I would turn that place into the equivalent of a jungle at least then you feel trapped for a reason..

Mural. Fool the eye so it is not so claustrophobic.

a mural is a really good idea, since it so private i would install an outdoor shower, have always wanted one of those but never had a good place to put one.

I think it could be very nice. Maybe a trellis or two with climbing plants and some flowering bushes (azaleas or something) and some patio furniture.

I would put trellises across that long back wall and grow clematis the first year (they grow fast and will give you coverage this season) while you start some climbing roses or ivy. Make the border pretty narrow and only do 1 row deep of a low-growing perennial under the trellises. You could put a smallish Japanese maple at one end and a raised bed at the other end for your vegetables, training your peas & tomatoes up the side wall. Don't center the tree on the side wall - put it toward the corner so you can put a small table and 2 chairs next to it. Eventually, they will be "under" it!

In your inspiration piece it looks like most of the larger elements are potted. I would consider using that part of the inspiration. Finding dwarf trees and plants that would do well in large pots, you could also make a wonderful water feature in one corner using pots or even on the side wall giving you a very calm space if you like the running water sound and are willing to deal with the upkeep there. I love the look of slate or copper with water running down it. If you plant a tree you will have to make sure that the roots won't damage anything down the line, that would be my worry. Lastly, you could build up some nice raised beds near the walls to allow you to plant climbing plants or even veggies. I would assume you get decent sun at some point during the day. I am able to grow tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce and the like in pots on my townhouse front porch so I would think your small back yard would be perfect if you are willing!

I'm trying to sort out my similar sized garden at the moment, it's only a little bigger. I'd make sure there's room for a table and two chairs so you can enjoy a glass of wine out there come summertime. Rather than buy lots of tiny plants, be bold and buy fewer big plants like a tree fern or something equally dramatic. Use the walls to grow things on - hanging baskets, climbers, etc. - use every inch of space for something green or colourful! I think the wall colour is fine - it will look nice as a backdrop. A lot of the plants I'll have in my garden will be put in pots so I can move things around and experiment over time. There are benefits to small spaces - they can be really cozy and they are a lot cheaper to fill up with interesting things. Good luck and post some pictures when you're done!

He there! That is a tiny space! I think you should build corner bench seating area with storage underneath. Not as deep as the one in the photo to salvage the space. Instead of throw pillows make a cushion for it. A nice herb garden on the other side will bring in some greenery. Add a hanging plant or two and some potted bushes or small trees and ta-dah!

I had to think about how big (or small )2 meters are. You are basically looking at 6ft across from house to wall. So you have a very narrow spot. Are you looking at keeping the grass? Or would you be willing to take up the grass for a deck with raised planting beds all the way around it? Your inspiration has more space but if you are willing to get rid of the grass, I think the raised beds with the deck, and using potted plant gardens would be lovely. You could have height where you need it to be and move the pots or change them out when you are tired of the look. Paint the back walls a bright color other than the yellow and as I said before, hang a piece of art there, whether it is a water feature or not...

Potted plants and trees, like others said. What is above you? Can you hang lanterns from that, like in the photo? I'd go for bold colors. It looks like your home has a Spanish or mission-style to it. I'd play off the clay color and integrate a lot of corals, reds, and oranges.

Indeed. Potted trees. Especially with all of that concrete. Roots may lead to cracks. You don't want to mess up the grade of the garden either - you want to keep it nice and flat.

A tree would be lovely but I would do it in a container since the space is small and close to the house. The last thing you want are the roots stangling your pipes under the house or breaking up the concrete.

I would start by repainting. That colour is a bit much for the space... in fact I think any bright or deep colour in large doses would be a bit much in that space. Go for a light colour (not necessarily white) that will brighten the space (a really soft green would be lovely). Try and bring light down into the space. Reds, ochres, yellows etc are going to make the space feel closed off and stifling.
Thread some wire across one end between the house and top of the wall, and wrap fairy lights around it. Put a tiered herb garden in, and then pot plants elsewhere. A trellis is a great idea. How about a wall of succulents? Low maintenance, and wonderfully lush looking. I would also think about a daybed that fits into the end of the garden.

