Our Tiny Backyard (Year 1)

Hiya! It’s the last week of the One Room Challenge—reveal week! I must admit, I am quite proud of what our tiny backyard has become. And I am going to put an extra feather in my cap since we did all of this with a 5-month-old baby who wasn’t much help. So let’s jump right in and review some of those before pics.

And here’s your first peek at what it looks like now! A functional deck, a little area for eating, some rock landscaping, and plenty of space for plants. Plus, since the space is so small, a screen to obfuscate the HVAC unit.

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Veggie growing space

Let’s talk about the left-hand side first. This is where the majority of my veggies and herbs are. I used plain terracotta pots painted with Rustoleum satin black spray paint for my herbs.

They are hung using Pot Clips, which are literally the best part of this entire backyard. These things have lasted several years. So handy to be able to hang pots wherever you want and have them look like they are floating.

We have baby eggplant and cherry tomato plants over here in containers, as well as a smattering of other plants. The raised veggie garden beds are also over here. We’ve got quite a few things planted in these: sugar snap peas (climbing variety), a few kinds of lettuce, spinach, and kale.

I’m filling the other bed with bush cucumbers and climbing green beans this weekend. Since this is the only area that’s strictly off limits for the cats, they love walking around in it, playing with the twine we have nailed up on the fence for the sugar snap peas, and just generally being assholes about the whole situation.

Deck area

This view of the deck is lovely. You’ll notice Ramona’s wooden unicorn swing tucked to the side in some pictures—Mike put a hook on a deck footer so we could pull the swing up and hang it out of the way when it isn’t in use. But to be honest, it’s down most of the time, because if we’re out there, there is a good chance Ramona is with us swinging away.

We absolutely love the swing, too. It’s great quality. I did finish mine with a coat of Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane for extra protection, though.

Around the deck we’ve got a few things to chat about. First, I decided to put a few pavers in the rock landscaping. I wanted a clean look, but I also wanted to be able to step off of the deck and not walk right into rocks. It turned out exactly how I’d envisioned. 

We used Delaware river rock purchased in bulk from a local nursery, and I’m happy with how that looks, too. Originally I’d wanted something a little lighter, but I worried about that not looking very clean for long. We have awful red clay dirt here, and with ongoing construction in the area, I feel like everything outside is always coated in red dust.

The HVAC unit area that is screened off has some plants, too. I decided to dress this area up using some small pots with flowers in them and some more Pot Clips. The large vase with the spikes in it and the little pots are both painted with DecoArt Curb Appeal in Farmhouse White.

Absolutely no piece about small backyard design ideas would be complete without as many plants as humanly possible. I have a few potted plants on the table, and in the rocky area on the far end of the deck (other side of the table), I’ve got some bigger potted plants and container veggies.

The gray hanging planters were a last-minute addition. I found them on Amazon after the planter I’d hung in the same spot broke, spilling dirt and flowers everywhere. I really like these planters. They don’t look cheap but are very lightweight. I like the rope hanger, too.

No project around here is complete without something for Henry and Blanche (almost never referred to by their real names as they have approximately 500 other nicknames), so when Mike suggested cat perches up the deck, I RAN WITH IT. I was initially worried about whether they’d look too tacky, but I decided that even if they looked a little bit tacky, I’d be okay with them if the cats liked them.

The good news is that I do not think they look tacky, and the cats also love them. Well, mostly Buster cat, because little BB is slow to catch on to things…

While the cats are enjoying their new Neighborhood Watch Committee perches, we can be found laying on a blanket in the grass with little tootie.

The deck area sure makes for a nice view now!

But I must admit that the night view simply blows away the daytime view. The hanging globe string lights turning out wonderfully. They add just the right amount of light and give the space a really nice vibe once the sun starts setting. (You can see a tutorial about how to hang globe string lights under a deck here.)

I love it. Really. It’s the perfect little space. Our backyard may be tiny, but I think we’ve maximized the space so far. Later in the summer, I’m planning some more landscaping along the fence perimeter. But for now, We’ll just be having drinks here…

Want to know where stuff is from? Here’s a list for you. I think I got everything. If I missed something, just drop me a comment.

Source List

Plants:

• Painted pots: Mostly plain terracotta pots painted using Rustoleum satin black spray paint and DecoArt Curb Appeal in Farmhouse White
• Non-painted pots: Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and a local garden center
• Pot Klips
• Pot sealer
• Hanging planters used for ferns
• Hanging planters used for the bacopa and vinca

Rock landscaping:

• Delaware rock, bought in bulk from a local garden supply center
• Cheap pavers from any big-box garden supply store
• No-dig landscape edging
• Landscaping fabric
• Landscaping pins

HVAC screen, table, benches, and garden beds:

• All DIY—tutorials here: HVAC screen, garden beds
• Eveyrthing stained to match in Varathane wood stain in Kona
• All finished using Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane in Satin

Miscellaneous:

• Wooden unicorn swing finished with Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane in Satin for extra protection; hanging hardware
• Globe string lights
• Navy pattern stripe rug
• Shibori doormat
• Expandable, lightweight hose (worth every penny, folks)
• Cat perches: DIY using scrap wood, stained using Minwax stain in Natural, and finished with two coats of Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane in Satin. Hung using regular indoor shelf brackets sprayed down with a Rustoleum rust-proof white spray paint.

(In July, I shared an update about some of the changes we’ve made to this space. See the updated pics here!)