23 Landscaping Side of House Ideas: A Comprehensive Guide

Landscaping side of house is a challenging task since it can end up looking messy when not properly organized. As a result, most homeowners tend to neglect this area from the headache it can bring.

But there are different design ideas that you can implement, so check these inspiring landscaping ideas to keep your small yard looking lively at all times.

Landscaping Side of House Ideas

1. Decorate With Container Display

Using containers to decorate your side of the house is a practical approach to prevent this part of the yard from looking dull. There are various pot flowers to choose from that remain vibrant all year long.

With a container garden, you can mix varieties such as bergenia, Japanese Pieris, golden sword, and others.

These pot flowers have shiny leaves and beautiful flowers that create a remarkable statement on your side yard.

Decorating with containers is ideal when your side spaces are graveled, decked, or paved. If there are windows along the path, do not leave them bare. Use flower pots to dress them to ensure they do not steal the attention.

2. Be Keen on the Shape and Texture of the Plants

Landscaping the side of the house requires careful consideration of the plants you choose. For a striking curb appeal, consider maintaining a few colors to create a theme while mixing the shapes and textures of plants for a bold statement.

You can use the color of your building and other existing materials to determine which ones to use on your plants.

To highlight the contrast, consider mixing the sizes of your plants. It creates a beautiful and continuous transition even on a sloped yard.

3. Choose a Bold Color Combination

Make your side garden bed showy by choosing bold colors. There is no hindrance to how far you can go, provided you do not use too many colors.

Combining different leaf shapes and colors can work for this approach. Leaves with more than one color are desirable as they help create the focus on the side yard.

Flowers should also have a color combination. Those with bright colors are preferable as they help create that beautiful wild finish.

With this choice, you do not have to beat yourself up trying to maintain the look all year round. Plants and flowers that blossom in particular seasons are also good.

4. Use Yard Art

Bring creativity to your garden beds to express yourself by using yard art. Metal sculptures, irregularly shaped stones, and recycled materials are commonly used for making yard art.

Yard art is ideal when, after planting, you still find your backyard landscaping unappealing. You can choose the shape you want and create incredible art. Such shapes include: mimicking flower parts, using regular shapes, or any other creative idea you may have.

5. Light Up

Placing lights along your path can boost the curb appeal of your side garden. The lights should be dimly lit to avoid hurting the eyes. String lights are commonly used for this function as they help create uniformity and are easy to install.

The beauty in lighting up your side yard is you can use solar energy as a sustainable option. Also, you can add motion detectors for automatic lighting whenever there is movement. With motion detectors, you achieve a beautiful side that adds to your security detail.

6. Have an Outdoor Storage

Looking to declutter your side yard? Outdoor storage is one of the best yard landscaping ideas that ensure this space remains neat. It is also a brilliant way of creating contrast in your garden.

Boxes, mini-sheds, and shelves are some of the standard outdoor storage options. Use these storage options to keep junk such as flower pots, boots, gardening tools, bicycles, and others for an orderly look.

 

7. Create Relaxing Spaces

You can do so much with your side yard. Creating a relaxing space is probably one of the most overlooked ideas when planning for this space.

You can use hammocks or open sheds with raised beds for this function. These additions are perfect for relaxing, meditating, or simply as a getaway when you need some alone time.

Other than providing a private space, these relaxing spaces are an ingenious way of making your side yard appealing without compromising.

8. Sandstone Paving

Sandstone paving requires some creativity to bring the concept to life. When done correctly, this ground cover gives the side yard an authentic look and creates a welcoming feeling.

With sandstone paving, you can choose custom shapes or standard square stone tiles. Usually, plants are planted between the distances from one tile to the next. A distinctive pattern is created, which acts as a stepping guide.

9. Create a Vertical Garden

Vertical gardens are great where space is limited. A retaining wall is created with vertical gardens, and flowers or plants of choice are used. This option helps prevent overplanting in the limited space, attracting unwanted bugs.

Besides using it for decorating your side garden, you can also use a vertical garden to conceal the parts you don’t like about your garden.

10. Decorate With Beautiful Furniture

Buy a set of beautiful garden furniture for your side yard. If your space is small, folding chairs or benches are ideal. These take up a small space, and you can store them under the table when not in use.

The full-on seating set with matching chairs will sit perfectly on a bigger side yard. You can also get a day bed or swing seats for more beauty and class. Consider garden seats that fit your lawn to have enough space for walking around.

11.  A Pergola Will Add Aesthetics

Having a pergola is a sure way to keep your yard’s side looking gorgeous. It creates an excellent first impression of your garden and is also an additional space.

You can decorate the pergola with climbing plants or some short beautiful flowers. You can also get dim lights to make the space safe and warm. Use the extra space to entertain your visitors, as a kids’ play area, or for relaxing after work.

12. Grow Trees in the Space

Mature trees block the sun’s glare to provide shade on the lawn. You can also use them to hang decorations or pendant lights and block the unattractive view of the road. Growing the trees might take a while, so it requires patience and good maintenance.

