side yards
Accents Lighting SaveEmail Light up the night. If you have a narrow patio squeezed between tall buildings, use the vertical space to hang string lights high, transforming what would be a flaw into a charming feature. Just as with a small interior room, an outdoor space feels bigger and more welcoming when it’s well lit. Try adding landscape lighting to the plantings in the corners of your patio to draw the eye all the way to the edges of the space.
Let light project onto a screen. Much like the drive-in movie theaters of the past, you can project light in your garden, capturing its movement and nuances, by erecting a screen or wall, or even by enlisting the side of your house. This three-paneled privacy screen, constructed out of concrete backer board like you would find underneath a tile floor, faces west and projects a virtual documentary of the afternoon sun. Who wouldn't want to watch this light show?
Chicago Specialty Gardens, Inc. SaveEmail Embrace the art of backlighting. Some of the more mundane plants in your garden will suddenly take on new vibrancy when placed in front of available light. Some of the most effective plants for this technique are those that are translucent by nature, those that capture and diffuse light. My favorite translucent plant is the sometimes-invasive horsetail rush (Equisetum hyemale, zones 3 to 11). Its 3- to 4-foot upright growth habit is a perfect foil for a curved or rounded sculpture, or a clumping shrub. Just be sure to contain it, lest it spread indefinitely.
I took this picture one day in late spring, when the morning sun appeared through the trees and perfectly choreographed the interactive dance between the hardy begonia (Begonia grandis, zones 6 to 9) and the autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora, zones 5 to 9). This only happens for a few minutes each morning, but what a spectacular way to start the day. I wouldn't miss it.
Integrate permanent raised beds. A permanent raised bed is a good investment for a small space, because it’s easy to add shrubs and small trees to a raised planter that’s intended to last for many years. Shown here is a brick masonry circular raised bed wrapping around a seating area. The raised bed allows for larger soil volume for hydrangeas and small pollarded trees.
Use bold plants. If you have extremely limited growing space, use plants with dramatic forms to create a unique planted space. The tall flower spikes shown here bring height and drama to this little garden. Other ideas for bold plants include perennials with tall flowers, profusely flowering vines, fan palms and cycads, funky cactuses, upright ferns and plants with large, showy leaves.
Plant small trees. A tree that grows to 10 or 12 feet tall can provide some shade and create a great top layer of greenery. A small tree will also create a better sense of a lush enclosure, which can help make an outdoor garden more comfortable on a hot day. As it grows, it may also create enough shade that you can plant shade-loving plants in its shadow.
reate layered plantings. This tropical garden looks extra lush because of its multitiered plantings. Raised beds feature plants of different heights, including smaller trees, shrubs of varying types and ground covers. The plants pour over one another and reach toward the light to fill this small courtyard with lush textures.
Use large, thin containers. Larger containers can sometimes accommodate small trees and dwarf shrubs together. Another advantage of using a larger container in place of several small ones is that a larger planter has a more efficient footprint in a tight space. Look for containers that have slim profiles and are made of thin but strong materials like reinforced resin, galvanized steel or Cor-Ten.
Work with easy plants. There are many plants that will thrive in a small space or container. The goal is to select ones that will thrive but not outgrow the space or become unwieldy. There are three main types to consider: Slow-growing: Plants with slower growth rates will require less maintenance, such as pruning. Dwarf varieties: Many woody shrubs are cultivated to grow to a more demure height, including dwarf crimson bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus ‘Little John’) and dwarf Encore azaleas. Spreaders and creepers: Vines and ground covers that have a spreading or creeping growth habit are easy to train onto a vertical surface or over the sides of a container. Their advantage for small spaces is that they will spread and climb to fill the space without much work on your part.
Trees in Containers If you don’t want to commit to planting a tree, a container can be a good solution. Some trees are perfectly happy in containers, and most trees will live quite happily in them for at least a limited period of time. Containers let you grow trees that are not suited to your soil conditions or are not fully hardy and require winter protection. They also give you the opportunity to rearrange your garden in the same way you move furniture around your home. But trees planted in containers do require more attention than those planted in the ground. They need to be watered regularly, as the soil can dry out quickly, and need regular feedings, as nutrients tend to leach out. Every few years it is important to repot the tree, replace old compost and, if necessary, move up a pot size to prevent the tree’s becoming stressed and root-bound.