I'd avoid trees, with all that concrete. You don't want to deal with whatever damage might be caused by the roots in a couple of years, plus trees really shouldn't be planted that close to the house in case of natural events.

I like the outdoor shower idea!

Love your inspiration picture! And I also think that you should keep the larger plants in pots - that way you can move them around if you get bored with how things look or if you have several people over and want to make some room. Definitely include climbing plants and get rid of that concrete strip (I might even get rid of the grass, do the whole area in brick or slate, and count on the plants for the greenery).

With a space that small and walls that high, I think you should think of it as basically an outdoor room with a large skylight rather than "outside space," and treat it as such. A couple of small chairs with sun/rainproof upholstery would be nice, and potted plants (and/or trees) would be a great way to bring some color into the space. I also agree with either a mural or trellis to add some vertical interest. The grass is nice and if you can keep it really green would be a lovely living carpet for your outdoor room.

Depends on how much sunlight you actually get. Consult a landscape designer.

How about a green, living wall combined with the nook in your pic?

Lose the grass, get some great-looking large pots (not plastic!) and some pretty plants, and install a concrete or stone or wood surface for a chair/small table to sit on (not taking up the whole space, necessarily-- you could use gravel or groundcover on any uncovered areas).

Also: is there any sort of drainage system? Seems like if you are in an area prone to heavy rains/flooding there's nowhere for all that water to go once the ground is saturated.

Good luck.

Great ideas! I love the outdoor shower and potted tree ideas!

Maybe you could plant vertical vegetable or herb gardens on the trellises. Beans and tomatoes can climb!

I agree that no bigger plants should be put in the ground, even flowering bushes like azaleas can cause cracks in the concrete. You don't want to have to go on an exploratory mission to dig those roots up later! If it gets cold during winter, you can bring potted plants inside. Watch out for vine type plants, they attract rodents! I live the idea of lots of hanging ferns.

I agree with the outdoor shower and lots of huge potted plants - make it like a lush forest or jungle; the outdoor shower amongst that would be divine!

Mirror the back wall, then trellis in front of that with a climbing plant. Instead of a tree how about a hedge you can shape nicely to take up less room.

Ditto on avoiding root damage by not planting a tree. I'd emphasize potted plants for their flexibility. Would you please share after photos? Good luck.

Mirrors! Look on craigslist for a large mirror, because people are always pulling them out of their bathrooms. Put it on one of the walls and get some vines to grow up around it and it will look like an entrance to another garden entirely! Or like DonaldN said, do the whole back wall! I would still do a tree though or if you have decent weather where you are, a fiddle-leaf ficus can be amazing with large leaves and it grows long branches like a tree but without the giant trunk- and you can plant it in a container.
For ideas on other stuff: http://www.eco-proper.com
Good luck to you!

Where do you live and does this area get any sun at all? No way a tree should go in there, unless a bonsai, but I wouldn't even do that. Unless there's a whole lot more light in this area than appears from the photos, vegies and herbs will not work. I'd say take out the grass and add enough paving for a table and chairs. In the plant-able area that's left, some shade plants like hostas, something viney up the wall, a pot or two. Keep it serene. My two cents. This is a fun challenge.

I wholly agree with the comments to stick with a potted tree. You don't want the tree to eventually be too big for the space (which could happen quite quickly), and then have to deal with the expense of removing it and having the stump ground. Something smaller would be best and allow the most flexibility. Good luck.

Definitely don't plant a tree. The root system will grow much bigger than the canopy and it's only a matter of time before the roots will get into the plumbing and foundation. Potted plants and trees would be much better. I like the idea of the climbing vines to add height instead of a tree.

