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The Daily Insight

What can I do with a narrow side of my lawn

Author

Zoe Patterson

Published Apr 23, 2026

Install a Welcoming Entry Gate. 1/10. … Add a Stepping-Stone Path. 2/10. … Choose Low-Light Plantings. 3/10. … Think Vertically. … Grow Ground Cover Between Flagstones. … Construct a Compost Bin. … Set Up a Potting Table. … Build a Trash Enclosure.

What can I do with my shaded side yard?

In a shady side yard, keep a heavily used path firm and dry underfoot by using stone, gravel or concrete. In a dark space, you may want to choose a light-colored paving material to brighten the scene.

What can you grow in a shady side yard?

  • Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea, zones 4 to 9)
  • Boxwood.
  • Wisteria.
  • Camelia.
  • ‘Marjorie Channon’ kōhūhū (Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Marjorie Channon’, zones 8 to 11)
  • Ferns.

What do you do with the grass that won't grow on the side yard?

  1. Lay bricks, wood or cement over the area to make a patio.
  2. Swap in artificial turf where grass won’t grow.
  3. Add woodchip mulch, particularly in grassless areas under trees, for a cleaner look.
  4. Create a small garden with flowers or shrubs. …
  5. Cover the area with rocks or pebbles.

What is the cheapest way to landscape a backyard?

  1. 10 Cheap Landscaping Ideas for the Backyard.
  2. Use Mulch Alternatives. …
  3. Repurpose Old Tires. …
  4. Go Vertical With Your Gardening. …
  5. Add a Splash of Color. …
  6. Plant Useful Plants. …
  7. Opt for Natural Perennial Ground Covers. …
  8. Build an Outdoor Fire Pit.

What can you replace grass with?

  • Groundcovers. Groundcovers sprawl across the ground but don’t grow tall, eliminating the need to mow, providing the perfect alternative to grass. …
  • Corsican Mint. …
  • Creeping Thyme. …
  • Clover. …
  • Ornamental Grasses. …
  • Evergreen Moss. …
  • Native Perennial Beds. …
  • Artificial Turf.

How do I make my lawn not mow?

Ground-hugging perennials like vinca, thyme, and creeping Jenny make an excellent no-mow lawn cover. If you plant a mixture of spring and summer bloomers, you’ll have changing color throughout the season—a feast for the eyes.

How do I make my side yard landscape?

  1. Install a Welcoming Entry Gate. 1/10. …
  2. Add a Stepping-Stone Path. 2/10. …
  3. Choose Low-Light Plantings. 3/10. …
  4. Think Vertically. 4/10. …
  5. Grow Ground Cover Between Flagstones. 5/10. …
  6. Construct a Compost Bin. 6/10. …
  7. Set Up a Potting Table. 7/10. …
  8. Build a Trash Enclosure. 8/10.

How do you cover dead grass?

Deep Mulch & Sheet Mulching One very organic and sustainable way to kill grass is to cover it with a deep natural mulch material. For example, by mulching over the top of grass with leaves, wood chips, compost, leaf mold, bark, pine needles, and/or paper material.

How do you make shades for plants in a sunny yard?
  1. Plant Shade Trees. …
  2. Add Tall Bushes to Patio Perimeters. …
  3. Create Covered Porches And Decks. …
  4. Install Patio Door And Window Awnings. …
  5. Deploy a Shade Sail on Sunny Days. …
  6. Build a Pergola. …
  7. Include a Garden Arbor. …
  8. Cover a Patio.
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How do I lighten a dark corner in my garden?

  1. Add a splash of colour. Simply painting the walls and fences that border your garden can add a greater sense of light. …
  2. Turn on the lights. You’re short on light from the sun, so why not create your own. …
  3. Choose the correct plants. …
  4. Create sections. …
  5. Introduce new soil.

How do I redo my backyard on a budget?

  1. Build a DIY Deck or Patio. Photo via @seekingalexi. …
  2. Lay Down an Outdoor Rug. Photo via @alexandmike. …
  3. Create a Stone Path. Photo via @plaids.and.poppies. …
  4. Construct a Tree Bench. …
  5. Set Up a Trellis. …
  6. Create Shade with a Pergola. …
  7. Invest in a Fountain. …
  8. Use a Stock Tank Pool.

How can I make my yard look nice cheap?

  1. Add a walkway. Nancy Buron, Pixabay. …
  2. Save with perennials. Coreopsis / JamesDeMers / Pixabay. …
  3. Spread some mulch. F. D. Richards, CC BY-SA 2.0. …
  4. Plant flowers around your mailbox. Mohan Nannapaneni, Pixabay. …
  5. Plant a tree sapling. …
  6. Raise your garden bed. …
  7. Repurpose items as planters. …
  8. Landscape with lighting.

What is cheaper grass or gravel?

Gravel, Grass and Green Installing gravelscape costs $7-8 per square foot, while replacing a lawn with an IdealMow lawn alternative will cost $6-12 per square foot, depending on the specific grass of interest.

What happens if you never mow your lawn?

If you wait until the grass is long to mow your lawn, the extra long grass clippings will clump up over the turf, blocking the sunlight and stunting growth. If left without raking, the clumped clippings could actually kill the grass.

