6 Tips to Creating a Minimalist Yard

At this point, you’ve likely heard all about how you can achieve a more minimalist household. You’ve read up on decluttering tips for your bathroom, you’ve pored over your copy of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up from cover to cover, and you watch minimalist home shows on HGTV like it’s your job.

In other words, you’ve got your indoor space covered. But, what about your outdoor space?

What is a Minimalist Yard?

There are a few key components of a minimalist yard. Namely, a truly minimalist yard requires almost no maintenance in the form of mowing or watering grass.

In truth, minimalist landscape design will likely mean different things to different people, depending on what your overall home aesthetic is. But, no matter if you’re into rocks instead of plants, edible front lawns instead of bare grass, or native plants instead of shrubs, there are several ways to get that minimalist feel in your yard.

Tips to Creating a Minimalist Atmosphere Outside

In addition, most minimalist outdoor spaces have an eco-conscious focus. This means incorporating drought-resistant grasses and plants into your space, using your lawn to grow food, and more.

Here are some of the major features of a minimalist yard:

1. Little To No Ornamental Objects

This doesn’t mean that you should get rid of all your lawn ornaments. Rather, it’s about paring down what ornaments you do have, and making sure they’re all neatly arranged in your yard. Your primary goal is to create a clutter-free space!

Also, many minimalist-conscious homeowners opt to have lawn ornaments that can double as useful tools. For instance, putting a couple Pinterest-worthy rain barrels in your yard isn’t just stylish (though it’s certainly that!) – it’s an eco-friendly way to store and collect water, for your plants.

2. Native, Not Alien, Plants

When it comes to planting new flowers or plants in your yard, consider going native – native plants are both naturally resistant to diseases and pests, they need minimal irrigation, and they’re inherently adopted to your climate.

Plus, native plants require much less maintenance than non-native plants, which is a crucial component of any minimalist outdoor space. More and more homeowners are electing to introduce native vegetation into their yards, from both an environmental and aesthetic viewpoint.

3. Simple Furniture

Simplicity is the key! And, as with your lawn ornaments, we’re not advocating that you get rid of everything – rather, it’s all about consciously thinking about what you’re putting in your yard.

Minimalist landscaping does not mean removing all your furniture. What you’ll want to do, instead, is to choose furniture pieces that are a) simple, clean, and neutral-colored, and b) complement your yard, without overpowering it. First, note that both teak and acacia are great materials when it comes to achieving that modern, minimalist feel. Also, be sure to not to choose any furniture with too-bright, clashing colors.

4. A Garden

Making space for a garden in your yard doesn’t need to be a back-breaking affair. We’re not talking about planting a full-scale vegetable garden – though, of course, those are lovely as well! No, what we’re talking about is a bit more minimal than that.

So, when thinking about what a minimalist garden should look like, what comes to mind? A plain-looking, boring space with scant tomato stakes, perhaps?

Instead, a minimalist garden is simply a carefully-cultivated space, just like any other – with clean lines, neutrally-colored planters, and harmonious plantings. Using a streamlined color scheme, in terms of the planters you use and your overall plant palette, always makes for a perfect, clean look!

5. Rocks or Native Grasses, As Opposed to Specialty Grasses.

It’s time to just say no to planting specialty grasses, considering the environmental havoc they can wreak. And no, you don’t have to nix grass altogether to achieve that minimalist feel.

Rather, you could opt to plant climate-specific grasses – i.e., grasses that grow naturally where you live. Not only is this easier on ol’ Mother Nature, it’s also a much more modern approach. And if you’d rather go really modern, you could always use rocks in place of grass, in designing your landscape. Rock lawns are an unfussy and low-maintenance addition to any home’s outdoor space. Plus, they’re super chic. (You only need to glance at a few home design boards on Pinterest to figure that out!)

Keep in mind that if an entire rock lawn isn’t your style, you could always use decorative rocks to stylishly accent different features in your landscape, or to create borders around your garden.

6. “No Mow” Zones

We’ll say it again – when you’re considering adopting a more minimal feel for your yard, it’s all about being as low-maintenance as possible. This means declaring your lawn (or at least parts of it) a “no mow” zone.

Sound scary? We promise, it’s not!

There are tons of alternatives to turf grass. We’ve covered some of them, but there are dozens of other options out there. You could plant a succulent garden to replace your grass, especially if you live in a dry climate. Creeping perennials (vines, thyme, creeping Jenny, etc.) make for an elegant alternative to grass.

Or, why not plant a wildflower wonderland? Wildflowers make for a great “no mow” zone, since they adapt easily to their environment, need almost no irrigation, and can tolerate extreme weather conditions. Also, they’re gorgeous!

Takeaways

Okay, let’s review…why should you think about going minimal in your yard?

As if it weren’t clear enough already, there are tons of benefits that come along with adopting a minimalist approach for your outdoor space. When you include drought-resistant plants, a garden, and native grasses into your outdoor landscape design, you’ll be doing your part to be more environmentally-conscious. In addition, having a minimalist yard means less time maintaining your space – you won’t have to worry about mowing your lawn or maintaining your plants.

Finally, a minimalist-centric yard is an aesthetically appealing look, and the perfect way to complement your home!