Multistems. Multistem trees combine elements of both trees and shrubs; their benefits make them a great choice for smaller gardens. They can fill a small space while creating a feeling of openness that is not always achieved with a single-stem tree. They provide the benefits of a larger foliage mass and often the decorative impact of beautiful bark. Not all standards can be grown as multistem trees, but silver birch (Betula sp) is a favorite. As a standard tree, it would be far too large for a small garden, but it’s perfect as a multistem. Other good examples include the paper-bark maple (Acer griseum), snowy mespilus (Amelanchier lamarkii) and the Japanese angelica tree (Aralia elata ‘Variegata’). Shown: Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia sp)
Not all trees are suitable for pleaching, but linden (Tilia x europaea), beech (Fagus sylvatica), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) and fruit trees, such as apples and pears, are commonly pleached species. Pleached trees tend to be deciduous, though the evergreen oak (Quercus ilex) has been successfully pleached. The pleached apple trees shown here illustrate the benefits of raising trees on stilts in smaller spaces. They not only provide the beauty of the spring blossom and fruit that follows, but also allow space for cropping underneath.
Raising the crown. Raising the crown, or canopy, of a tree by removing or shortening the lower branches can create valuable room under a tree while retaining a tree’s benefits. Crown raising does minimal damage to a tree, as long as the removed limbs are not too large and only a few branches are removed at a time and from each spot. Shown: Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia sp)
SaveEmail Controlling Size and Shape Though choosing the right tree is vital, selective pruning and training can also help trees in smaller gardens. Using these methods, some trees that would normally be considered too large for the small garden, such as common hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) and the maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba), can be considered. The Greeks and Romans were some of the first to practice this in ancient times, when clipped evergreen trees were a principle ornament of their gardens. Interestingly, the head gardener in Roman gardens was known as the topiarius, so it’s easy to see where we get the term “topiary” from. Topiary in small gardens tends to be decorative, using mainly small-leaved evergreens grown in containers, such as the privet honeysuckle (Lonicera pileata), which is shown here clipped into standard balls.
Environmental benefits. Planting trees in small city gardens can be invaluable to wildlife, providing nesting and roosting sites for birds, nectar and pollen for insects, and a home for aphids and caterpillars, which are important sources of food for many birds. Trees that offer environmental benefits and are best for space-challenged gardens include the hawthorns (Crataegus spp) and rowans (Sorbus spp). Both produce berries in autumn, which provide food for wildlife and great decorative color. Trees such as Sorbus ‘Joseph Rock’, Sorbus sargentiana and Crataegus laevigata ‘Pauls Scarlet’ are favorites for smaller gardens, as they fulfill the size, shape and rate-of-growth needs while benefiting the environment.
Selecting the Right Tree When choosing a tree for a smaller garden, standard reference lists are not always helpful, as most of these lists were drawn up when a small garden was much larger than it is today. Plenty of trees are suitable for smaller spaces, however; there are just three things to consider: size, shape and rate of growth. Mature size: It is important to know what the mature size of the tree is likely to be. In a nursery or garden center, the trees are generally only a few years old and bear little similarity to their eventual size. Beware: Many information labels on trees at garden centers or nurseries say only how tall the tree will be in 10 or 20 years, and in most cases that is not the mature height. There can be a big difference between the size of a tree at 20 years and 50 years. Shape: Shape is just as important as size, perhaps even more so in relation to the garden’s design. Upright trees can be an obvious choice for a small garden, as they occupy less space while providing the benefit of a vertical element, including the creation of a focal point and maybe screening from neighbors. But upright trees do not provide the best shade. For that we need a more ...
