Dear Homework,
We just bought our first house in the Benton Park neighborhood. We would like to give our tiny backyard a more modern, sophisticated feel. We have many requirements/wish list items: And we need to it all on a nonexistent budget—seems impossible, but we thought we’d ask.
Sincerely,
—From Urban Bleak to Urban Chic
Dear From Urban Bleak to Urban Chic,
Sometimes having a small amount of square footage to work with can be an asset because it focuses all the attention and dollars in a confined area for maximum impact. That can be the case here.
The first thing I notice is that the existing concrete walkway is in great shape and in the perfect location to define the raised vegetable beds. Therefore, it stays, saving a lot of money and effort. Next, I would add a new, black-coated, plastic grid fence and incorporate a new lamp post as a fence post.
I would cover a large portion of the area with charcoal-colored gravel to form a terrace area around the portable firepit. Bordering this on the left side, I would plant a row of upright evergreens to form a hedge/backdrop and provide a row of ground landscape lights to shine up and create a nighttime mood.
In the adjacent ivy bed, I would place an urn-type water fountain to add a pleasant sound. Finish the scheme with an extra parking space for the urban-friendly golf cart and some bright red Adirondack chairs for sculptural impact.
It all seems pretty modern and chic to me. I hope you think so too.
Thanks for asking,
—Homework
