10 Landscaping Mistakes That Make Your Yard Look Smaller

Some yards feel cramped even when they aren’t. And a lot of the time, it’s not the size—it’s the landscaping. The wrong layout, colors, or plants can make a perfectly good space feel boxed in.

If you’re putting time, energy, and money into your yard, the last thing you want is to accidentally shrink it visually. Here are ten common landscaping mistakes that can make your yard look smaller than it really is—and how to avoid them.

Planting a Wall of Shrubs Around the Perimeter

It’s tempting to line the entire fence with thick bushes for privacy, but that can backfire fast. A solid green wall around your yard makes it feel closed in and boxed up. It removes depth and makes everything feel tighter.

Instead of one continuous line, try mixing in height changes, staggered layers, or even small gaps. It helps the space breathe and gives the illusion that your yard keeps going—even when it doesn’t.

Using Oversized Furniture

Big, bulky patio sets might be comfortable, but they hog visual space. A huge sectional or massive table can dominate your yard and make everything else feel like an afterthought.

Go for furniture that fits your actual footprint. Slimmer profiles, benches with storage, or smaller café tables can still be inviting without making the whole space feel crammed.

Laying Out Straight, Narrow Pathways

A skinny, straight path down the middle of your yard can make it feel like a hallway. There’s no visual interest, and it draws your eyes in a single direction without exploring the rest of the space.

Try widening paths slightly or adding curves. A meandering layout feels more natural and makes the space seem larger, even if you’re working with a small area.

Choosing Too Many Short Plants

Keeping everything low to the ground might seem like a safe bet, but it flattens the look of your yard. Without vertical elements, your space can look one-dimensional and smaller than it is.

Mix in taller plants, trellises, or even a vertical garden. The added height gives your yard more shape and layers, which makes it feel bigger and more inviting.

Ignoring the Corners

When you leave the corners of your yard empty, it draws attention to where the space ends. It creates a boxed-in look that shrinks the overall feel of the yard.

Use those corners! Add a diagonal planting bed, a corner bench, or even a tall planter. Pulling the eye out toward the edges helps the whole yard feel more open.

Using Dark Mulch or Pavers Everywhere

Dark materials can be elegant, but they absorb light and make things feel heavier. If you cover your entire yard in deep browns or blacks, it can make the space feel closed-in.

Try mixing in lighter-colored stone, mulch, or gravel to brighten things up. Even a simple color change can instantly make a space feel more open and airy.

Skipping Defined Zones

When everything runs together—grill, seating, garden beds, toys—it can look chaotic and cluttered. And clutter almost always makes a yard feel smaller.

Break your space into zones using low borders, pavers, or planters. It gives structure and makes the yard feel like it has more usable areas, not less.

Planting Too Close Together

Crowded plants might look full at first, but once they mature, they can take over and make your yard feel like a jungle. Dense growth also blocks light and pathways.

Give plants room to grow into their space. Stagger plantings and leave breathing room, so the yard stays open, even when everything’s in full bloom.

Using a Tiny Patch of Grass

A small square of grass in the middle of your yard can feel awkward and disconnected—especially if it’s surrounded by hardscaping or beds. It can actually make the space feel choppy.

If you’re going to have lawn space, give it enough size to feel intentional. Or skip the grass entirely and commit to a different low-maintenance groundcover or layout.

Blocking the View from Inside

Landscaping isn’t just about the outside—it affects how your yard looks from inside too. Big hedges or walls right outside your windows can make your space feel closed off from the house.

Keep window sightlines in mind when planting. Being able to see more of the yard from inside can make both your indoor and outdoor spaces feel larger and more connected.

*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.