Small Townhouse Backyard Patio Ideas

• Written by Holly Hughes on June 05, 2022

While you might live in a townhouse and therefore feel like you need to miss out on the joys of a sprawling country garden, this is definitely not the case. In the most urban, cramped, or impossible of places there is always a way to add greenery and vibrancy in the form of plants, flowers, and some really simple DIY landscaping hacks.

So, beyond decorating your townhouse with bouquets of fresh flowers (which we highly recommend, particularly if they’re coming from delivery services like SendFlowers, FromYouFlowers, or 1800Flowers), here are some townhouse and condo backyard ideas that will bring the delight of a country garden or tropical rainforest into your urban townhouse’s backyard.

And it won’t cost a fortune! Here’s a pick of some of the easiest and most effective landscape ideas for townhouse gardens.

Townhouse landscape ideas

While it might not feel like there is much room for ingenuity in a townhouse garden, there are many ways to create an outdoor landscape bursting with vigor and interest no matter the size or space you are working with. Here are some townhouse small garden ideas to try.

Stone paving

For the busy and those looking for a sleek, low-maintenance look for their townhouse garden, some stone flooring can work wonders. Needing nothing more than the occasional sweep, canvassing your townhouse garden with stone paving achieves a minimalist and sophisticated look that can be dressed up with potted plants, rustically painted furniture, or brightened with a display of twinkly lights.

The benefit of stone paving for landscaping townhouse gardens is that it is clean and simple and therefore durable and long-lasting. It’s a great canvas on which you can try out different styles, themes, and furnishings as the seasons pass, without needing to dig up your garden each time. For example, why not consider a tropical theme and plant these low-maintenance tropical plants in containers to give your yard an exotic feel.

If you’re dealing with a small space and are looking for small patio ideas for a townhouse, consider laying your stones diagonally to create a diamond shape. This landscape hack gives a greater illusion of space, even to a compact townhouse yard.

Townhouse privacy ideas

One of the issues with townhouse gardens is a lack of privacy and a fear of being overlooked. There are ways to overcome this, no matter your particular privacy issue.

If you are worried about being overlooked from other townhouse neighboring balconies, consider erecting a retractable awning that can act as a screen both from sun, rain, and onlookers. Umbrellas are another, more temporary option for your townhouse yard.

For privacy from the roadside or passers-by, lattice screens or slatted pergolas and fences offer protection and a further opportunity to green your townhouse garden. Plant creepers around the lattice or attach planters to your slatted fence to both camouflage and maximize this functional piece of garden equipment.

Related Posts: Best Planters for Balconies

You can turn a screen or fence into even more of a feature by painting it in bright colors or turning it into a herb or flower garden with some hanging baskets and pots. Find a selection of plants for every kind of green thumb and landscape style at Plants.com.

Finally, if you are worried about being overheard, a beautiful way to enshroud your townhouse garden with an air of privacy and seclusion is to add a water fountain. Not only are water fountains a stunning landscape feature in themselves, they also craftily work wonders for masking incoming and outcoming sounds in your townhouse garden with some soothing white noise.

This can work well for those looking for multi-purpose townhouse landscape ideas that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Turn a water fountain into your townhouse yard’s main feature by circling it with chairs, plants, and spaces to relax or else tuck it away in a corner for a secret alcove delight to give the idea of added space and interest to your landscape design.

Backyard small patio ideas for townhouses

For very small spaces, these patio landscape ideas for townhouses will help to create openness and give the illusion of space, even in the tiniest of backyard nooks.

Use mirrors

Mirrors are an often underused landscape feature, despite being perfect tools for rental gardeners on a budget. Not only do they reflect light to make a garden seem brighter, they also make spaces like townhouse gardens appear far bigger than they are. Hang one on an exterior wall and shroud it with some greenery for a stunning optical illusion that’s a landscape feature in itself.

String lights overhead

Why not optimize the coziness of smaller gardens by adding some fairy lights overhead for a cozy and rustic feel? Not only does this create instant ambience but it also helps to free up floor space by removing any need for clunky lamps. The perfect solution for a miniature townhouse yard!

Vertical planters

One of the best landscape tips for small townhouse gardens is to plant vertically, instead of horizontally. Utilize screens, fences, and window ledges to add an array of container plants and flowers. Install vertical planters or, for a low-cost and quirky idea, use an old ladder as a standing shelf for plants, herbs, and even some vegetables.

Planting vegetables that also flower beautifully – like broccoli and cauliflower – is another way to make your small garden deliver more per square inch. Here’s a landscape guide to some of the best flowering vegetables.

As it turns out, townhouses offer just as much opportunity for creativity, innovation, and some stunning gardening and landscape features as the largest backyard. Don’t be put off by the challenge of townhouse yards - embrace these simple tips to turn your townhouse’s outdoor space into a veritable oasis.

Of course, don’t forget to give the inside of your home the green treatment too. Choose some low-maintenance indoor houseplants to boost your mood or treat yourself to a subscription to companies like BloomsyBox, MonthlyClubs, or EnjoyFlowers, all of whom offer amazing packages that will have fresh flowers delivered directly to your townhouse!