8 New Uses for Your Side Yard

I have written earlier about turning a side yard into a glorious garden room. We all want at least one (or possibly two) of those, right? Life's dreamy moments, intimate snuggles or quiet conversations need a spot where they can occur.

Although I do recommend that you imagine the mood you want to experience before tackling a side yard makeover, there are also more prosaic uses for that slender area. You may need it to be functional, filling a role that can't be filled by any other spot on your property. So let's look at some inspiring side yards where style and utility coexist, and the roles they play.

Foyer. Perhaps this side yard was once a blank slate, relegated to storing trash bins. With the bold addition of three distinct components, it's now the grand entry to this property, linking the interior and exterior living spaces.

1. The "doorway" appears in the form of a simple arbor. Two vertical posts are erected on substantial pedestals. The header beams are aligned with the roof, giving the structure the ideal scale. A few trellis-like crossbeams lend interest and invite a vine to climb their heights. Approaching this structure, you know exactly where to go. You can see the ultimate destination — a conversation and sitting area in the garden.

2. The "flooring" is nicely aligned with the opening in the arbor, with the addition of an extra row of square pavers to form a graphic 3-by-6 tile grid. This treatment is both path and patio, inviting the addition of furniture for a variety of purposes.

3. The trio of planters helps soften the home's intense white exterior and engages any pedestrians who stroll by. Three identical bowls, filled with interesting, textural plants and displayed on dramatic concrete cubes, give this space a distinct point of view.

Welcome to my foyer!


Edible garden. Raised beds lend order and structure to a kitchen garden. Depending on the dimensions, they also can be kid and grandparent friendly.

For example, this set of eight raised beds, beautifully constructed from ipe or similar hardwood lumber, has details like mitered corners and smooth hardware, making them suitable for youngsters who want to stand at the edge and harvest carrots or radishes to their hearts' content. And the capped walls are wide enough to double as seating — handy for someone with physical limitations.

Mostly I admire this side kitchen garden for its attractive design, functional spacing (there's room for a wheelbarrow between the raised beds) and the excellent proportions that hold their own with the scale of the home.

See how to make a raised garden bed


Dining area. Clearly, there's not room for a huge dining set, the kind of teak collection with armchairs so heavy that they're hard to move. But that's actually why I love this space. The green wall is a privacy buffer, but it is also the backdrop to the bench for two that's situated to look into the space. Combine the bench with a café table and two bistro chairs, add some pillows and table linens — and it's an instant gathering place for four friends to enjoy an al fresco meal.

The crushed rock is a versatile solution, doubling as both flooring and path material. It's also simple to rearrange this seating, move the pots around and bring in a few stools to accommodate a larger party.


Sporty space. What better use for a slim strip of land than a European-inspired boccie ball court? Get those couch potatoes away from the big-screen TV and encourage a little friendly competition with this classic game.

The long, narrow dimensions of this outdoor play court line up perfectly at the side garden's outer edge. Notice the clean lines and fine details — the constructed box that holds the boccie ball court is finished with the same weathered steel used in four very modern weathered-steel planter boxes.


Entertaining area for a crowd. Not much wasted space here — the design harnesses all the available square footage to turn a small paved patio into a party room for 10. The ample proportions of a trestle-style table and chairs are suitable here, especially with a huge condominium wall looming above the patio.

Imagine how many lovely evenings have taken place here. You're enclosed by a densely planted border, which creates a sensory experience of scents and sounds. Candles flicker in the lanterns. Wineglasses clink, and laughter fills the air. Who wants to spend time inside when this is the alternative?


"Carpeted" space. A compact space between the kitchen door and the perimeter wall, this side yard has a playful floor treatment that turns it into something quite special.

The "carpet" of different square and rectangular pavers is laid on a bed of contrasting crushed rock. The random-looking (but probably quite carefully arranged) pattern creates a dynamic energy that moves the eye through this space and makes coming here a treat.

Another reason this design is so successful is the light hand with which it is accessorized: The furnishings and plants are classically simple, with one material (teak) and one color (parrot orange). Nice work!


Spot for a top chef. There are so many good things to say about this side garden design, but the most important one is, "Please invite me over for a meal!" From the modern arbor's slender profile to the mixed flooring of concrete and gravel, this space makes use of every inch, top to bottom.

The L-shaped banquette to the right provides seating for lots of people and doubles as a low wall that divides the courtyard from the dining area. The bar/cooking area faces the party (a nice way to keep the chef engaged with guests). I love the thoughtful addition of twin pendant lights suspended from the arbor to illuminate the food-prep area and the large mirror at the back, hung on the outside wall to reflect light and greenery into the space.

Now, what's for dinner?


A place for luxuriating. This semihidden nook gets high marks for so many reasons.

• The stone wall provides protection and scale. It is comparable to the height of an interior wall, relating nicely to both the furniture proportions and any people who occupy the area.
• The overhead arbor is fabricated of metal, creating a simple grid that uses large openings to reveal the sky. Vines cover parts of this durable arbor, but that's OK, because they too provide protection.
• The seating is just right: two cushioned benches and a low coffee table with a huge surface for plants, wineglasses or even dinner plates. And the low-maintenance flooring is suitable for keeping the table and chair legs stable.
• Finally, what really makes this space luxurious is the planting plan. Textures are lush and varied. The foliage billows to partially obscure the seating area. It's almost possible to disappear within — and who wouldn't want to?

More:
8 Splendid Side Yard Designs
Turn Your Side Yard Into a Glorious Garden Room

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