‘Hana Matoi’. This cultivar gets noticed more than any other Japanese maple in my garden. Its rich tricolor variegation of bright pink, white and green is unique. The spring coloration holds fairly well through the summer. The fall coloration is red to orange. Hana Matoi is a very small, mounding tree on its own, with a height of perhaps 3 feet and a width of 6 feet. It is generally grafted onto a higher standard, with a typical 10-year height closer to 6 feet. The pink and white variegation make it susceptible to scorching in a sunny location, so light shade is preferable.
shade ‘Peaches and Cream’. This cultivar is typical of the newer line of bred offerings that concentrate on subtle variegation with pronounced veining in the foliage. Its fall coloration is a diffused but rich red to orange. Peaches and Cream reaches a height of 10 feet and a width of 8 feet. Because the variegation is subtle, be sure to place it close to a pathway where its sublime beauty can be easily noticed.-
‘Toyama Nishiki’. This small maple begins the season with white foliage tinged with pink and green. The white and green variegation holds well through the summer. This maple is mounding in habit and grows to a height of 6 feet. Placing it in a lightly shaded area will prevent leaf scorch in the warmer months.
‘Ukigumo’. This Japanese maple is commonly known as floating clouds, due to the large amount of white in its foliage and its horizontal branching habit. It is a small, nonmounding maple, reaching a height of 10 feet and a width of 8 feet. Like Butterfly, it will get scorched when planted in too much sun, so plant it in a site with light shade or morning sun with afternoon shade.
‘Butterfly’. Butterfly is probably the best-known white-on-green variegated Japanese maple in the trade. It is a tree with dense foliage and a green trunk. Butterfly is a slow-growing cultivar, reaching a height of 9 feet tall. Because its foliage is primarily white, it can easily get scorched in sunny locations, which makes it a perfect candidate for shade. Its light color brightens up a shady corner of the garden. Butterfly occasionally sends out new shoots clad with green foliage. These are best pruned away in fall or winter to preserve the integrity of the tree.
shade - Jay Sifford Garden Design SaveEmail ‘Shishigashira’. We have looked at mounding, cascading and weeping Japanese maples that do well in partial or light shade. Two classic upright cultivars are worth considering, the first of which is Shishigashira, a small upright tree with an outstanding structure that reaches a height of 15 feet. Shishigashira has the richest heritage of any Japanese maple cultivar. It is named after a mythical lioness in Japanese drama and is commonly known as the lion’s head Japanese maple. Its clumping, curled foliage habit, along with its rich golden yellow autumn foliage color, has earned it this nickname. I enjoy planting one of the dwarf globe-shaped maples, such as Kiyohime, underneath it for contrast.
shade - ‘Viridis’. This Japanese maple is one of my all-time favorites. Its classic form and lacy foliage resemble those of ‘Crimson Queen’, the mounding red Japanese maple that immediately comes to mind when you think of these trees. Viridis reaches 5 feet tall and wide in 10 years and sports yellow foliage in autumn. When the tree reaches its 10-year size, proper pruning can be done to accentuate its structure.
sha‘Kiyohime’. This dwarf maple is similar to Murasaki Kiyohime but has a denser, tighter habit. It can be pruned in fall or winter to accentuate this habit and is a prime candidate for bonsai. Placing Kiyohime in close proximity to similarly shaped boulders creates interest and juxtaposition in the garden.de -
Jay Sifford Garden Design shade - ‘Ryusen’. This is one of the few truly weeping Japanese maples. Its name translates as “dragon spirit,” Its green leaves are arranged in an upright fashion on long branches that frequently run along the ground. For this reason, Ryusen is a perfect choice for planting above a retaining wall or hanging over a pond. This tree reaches an average height of 6 feet.
shade - ‘Mikawa Yatsubusa’. This small maple is considered by bonsai experts to be one of the top three cultivars in regard to shape and branching. The leaves are slightly larger than those of other small Japanese maples, emerging bright green before changing to a fresh medium green for the summer. The fall color is a yellow-orange. The leaves grow in clumps and are slightly shingled atop one another. Since Mikawa Yatsubusa grows slowly to 5 feet in height, it makes an excellent choice for container planting.