How do I keep my grass short without mowing?

  1. Artificial Turf: Instead of slaving week after week to maintain real grass, why not look into fake grass. …
  2. Paint the Grass Green: …
  3. Rock Gardening or Xeriscaping. …
  4. Native Plants and Meadows. …
  5. Low Maintenance Lawn.

How do I turn my lawn into a wildflower meadow?

  1. Stop feeding and weedkilling the turf.
  2. In the first year, continue mowing weekly to weaken the grass.
  3. Some wild species will establish and thrive.
  4. Raise others from seed, introducing them as one- to two-year-old pot-grown plants planted into holes in the turf.

Can I put grass seed over my existing lawn?

Sowing new grass seed over your existing lawn is known as overseeding. While it is often done to fill thinning or bare spots, you can also overseed your lawn to prevent browning during the winter by overseeding a warm-season lawn with a cool-season grass.

What ground cover can you walk on?

– Includes several walkable groundcovers such as woolly thyme, red creeping thyme, and mother-of-thyme. Thyme thrives in full sunlight and nearly any well-drained soil.

Is it worth getting artificial grass?

Artificial grass is highly durable. It can withstand wear and tear, is weather-proof, does not dry out, does not get waterlogged, and will not fall victim to pest infestations. It is way more robust than real grass. Our grass can be recycled at the end of its life so that it can be repurposed into other products.

How do you make a rock garden over grass?

  1. Clear off a section of land. The first step to building your stone garden is to make some space for it within your lawn or yard. …
  2. Plot Your Design. …
  3. Choose Your Rocks and Lay Down the First Layer. …
  4. Add in the Soil. …
  5. Lay Down the Second Layer of Rocks. …
  6. Planting the Plants.

How do I get the most of my side yard?

  1. Paving Your Side Yard. One great way to add some color and vibrancy to your side yard is by having it paved. …
  2. Add A Shed. If you need some additional outdoor storage space, add a garden shed. …
  3. Put In A Vegetable Garden. …
  4. Play Area. …
  5. Add A Relaxation Spot. …
  6. Turn It Into A Dog Run. …
  7. Put In A Flower Garden.

What can you put down on the side of a house?

  1. Create intimate outdoor living spaces. …
  2. Squeeze in a lap pool. …
  3. Add a private bedroom garden. …
  4. Obtain privacy with hanging plants and ornaments. …
  5. Make pathways interesting. …
  6. Make viewing courtyards. …
  7. Vary ground surfaces.

How do I make the sides of my house look good?

  1. Trim your shrubs. …
  2. Put out planters. …
  3. Plan on pressure washing. …
  4. Add color to the front door. …
  5. Redo your walkway. …
  6. Paint the house. …
  7. Upgrade your front porch light. …
  8. Don’t be afraid to go bold.

How do you make temporary shades in the garden?

  1. Create garden shade with a parasol. …
  2. Invest in an architectural element. …
  3. Enhance shade with tree cover. …
  4. Keep cool with a temporary canopy. …
  5. Drape a pergola with foliage. …
  6. Pitch up a colorful canopy. …
  7. Set up a picture-perfect pergola.

Can sheets be used as shade cloth?

Using shade cloth in gardens is a great way to provide shade for plants. … You can place the sheet directly over the plants, but arrange the stakes so the sheet is suspended several inches (7.5 to 6 cm.) above the plant.

How do you landscape a shady yard?

  1. Create Garden Rooms. This South Carolina backyard is long and narrow, which can present a design challenge. …
  2. Choose Easy-Care Plants. …
  3. Incorporate Texture. …
  4. Repeat a Theme. …
  5. Going Begonias. …
  6. Integrate Surprises. …
  7. Pick the Right Plants. …
  8. Enjoy Seating Areas.

How do I turn my backyard into an oasis?

  1. Retractable Shade. To shade a hot-spot, consider a retractable shade like the one on this pergola. …
  2. Privacy Screens. …
  3. Grow a Living Wall. …
  4. Space for Kids and Grown Ups. …
  5. Paver Pedestal System. …
  6. Add Texture and Interest. …
  7. Plant an Herb Wall. …
  8. Privacy and Parties.

How much does a backyard makeover cost?

Backyard Remodel Cost A total backyard renovation costs $15,000 to $50,000 on average. For a modest remodel, including new sod, bushes and plants, you’re looking at $5,000. On the high end, you can easily break $100,000 with a pool, patio, outdoor kitchen and lounge area.

How do you make a backyard fun?

  1. Lawn Games. Let the lawn games begin! …
  2. Gossip and Swing. …
  3. Set Up a Hot Tub. …
  4. Bubble Wrap Twister. …
  5. Tiki Bar. …
  6. Have a BBQ. …
  7. Backyard Chalkboard. …
  8. Piñatas.

How do you do simple landscaping?

  1. Mix Soil and Homemade Compost. …
  2. Begin With Young Shrubs and Plants. …
  3. Wait Until the End of the Season. …
  4. Make Your Own Stepping Stones. …
  5. Pick Perennials. …
  6. Divide and Conquer. …
  7. Take Advantage of Free Mulch From Your Community. …
  8. Add an Outdoor Rug.