7 Creative Ways To Use the Extra Space in Your Garden
Outdoor spaces, such as gardens and backyards, allow us to enjoy our homes to the fullest.
When the weather permits, it’s like having an extra room – one with mesmerizing sights and scents.
For that matter, it’s no wonder that all homeowners want to make the most out of their gardens.
However, using every inch of your property in a meaningful way isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Most people often run out of ideas and are left with extra space that they don’t know how to put to good use.
If you’re in a similar situation, keep reading – here are a couple of ideas on what to do with extra space in your garden:
Plant Some Trees
This one is a no brainer – planting trees is one of the best ways to fill in that extra space in your garden.
Besides their beautiful looks, trees also act as a food source and habitat for wildlife. Besides, a tree can be used as an anchor for decorations, pendant lights, hanging chairs, and shade sails.
As they act as sources of carbon capture, trees can also filter air pollution (and noise) if you’re living near a busy road.
Lay Down a Beautiful Paving
Adding eye-catching paving is another great way to fill in the extra space in your backyard.
How the paving is laid and its style and color, can provide a strong design direction for your whole garden.
For example, you can easily give your garden a French country look by adding a white or grey stone laid in a random pattern.
Regardless of the type and style of paving you ultimately go with, combine it with plants, furniture, and other decorative elements, and not a single inch of your garden’s ground will look empty and boring.
Put Your Boundaries to Good Use
We’ve got the ground covered, but what about the vertical areas?
In many gardens, boundary hedges, fences, or walls are typically the biggest element in view, and often look plain and uninteresting.
While not all of your fences or walls have to look the same, try to add visual links between them. Vertical gardens, for example, are a great addition to any backyard wall.
You can also grow climbers, arrange them in coordinating colors, or cover your plain brick wall with lovely bamboo fencing – the ideas are endless.
Build a Garden Log Cabin
One particularly great way to use the extra space in your garden is to build a log cabin. These come in a variety of styles and are a great addition to any outdoor space.
Besides being a perfect place for entertaining guests over summer, a garden log cabin can also be your yoga studio, home office, or anything else you want it to be.
It will allow you to turn your garden into an outdoor area that you won’t use only for relaxing and soaking up the sunshine, but for a myriad of other, more productive activities as well.
Integrate Garden Ornaments
When it comes to garden ornaments, such as sundials, birdbaths, or garden gnomes, the most important rule is to nestle them in with the planting.
No matter how eye-catching it is, a garden ornament will never look good if it’s plonked in the middle of space.
Smaller ornaments can easily look lost, while the ones that are too big won’t only overwhelm the space but possibly even devalue your property.
So, choose wisely – get a couple of simple ornaments to fill up that extra space and make sure to nestle them in with the foliage and flowers.
Fill in the Extra Space with Decking
Another great place for entertaining guests in your garden can be a deck in addition to the log cabin.
Decking is a particularly great idea if your garden’s extra space is uneven or sloping – it’s the most cost-effective solution for leveling it out.
Just like everything else, decking comes in a variety of shapes and styles. If it’s going to be separated from your house, make the deck more interesting by building one with a lattice-type roof, split levels, and steps.
Make sure to select materials that are maintenance-free, anti-slip, and capable of withstanding heavy foot traffic.
Add a Greenhouse
Depending on the size of the extra space in your garden, you may be able to squeeze in a greenhouse.
This is also one of the best solutions – greenhouses provide fresh greens, vegetables, and fruits, but are also great places to spend time in during cold, gray winters.
While it can be expensive to build and may require a bit more maintenance, a greenhouse allows you to grow plants you wouldn’t otherwise be able to grow, such as tropical fruits and exotic flowers.
No matter which of these options you decide to go with, remember to take a look at your garden as a whole first.
It’s effortless to ruin the overall aesthetics with an ill-chosen addition, so make sure to do your homework before filling up that extra space.
About the Author
Rebecca, a translator and avid traveler, a book worm, and a horror flick enthusiast.
My job has given me the amazing opportunity to travel to dozens of countries worldwide, and writing on Rough Draft gives me a chance to try to showcase some of them.