Everyone loves Japanese maples (Acer palmatum cvs, USDA zones 5 to 8; find your zone). Their color and structure are unrivaled, while their size makes them accessible to those whose gardens are measured in square feet instead of acres. Images of brilliant reds and vibrant oranges arise when we think of Japanese maples. Herein lies the problem with siting these trees in gardens clothed in shade. The hard truth is that the maples with the beautiful red and orange foliage need more than half a day of sun to sustain that colorful foliage. The good news is that there are many stellar cultivars that do just fine in a shade garden, with partial sun to light or dappled shade. What these green and variegated cultivars lack in brightly colored foliage, they more than make up for in texture and structure. Let’s take a look at some of the best.
Now this courtyard is filled with bursts of color, thanks to a blend of Japanese maple (Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Atropurpureum', USDA zones 5 to 8), Japanese boxwood (Buxus microphylla var. japonica, zones 5 to 9) and Mexican orange blossom (Choisya ternata, zones 7 to 10).
Repeat key elements. The use of a key element repeated throughout a garden gives it peaceful continuity. This technique is especially effective when the key element crosses over a pathway into the parallel bed, moving the eye back and forth throughout the space. Notice how this shady mixed border carries the eye through the space. Even though this garden relies heavily upon hostas for interest, it is the large-leafed hostas (Hosta cvs, USDA zones 3 to 8) that punctuate the space from side to side and move the eye down the pathway. The repetition of the large-leafed hostas allows for the peaceful transition to pockets of different plants.
Not all of us can have our very own potting studio, like Patty Degenhardt’s in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, but we can appreciate this rustic walk and perennial plantings along the side yard.
Dawn Y enjoys the flowers and foliage of her Wisconsin garden this time of year. “It’s the layers of green and pops of colors that call out to me to take a stroll or sit a bit and just relax,” she says. It appears as if Dawn isn’t the only garden visitor who enjoys the green hosta leaves.
This sunny backyard retreat in Niles, Illinois, uploaded by clp6911, invites you to pull up a seat and enjoy watching the day go by.
Tsukubai The tsukubai is one of the most important and essential elements in a roji. Here, guests wash their hands and rinse their mouths to purify their body and spirit before entering the teahouse. The tsukubai consists of a washbasin (chozubachi) enclosed by an arrangement of stones called yakuishi. These stones are more than decorative: They are arranged around the washbasin according to the roles they play. The stones enclosing the washbasin are placed there to keep water from splashing out. These stones are called umi (sea) and have edges smoothed by water. There are also stones placed to drain water after it has been used for the purifying ritual. These are called suimon. The stone in front of the washbasin is called a maeishi and is for the guest to step on when drawing water from the basin. The stone to the right of the washbasin, called a yuokeishi, is for placing a wooden pail for hot water during the cold season, and the stone to the left, called a teshokuishi, is for placing a lantern when the tea ceremony is at night. Even in a roji, the tsukubai has a special presence and can be considered the focal point of the garden.
Mix up your materials. Perhaps you have an existing patio, or are considering adding one but are unsure how to make it feel like a natural part of your garden. Take a cue from this backyard. The gravel covering the path leading to the patio is the same color as the bluestone patio. Bands of bluestone have been placed within the pathway, creating continuity and a peaceful transition. In addition, by laying out the pathway in a yatsuhasi, or Japanese zigzag, pattern, the designer has created a unique and dramatic space.
Reimagine your hardscape and bed lines. Serpentine lines both invoke the imagination and have a relaxing effect upon the mind. In art theory this shape is referred to as the line of beauty. It infuses a composition with vitality, as opposed to straight lines, which signify death or inanimate objects. This bluestone walkway seems to be endless, disappearing around the bend. Don't you wonder what lies beyond?
Curves. If your side yard space has a little bit of width, you may have room to throw in a curve or two. This brick sidewalk’s curve is inviting and keeps the side yard from feeling like a glorified dog run.
A kitchen garden. If you’re lucky enough to have a little extra room and good lighting, consider a small kitchen garden for herbs and veggies.
Interesting path materials. Most side yards don’t have much room to play with. But you can draw the eye down the length of the space with an interesting path — whether of crunchy gravel, stately brick or a hopscotch-like arrangement of pavers. Here the mix of concrete squares and smooth stones creates an interesting juxtaposition of textures.