Just googled "urban gardens" and looked at the images. There are some really great ideas there where they took the raised bed idea and places them behind built in seating. That might be an idea you consider. Adding benches and then putting the narrow planting boxes behind them to give the garden you are looking for without losing the seating you will want. One of the pictures had bamboo planted for height and color (I am not a fan of bamboo but the look was neat) instead of climbing plants and vines, which could also damage the concrete of the wall and paint (if you get the wrong thing you would be amazed!) you could just use tall plants or grasses for height and color. Make the benches flip up to include storage and it could be multipurpose. (like one bench could hid a vermicompost :) Good luck!

If it were me, I would take out the grass in favor of patio () and a container garden. As in your inspiration photo, you can have incredible depth and height with containers. I'd also string lights across the top of the space and perhaps creeping fig up the walls. Mounted pots interspersed would be lovely as well.

Please keep us posted!

Ooops, I meant to say 'brick, pavers or gravel' in the parentheses. :)

Agree, I would take out the grass in favor of a stone/brick patio and then definitely build a nook along the far wall if you like that look. I think it's cozy and a very good use of space instead of individual seating - if you entertain a lot or like to eat outside, you could even do a full U-shape style benching (with storage underneath) around a small table instead of the deep bed-like nook in your inspiration. Would give more seating and open up the rest of the area for more walking space and plants, but depends on what you'll use it for. If it's mostly just you wanting to curl up and relax, the deeper straight nook is great as well.

Totally agree w/the idea of incorporating mirrors. DOH -- why didn't I think of that, since I even have a couple of mirrors in my own garden??

As noted, they will add depth and interest to the space, as well as reflecting more light.

First thing to know is what zone you're in, which we don't. Second, as others mentioned, is knowing what light is available. Can't make plant recommendations (especially cannot just blindly recommend a Japanese Maple as one commenter did!) without those 2 bits of info.

But I think those that recommended trellises or espalier to soften the wall are on the right track. Pulling up the grass is probably in your best interests as well. It's too small of an area to really be a lawn, and they're not "green" anyway. Just follow your inspiration: A few pots on the ground, but mostly wall & overhead hangings.

Forget about trees and crap, put a barbecue with some chairs or a sofa there and PARTY HARD!

PARTY HARDER EVEN.

It depends what zone you live in and how much sun you get (others have mentioned this) but if you really want a tree, then you could consider getting a swedish columnar aspen (they work really well in zones 2 to zone 8 and they're pretty hardy in winter).

They grow fairly fast and they mostly grow tall but don't spread too much. It would probably look great in one of the corners. Their roots aren't very invasive so they wont cause many problems.

Otherwise, I agree that your grass might not be the best for what you're looking for. You could maybe add a raised planter at one end where you could plant annuals for colour and then fill the rest of the area with pavers. The pavers would be great for a small patio table or couch etc (another option is at one end of the garden do a built in seat/couch witha table and two charis on the other side.

I like the idea of adding a trelis to the walls to help soften the area, you could also do mirrors like someone suggested, or maybe add some nice moroccan ceramic tiles to the walls. Painting I think would be a great idea, something a bit nicer than the current colour.

Maybe you might even be able to add a small pergola above part of the yard. It would look nice with vines, little twinkle lights and laterns you could hang off of it.

And potted plants will help fill out the area like your inspiration photo

Can you reduce the height of the wall?

What's on the other side of those walls? Could you cut into them and put glass block in there? Not the whole thing, but just in some spots to let light through.
Otherwise, I like the idea of potted trees along that wall, just to soften it, and as nice as it is to walk barefoot in the grass, you might consider losing as least SOME of it. You could also do a small water feature in a corner too.

I'd run wires from the top of the wall back to your roof line so you can run outdoor lights or lanterns across them for a ceiling of light at night. I agree with keeping a tree in a large pot and planting the area with ferns or shallow rooted plants. I might hang an old window painted in a bright color on the wall, if you don't want to paint the whole area.

And lots of vines (though no ivy--it's invasive and there are much prettier ones to be had). You could do something fun with bamboo panels (available in any garden department) either on the floor or along the walls.

