a beautiful material for walkways. Flagstones provide a naturally permeable and non-slip surface. You can choose from many different color variants to create the backyard you're dreaming of.

BISTRO PATIO

Most townhouse dwellers want to spend time outside in their own backyard. Therefore, the walkway may lead to or from a small patio. With such a small yard, you can locate the patio anywhere. For instance, don't be afraid to tuck the patio at the end of the yard and create a pretty landscaping tableau around it.



A bistro patio is usually only large enough to allow for a modest-sized table and chairs with enough clearance to walk around them. However, you could use your small patio for any activity, such as lounging. As with the walkway, the small scale of the patio allows you to upgrade materials. For instance, you might even try granite, a beautiful stone normally too expensive for patio floors.

PLANTING BEDS

You may want some greenery in your backyard too, so consider building some raised planting beds. The placement of the beds depends on your yard's layout. For example, you might use these raised beds as the backdrop for your bistro patio. Such beds can also help designate zones of your yard, say between the dining and play areas.



Raised planting beds can also double as seating by widening the lip. Stacked stone would be beautiful for such beds. You can also have them built of concrete and covered in a grouted stone veneer. For the bench, consider wide, flat stones.

PLANT LIFE

For the plants in your planting beds, look to draw the eye up even more. To that end, look into taller plants or even those you can train to grow up a trellis. One benefit of such vertical planting is you get more foliage while taking up less ground space. Such beds can also increase your privacy.

You can also plant around the hardscaping in your yard. For example, if you've left space between your flagstone pavers in the walkway, consider planting hardy groundcover plants. You can also border your patio with pretty plants. Just try to choose those that grow up instead of out.

OUTDOOR KITCHEN AND LAWN

Two mainstays of larger backyards, the outdoor kitchen and lawn, are possible with townhouse yards. You simply have to scale down. For example, you might be able to tuck a grill and rolling kitchen cart in a corner or a natural widening of your pathway. If both are portable, you can easily move them when you want to enjoy other activities.

A lawn isn't a necessity. However, if you want a little space to enjoy playing with the kids or walking barefoot, consider a geometric shape. For instance, designate a postage stamp square in a corner for your designated lawn.

Before you start overhauling your backyard, check with your homeowners association (HOA) for regulations. From there, let your imagination wander to create a beautiful destination yard. Let The Rock Garden provide the hardscaping materials for your project.