THE PATH
Harold Leidner Landscape Architects SaveEmail Add water. Cool shade gardens are great spots for small water features for two primary reasons: 1. There will be less water loss due to evaporation in the shade than in the sun, and 2. a water feature adds to the calm serenity of the space. A small reflecting pool or koi pond, like the one here, is right at home in a protected shade garden.
Choose your colors wisely. Colors have a different visual effect in the shade than in the sun, because of the way light either washes out or intensifies color. The colors that may be washed out in full sun will seem brighter — almost artificially so — in the shade. Plan your groups of plants according to texture and form, or choose a palette of two or three colors, like the blue, white and dark green pictured here. Shown: Variegated Japanese sedge (Carex morrowii ‘Aurea Variegata’), Jack Frost heartleaf (Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’) and blue star creeper (Isotoma fluviatilis ‘Little Bluestar’)
Understand your site. Trees cast different amounts of shade, depending on their species, their age and how they are pruned. For example, linden trees (Tilia spp) cast a deep, dense shade, while birch trees (Betula spp) cast only a light shade. Identify if you have deep shade or light shade by observing the shadow casts at different times of day. Note that some trees can be “limbed up” to let in more light to the ground below. Consult a certified arborist to identify which branches should be removed. Deep shade: Your palette will be mostly woodland plants, ferns and other full-shade plants that hail from the forest floor or understory. If your deep shade is from deciduous trees, you still have the option of adding spring color with bulbs that bloom in early spring or late autumn. Light or dappled shade: With just a little more light, you have a larger planting palette available. Dappled shade creates a beautiful effect on the ground, the result of the light that filters through the leaves. Create a place where you can sit and enjoy the dance of light across your shade garden.
What grows in the shade? Many beautiful plants will thrive in full or partial shade. Take some hints from naturally occurring plant communities in shady environments for plants to include in your shade garden. The forest floor: The ground of wooded areas has many types of ground covers, flowering bulbs and even tree species that will seed and grow in the shade. Examples include ferns, Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) and Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). The understory: The layer beneath the tree canopy in a woodland is called the understory, and this layer is home to woody shrubs and small trees — many of them flowering — that thrive in full to partial shade. Examples include rhododendrons, fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus) and flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). The forest edge: The space between meadow and woodland is a transitional ecosystem with a mix of sun and shade. Plants that thrive in this zone are usually highly adaptable. Understory flowering plants will also grow well at the forest edge, usually with a more impressive flower display. Examples include all of the sumacs (Rhus spp) and sassafras. There are also several grasses in the Carex genus that do grea...
Tucked-away dining. One of the advantages of a side yard’s tight space is that it can be intimate. Extending the pavers across the entire width of this side yard allowed room for a table to feel natural out here. Large planters full of all flowering plants add a wonderful ambience.
Trellises. The side of a house can be boring and lack architecture — we tend not to even put many windows on a wall that faces a fence or neighbor’s house. Trellises offer another way to stretch the garden upward and add architectural interest to the side of the house. (Rocks next to house)
Trellises. The side of a house can be boring and lack architecture — we tend not to even put many windows on a wall that faces a fence or neighbor’s house. Trellises offer another way to stretch the garden upward and add architectural interest to the side of the house.
A shade garden. One challenge with side yards is that often they receive no direct sunlight. We have plenty of plant suggestions and shade garden ideas to get you started.
An allee. This is a fancy word for an evenly spaced line of trees. Some species can thrive in a tight space. Here, serviceberry trees add year-round interest along both sides of the side yard path. You can also create just a single line of trees on one side if that’s all your space will allow
Low lighting. Side yards often are places you want to get through as quickly as possible at night — they can be downright spooky. Illuminate the hard work you’ve done with landscape lighting to make it a safe and inviting journey after dark.
A stretch to courtyard size. This path widens out to patio size by extending all the way out to the fence boundary on one side and the house boundary on the other. Beautiful roses, a fountain and seating make it an enticing destination.
