Many Ottawa, Ontario, homeowners struggle with the narrow space along the side of their home. This area is known as the side yard, and many have no idea what to do with it. Should you just ignore it and keep traipsing down the worn path from the front to the back yard? After all, the air conditioning unit is there and who wants to move that?! Maybe worst of all is that it is right next to your neighbor’s house. Fortunately, Unilock, North America’s premier manufacturer of interlocking paving stones, has five solutions for the side yard.
A Sculpture Garden
Are you an art lover whose favorite weekend activity is to browse through the museum or poke around the antique store, looking for a unique piece of art? Then why not create a modern, artistic retreat in your side space? Consider a decorative walkway including Copthorne accents, leading to a small patio made of contrasting interlocking paving stones, such as Richcliff. Let the singular patio take center stage like a creative destination. Complement your modern side yard with soft, flowing grasses and bamboo.
Old World Elegance
Do you love the timeworn elegance of European cobblestones? Design your space to reflect your preference for the historical aesthetic! Reminiscent of an old world feel, Courtstone pavers instantly lend a feeling of the past. Use Courstone to create a meandering side walkway adorned with climbing roses. Add in low, ambient lighting and you will be transported to your favorite little European city. Place weathered urns with spilling greenery and ferns and your side yard can be a fragrant old world oasis.
Related Read: 3 Design Tips for Sloped Front Yard Landscape in Ottawa, Ontario
Arts and Crafts Design
Often built from stone, wood, and brick, the craftsman style home is a piece of Americana. Known as an informal but well-proportioned look, the craftsman aesthetic makes heavy use of stone and brick, but is not rustic. Choosing larger concrete pavers modeled from authentic street pavers can reflect a simpler, cleaner to suit your style. The earthy, warm tones of craftsman-style concrete pavers, such as Hollandstone work well with rectangular benches and Adirondack chairs. Planting boxwoods and ivy keeps that Americana feel and string lights can add the perfect soft glow.
Cottage Garden
A country or cottage garden look has less structure and more trailing plants, which work perfectly with the stacked flagstone appearance of Rivercrest Wall and a winding pathway. Locating vintage furniture and decorative wrought iron brings the romance to your cottage garden, while a fun white entry gate and heavy white candles complete the cottage concept.
Traditional Classic
The classic is exactly what it says….a look that is timeless! It can be relaxed or sophisticated, depending on the furniture and plants that you choose. Flagstone style pavers, such as Beacon Hill Flagstone, and tumbled wall blocks like Brussels Dimensional Stone are an ideal base for your favorite colors and furniture style. A rectangular Beacon Hill Flagstone patio, surrounded on three sides by Brussels Dimensional Stone low walls, creates a perfect spot to unwind from a long day, especially if the design includes a water feature, too!
That side yard does not have to be sad looking—not when there are so many concrete paver and wall unit options available from Unilock. A Unilock Authorized Contractor can even help clear the space to make way for your perfect side yard design! And you can decide whether you want to share your secret patio or not!
The title image features a Beacon Hill Flagstone patio with Brussels Dimensional Stone low walls.