TurfMutt’s Tips to Maximize Backyarding Benefits When You Have a Small Yard or No Yard at All

For 15 years, the TurfMutt Foundation has advocated for the care and use of yards, parks and other green spaces. Caring for and spending time in green space is good for people, pets and the plant. Studies have shown that spending just a few minutes a day in nature elevates moods, reduces stress, and improves physical health.

Backyarding – the practice of taking everyday activities like entertaining, dining, working and relaxing into the green space around us – is the best way to capture the amazing benefits of the green space around us. But how do those who live in urban areas where they have a smaller yard (or no yard at all) reap the benefits of backyarding?

Thanks to community parks, neighborhood green space, and even dog parks, backyarding is available to everyone. It simply takes a little planning and adopting what the TurfMutt Foundation refers to as a “master backyarder” mindset.

This is terrific news since a recent survey conducted for the TurfMutt Foundation by The Harris Poll indicates that backyarding is increasingly important to Americans. More than three-quarters of Americans who have a yard (76%) say the family yard space is one of the most important parts of their home, according to the poll. Additionally, nearly a quarter of Americans who have a yard (24%) say they spend more time in their yards now than before the pandemic.

The TurfMutt Foundation offers this advice for getting outside and enjoying green space when you have a small yard…or no yard at all.

• Enjoy community green space. Community parks and public green spaces are great equalizers. They promote physical health and boost mental well-being. In fact, people who visited urban parks for just 21 minutes showed a reduction in cortisol (stress hormone) levels and reported increased overall well-being. Tap into the power of parks by taking your kids to the park for a study session or to practice their preferred sport. Take a family walk with the dog through the community green space at the end of your road. Plan a doggie playdate at the local dog park.
• Plant with purpose. Plan carefully and creatively to utilize every square inch of your home’s outdoor real estate in support of your lifestyle. Need a place for your pet to do her business? Plant a small strip of grass. Long to take work outside? Set up a table in an under-utilized side yard (complete with a living landscape backdrop for video calls, of course) that can double as an outdoor dining area. Love to connect with nature? Plant a butterfly bush in a patio pot. Consult the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to determine which plants will do best in your microclimate. This will not only ensure you end up with plants that will thrive with minimal upkeep, they will also be best for supporting local pollinators on a micro level.
• Go vertical. Don’t forget to incorporate vertical space into your planting plans. You can hang flower baskets on your fence or railing. A trellis laced with living vines creates a gorgeous focal point. Green walls are all the rage and utilize blank wall space to create a living plant feature.
• Utilize balconies & patios. Even if you don’t have grass or any soil to plant in, you can utilize containers to plant flowers, herbs, and even fruit and vegetables that can sit on your patio or balcony. There are also planters available that attach to balcony railings.
• Create privacy with plants. Rather than putting up a fence in a small yard, consider a “living fence” of trees or shrubs. It can make your outdoor space feel bigger and has the added benefit of offering support to backyard wildlife and insects. That’s a win, win!

For more information, sign up for Mutt Mail, a monthly e-newsletter with backyarding tips and all the news from the TurfMutt Foundation here. To learn more about creating the yard of your dreams, visit TurfMutt.com.