I agree with those who said check your drainage and light first. You need to know that stuff now. I live in Southern California and it amazes me how often people mess up with drainage (and we don't even get much rain). Make sure whatever you do will a) drain somewhere appropriate, and b) *not* drain into your house.

Many of the suggestions sound great, but I for one don't hate grass. You don't have to keep all of it, but nothing feels better under your feet. And you already know it will grow there, which is nice. Having dirt there will soak up some or all of your rain -- if you pave the whole thing, then who knows where that water might go. And no, the "contractor" will not necessarily know the difference! Seriously, you need someone who knows what they're doing.

I too love mirrors but think about placing them where they won't start fires. Fire is unlikely but would not be fun.

But otherwise, I'm sure it will look great, sorry to be a downer!

First- paint the walls, remove some grass- create an area along the wall for quality soil, plant vines,& create layers with plants of different heights.
Then add large potted plants, find great outdoor furniture. read about horticulture and figure out what types of flowers and plants and herbs you want in your garden and grow them! Add from there!

I have the same backyard and I was thinking of removing the grass and place decorative white stone with an outdoor table (pic-nic) and maybe a small place for herbs and flowers.

By any chance is that in Costa Rica, Urb Montserrat?

i second (or third?) the living wall. they are so cool and would be low profile. might be pricey, but it would be like art. also potted dwarf trees. long bench (or benches) under the windows. shallow arbor above that. screw the grass. Put in a nice stone patio or decomposed granite or brick or something. and bring in more potted plants. vines instead of living wall could work too. or bamboo, but put it in planters, not in the ground for sure, as it is invasive.

http://www.desiretoinspire.net/blog/2011/3/8/stalking.html

I like the overgrown jungle idea - and tree ferns & c

But also like the idea of a japanese-style garden: use few plants, and either gravel or moss & rocks... make the space intimate rather than small.

Maybe add a mirror so that it feels bigger? Cosy nook is a great idea and I would add some climbing plants.

In a place that small I wouldn't plant anything in the ground. Keep it all potted, at least then you can move and re-arrange it as it suits your needs.

1. Break up the space to make two or three more intimate rooms.

2. Create levels. A raised planter at one end will help draw the eye up to the sky, making the space seem less cramped.

3. In a tiny space like this, less is more. Use just three or four varieties of plants to make the space seem bigger.

4. Concentrate on creating a cohesive built space, rather than a piecemeal approach of mismatched pots and furniture.

4. When asking gardening advice, TELL US WHERE YOU LIVE! Plant selection will be totally different in, say, Toronto compared to, say, LA.

And hooray for me not being able to count!

Hi <3 I love that AT posted my question.

The full grass area is about 16sqm = 172 sqf, so yeah it is mighty tiny.

I have read most of your ideas and they are great. I live in Costa Rica, one commenter above nailed the location, our home is located in Cartago near the limits with San Jose.
I’ve been having issues with keeping my plants alive.

I have planted a fig tree and it is not growing, all my ferns died and even one succulent is kind of wuthering.

I love plants so much so it’s been very disappointing. My grandma’s house has mango, papaya, avocado, figs, ferns, jambu and so much more but she doesn’t live near me.

In regard to the amount of light we get, our front is north facing and we do not have east or west windows (the house is not detached on any side) and the back of the house has two large windows looking to that space shown in the pics.

The day I took the pics it was a cloudy one; usually we get our fair share of light. Even though Cartago it is known to be colder than the rest of the country, our weather is somewhat chilly.

Our whole property is about 1883 sqf but the dummy engineer (it was not even an architect) who created the blueprint didn’t believe in doing things properly and he is just another greedy developer who creates lots of houses with the same layout.

Due to financial constraints on our end we skip a few awesome opportunities (one house was just 2152.7 sqm but the whole lot-it had trees already there- was 5381.9 sqm) sqm. It was only 20 thousand dollars than our current home but the monthly payments were higher and well in case one of us were to lose our job, we couldn’t have been able to pay it alone and breath.