Design ideas for a contemporary side yard landscape in San Francisco
Helictotrichon sempervirens 1,994 Saves | 1 Question Blue Oat Grass - (Helictotrichon sempervirens) Native to central and southwestern Europe This plant draws comparisons to blue fescue but is a little larger at 2 feet tall and wide, and appears softer, producing the windblown effect we expect from a grass. Flowers project a foot above the grass in summer and transition to a lovely gold in fall.
Do your grilling. Let’s face it, no matter how far along grills have come aesthetically these days, most of them don’t exactly have the appeal of a Henry Moore sculpture in the landscape. Make a neat, tidy and tucked-away home for the grill around the side. You can keep it close to the corner so the grill master won’t feel left out of the party.
Frame a view. If you have room only for a straight and narrow path, then just go with it. Here, the distinct flora of the American Southwest provides a sculptural focal point at the terminus of the path.
Make it your go-to alfresco spot. If the winds pick up where you live, a protected side yard is just the spot for a dining table. Narrowness can make it that much more intimate and give it a secret-garden feeling.
Ironstone, a local sedimentary rock, can be found naturally all over the property. Lathouris used the stone to build retaining and feature walls that complement the garden's natural growth. This ironstone sculpture enhances the eulalia (Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegata', zones 5 to 9), blue fescue (Festuca glauca, zones 4 to 8) and purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, zones 3 to 8) that are so prominent throughout the garden.
These hanging scrap metal rings were salvaged from a nearby building site. They hang gracefully on the veranda near a Japanese flowering cherry tree and a patch of bugleweed (Ajuga reptans, zones 3 to 10).
Sculptures, including this piece, titled "The Golden Gate," can be found throughout the property. Lathouris has several pieces — mostly made of recycled steel — by artists Ian Swift, Norman Organ, Mark Davis and more. Here the stonecrop (Sedum 'Autumn Joy', zones 3 to 9) draws the eye to the angles in the steel sculpture.
Arthur Lathouris Garden Designer SaveEmail The rounded shapes of Lathouris' carefully pruned Japanese boxwood lessen the formality of this structured hedge. Lathouris strategically planted a variety of textures and colors to change with the seasons. In autumn this particular pathway bursts with burnt orange Japanese maple.
The site's shallow and sandy soil presented some challenges, but frequent additions of manure and compost increased the soil's water-holding capacity. Lathouris composts all of the garden's green waste and doesn't use a watering system; the garden is extremely self-sufficient and sustainable. Here a pathway lined with bechtel crabapple (Malus ioensis 'Flora Plena'), golf ball kohuhu (Pittosporum 'Golf ball', zones 8 to 11) and red claws (Escallonia macrantha, zones 8 to 10) beckons visitors.
The smaller gardens are connected by pebbled and mulched pathways lined with salvaged bricks. Dianella 'Little Jess' hedging adds softness to this path, while the rich color of black tree aeonium (Aeonium 'Swartkopf', zones 9 to 11) picks up on the home's accent colors.
He then added the decorative wooden entry doors with wrought iron Spanish details, a potting bench, cafe chairs and his favorite Mediterranean plants.
Side gardens aren't just about the garden floor; they're also about the vertical plane: the walls, so to speak. That notion is expressed beautifully here. Sustainably harvested ipe boards, installed horizontally, alternate with sections of stucco to enclose and retain the side garden. This is a well-furnished room with benches for seating, pockets for plants and even a fireplace treatment. There's a graphic rhythm to this space that makes it enjoyable both to view and to spend time visiting in.
Structuring garden rooms. The strength of compartmentalizing lies in combining the strong structure of hard landscaping with soft plantings. It's evident even in this most modern of garden layouts.
This narrow side garden has a lot of linear elements. First there's a straight set of steps with vertical side railings that descend to a straight pathway at the base. Then there are the exterior lines of the architecture to the left and the fence to the right. Nice, right? But thank goodness there's one gentler line here. The extended curve of the planting bed gives this design the softness it needs in the presence of the other hard-to-ignore lines and angles.
Lounge for one. Forget sharing; if you want total and complete relaxation, make your patio all about you. Place one perfect lounge chair lengthwise, plump it up with comfy pillows, roll out a simple mat beside it and finish the area with a few potted plants.
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