Townhouse living often means tiny backyards. This client had a “postage stamp” sized yard and a dog, leading to a muddy, unusable mess.
Project Solution
We maximized every square inch. We installed a three-sided stone wall to define the space and used decorative crushed slate instead of grass.
The Engineering
Because townhouses are often built in a row, drainage is a nightmare. We engineered a “reverse swale” to ensure water runs away from the foundation and down the middle of the property, keeping the patio (and the dog) dry even after a storm.
How Drainage Saves a Small Yard
On a townhouse lot, the yard is small and usually sitting between two other yards that drain into it. When the neighbors’ water runs into yours, no amount of new grass or mulch is going to stop it from turning into a swamp.
The fix here was a reverse swale: a shallow grade channel down the middle of the yard that collects runoff and routes it away from the foundation before it can pool. Combined with crushed slate in place of grass and a three-sided stone wall to anchor the space, the yard stayed dry after storms for the first time in years. The slate lets water move through instead of sitting on top.
Learn more on our Stone Walls and Stone Patios service pages.
Related Small-Yard Projects
Three other projects worth looking at:
The 1,800-Plant Walkway — a lush evergreen walkway built from 1,800 Dwarf Mondo Grass plants set between stepping stones.
Taming the Georgia Terrain — 18-inch-deep solid stone steps down a steep slope to a custom fire pit and seating wall, finished with slate gravel.
The Buckhead Backyard Transformation — tiered retaining walls with a mosaic stone face, turning a steep slope into a multi-level yard.
Serving Atlanta’s Townhome and Small-Lot Neighborhoods
Townhome developments are everywhere in the metro, from Midtown to Buckhead to Brookhaven, and the yards are always small. The difference between a useful yard and a muddy mess is usually drainage and hardscape choice, not square footage.
Beyond townhomes, we’ve built patios, drainage systems, and stone walls across Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Marietta, Roswell, Alpharetta, Dunwoody, and Johns Creek. See our full service area for the list of cities we cover.
Get A Quote Today
Ready to turn your small backyard into a dry, usable retreat? Contact us here today to solve your drainage and patio needs, or view our other services for more small-space solutions.