So we kind of settle with this house, it was brand new and everything. I was determine to have a little bit of green in my life but as I continue reading your comments I keep feeling that we have to get rid of the grass and build, which makes me a bit sad.

Nevertheless I bet that with all your kind comments I could create something beautiful.

I just read the drainage comments and we do have a proper system but it is not showing on the pics it is located on the left had side near the left corner out of sight.

The japanese influence and the availability to maybe keep a 86Sqf of grass (half of it) and the left hand side can be the nook with hanging plants, pots and built in benches with storage and an open ceiling that will not block the view.

I draw something but I have the file at home. Tonight I will post it here so you guys can tell me what you think.

Sorry about the repeated posts. I'm at work and I cannot use word or a note pad to write everything down before posting.

I wish I could reduce the wall height but there is a house behind us (actually there is a house every side except the front :_( ).

Perfect inspiration for you are japanese houses. Google "Japan's Micro-Homes" tons of ways to deal with miniature spaces)

..and, um, add a big mirror;)?

The mirror, the half grass half teak (that is the wood that I want for the nook's floor) lots of potted plants and hanging plants are the winning ideas.

Thank you so much for your answers, I really really appreciate that you take the time to put your 10 cents.

keep the grass! love the idea of an outdoor shower (is that practical for your space/budget?) and the trellis, mural, mirrors, climbing vines and.....wait for it....hammock!!! When I look at this spot, all I can think is: perfect for a hammock.

:p The shower is out of the question, it will be lovely but we already have two full bathrooms so it will a little bit of an overkill.

I will keep you guys posted.

Search "debolts small cool backyard" on this site - they have backyard almost exactly like yours. They put in a flagstone patio. I, too, agree with getting rid of the grass (and any need for wrestling a lawnmower back there.) LOVE the mural idea, at least until vines grow up the wall. I'd think about a mirror on a short end. Turn one end into your "living room" with your inspiration seating and overhead shelter there . Both the different ceiling heights (implied by a trellis or roof just over your seating area), and the raised beds will break up the space and make it seem bigger. Maybe a barbeque grill beside your outdoor living room? Finally, spend the money for container plant movers - small pallets on wheels or casters - to set those heavy large pots on. You can use lots of stuff to fill in the bottom of the planters, like styrofoam packing peanuts, or empty plastic water bottles, so you don't have the expense or the weight of extra unneeded pounds of potting soil in the bottom of the planter.

I am a garden designer and landscaper, www.lavin.ie, sent me exact sizes in meters please and I will send you back plan. Regards

I would try to install seating in a way that it makes you gaze outward the lengh-wise of the yard instead of the short side. To keep away the oppressive wall, add lots of thin (as in 2D) tiles and hangings and things, mostly light colored. Pale yellows would go great with that awful brown, and complement a darker brown trellis as well.

If you're willing to paint the wall, a shade of blue/turquoise will really make the space feel more lush when plants are placed in front of it. Would be a great way to get instant impact and visually expand the space until your wall cover plant grows in.

Hi Suemey, I was wondering what you decide to do with your backyard, I live right there too and I am having issues with it as well...

Pura vida!

Yes! I would like to know what you decided as well!

Hi I found that my area has a level 6 of usda hardiness so I'm working on getting some plants that will not die on me (an expert is helping me)

I will create an elevated deck on the left hand side it will be 2 meters by 3 meters, the platform will be made out of teak and it will have like a sectional built in and a little table in the middle. In every corner of the "deck: there will be a post that will support a wooden roof with a clear view into the sky.

I will be hanging kokedamas an little starlights on the ceiling. On one wall i will place an oversized mirror and on the awful giant wall that goes length wise i will place little shelves with wholes on it to place pots with flowers.

Bellow the seating are there will be built in storage (the seating area structure will be done in concrete)

on the remaing grass section i will plant succulents at the edge of the wall and some dwarf trees that will not affect the concrete walls.

I cannot do this until december but I can't wait to show you guys