Besides acting as shade, the trees provide pollen grains and shelter to the birds and increase oxygen circulation in your home. Choose trees that grow into beautiful canopies. They make better shades for the grass to keep it green throughout the year.

13. Use Low-Maintenance Pots for Drought-Resistant Plants

The side yard is mostly the out-of-sight, out-of-mind space in the compound. Using low-maintenance pots to decorate the space will reduce the stress of looking after your garden frequently.

Get some river pebbles to decorate the sides of the pots. If you prefer to go with live plants, choose succulents. These require less watering and will survive the out-of-mind situation. You can get the succulents in different colors, but ensure they match your theme.

14. Get a Garden Room

You can create an extra room on your lawn and use it as an office, yoga studio, or summer house. It will be a perfect chill spot for your guests during summer.

Buy essential furniture for the garden room depending on its usage. You can also get lanterns to provide perfect lighting for the space and make it inviting and safe.

15. Create a Yard Vegetable Garden

If your yard gets enough sunlight, you can plant a vegetable bed. Instead of planting the lettuce, greens, or broccoli on the ground, get some basic raised garden boxes. Paint the boxes with your color choice to match your lawn’s aesthetics.

Actualizing this landscaping idea is affordable and straightforward. You can DIY make the garden boxes using old wood or buy plastic ones. But, you need to water the plants to get a decent harvest.

16. Turn It into a Family Garden

Instead of having an unkempt garden on your lawn, you can transform yours into a family garden. This option requires good landscaping to create a small play garden for the children and an excellent adult hang-out spot. Make the space more fun for your kids by attaching swings and slides.

You can get two moon benches to have a relaxing seating area. The tall trees with a canopy provide a good shade, especially during summer. You can also plant long-stemmed bamboo for a better atmosphere.

17. A Fire Pit is an Excellent Idea

A side yard can be a cozy place to relax in the evening. Once you buy the outdoor chairs, you can make the space more welcoming by creating a fire pit.

You can choose the fire pits from the different types available. You can have a propane fire pit, wood-burning, natural gas, or gel-fuel fire pit. Choose the most comfortable one. Wood-burning fire pits produce too much smoke, so these might be uncomfortable for your guests.

18. Create a Little Picnic Space

You can use your side of the house to set a romantic picnic lunch or dinner. A simple cushion and rug comprising simple colors can create a good mood in the space. There are no rules in choosing colors; you can be as dramatic as you want.

Having climbing plants or some greenery as your shade makes a date perfect. The idea of using your lawn for picnics is temporary and cheap, so you will save on costs.

19. Create a Relaxing Sanctuary

Accessorizing your side yard into an extra room is among the brilliant landscaping ideas. If you don’t like the idea of garden rooms, create the aesthetics of a living room, but with an open roof. When buying furniture and décor pieces for your new room, get the waterproof ones.

Don’t limit yourself when decorating the extra space on your lawn. Decorate it with outdoor rugs, lanterns, and furniture. Reduce boredom with waterproof speakers to enable you to listen to some music or even watch some shows.

20. Install Artificial Grass Carpet

Growing grass on your lawn is a good idea, but keeping it green might be challenging, especially if you live in an area with a dry climate. An alternative to living grass is the low-maintenance artificial turf. It does not require watering and keeps the place looking green and beautiful.

Be choosy when buying artificial turf grass. Some are low quality and won’t last. When buying, consider a turf that can withstand heavy foot traffic and one that looks lush and full. Ensure it is durable and springy.

21. One Color Is Not Boring

Getting different colored trees might be difficult. Don’t let that stop you from having trees on your lawn because one color can still make the place beautiful. You can choose to make your garden all green by getting green plants.

Plants are available in different species. When buying, choose the easy-to-maintain, like soft ferns. You can also get some stepping stones for the ground to create a contrast to the green.

22. Use for the Walkway

Make a beautiful walkway if your lawn is too small for a relaxing sanctuary or garden house. You can use gravel or pebbles to create regular patterns on the walkway and plant small bushes on the sides.

The pebbles can create an illusion of a dry stream, which makes the scene exciting. This illusion makes you feel connected with nature and creates a relaxed mood.

Ensure the pebbles match the siding of the house. Also, you can plant the bushes in tiny buckets or beautiful baskets to create an extra charm.

23. Consider the Wildlife

Wildlife is one of the least exploited design ideas when landscaping a garden. You can start by getting bird feeders and hanging them on the tree branches. Place some food and water in the feeders to attract different bird species.

When planting trees, consider the bee-friendly ones. They can get nectar and pollen from the plant’s flowers. The nectar serves as food to the bees and birds.

Conclusion

There are many landscaping side of house ideas for homeowners. Some of these ideas can be hard to implement.

However, you can give your flower bed a magical touch by decorating it with different colors, lighting it up with string lights, using yard arts, or installing a grass carpet, which is easy to implement.