TRANSFORMING YOUR SMALL BACK YARD INTO AN OASIS

Pressed for space in your back yard.  Need some ways to transform that small back yard into an oasis.  You have come to the right place for a transformational plan you can use.

1. It all begins with a plan.  The key to a more spacious yard is still in the organization.  Define the spaces in your small yard and make them purposeful.  Will you have a dining or lounging area?  Will there be a play area, open space or maybe a water feature?  Remember, you are creating a destination - an outdoor room that will serve as an extension to your home.

2. Frame your view.  If one is handy, take a picture frame and hold it up as you look out into your back yard.  Now, what do you see with your mind's eye?  Is the space used wisely or just filled with "things"?  Now is the time to move things around before the transformation begins.  When you like what you see, make it become a reality.

3. Plan your plantings.  Trees, shrubs, and plants add color and create the garden oasis you wanted.  Taller, thinner trees and dwarf shrubs will give you lush landscaping without eating up space.  

Grow your garden vertically with hanging baskets, wall-mounted flowerpots or stacked crates of greenery.  You will add the color and not sacrifice precious real estate.

4. Shop smartly for small furniture.  Bulky patio furniture overwhelms a small yard.  Stick with smaller pieces.  Buy functional and versatile patio furniture such as collapsible chairs, portable fire pits and benches that convert into a picnic table, thereby creating less clutter and making the yard appear much bigger.

5. Create curves. Curves add depth and dimension so rely on windy and curving lines to accent your backyard.  The eye is drawn to the swirling shape and creates a sense of a more open space.

6. Blend your indoor and outdoor space.  Transitional features like sliding door and large glass windows help create the illusion of a bigger backyard.

When all is said and done and you gaze out that large glass window to your backyard oasis, you will proudly say, "that is just the way I envisioned it".  The only thing left to do now is simply enjoy it.