Hi there first of all I think you accidently posted this as a poll when in fact it is just a dilemma. I wonder if you can change that?Second, Are you trying to disguise the large wall behind - or are you concerned with what to do in the yard alone?My go to solution in this case (if you can see no problems), would be to plant tall bamboos at the back of your yard.* Then I would remove the lower branches to create tall "sticks" against your backwall. And paint the wall a bright orange, pink or turquoise. This will add depth.* a number of questions need to be addressed IF you do use bamboo:1. What climate do you live in? If it is hot bamboos can grow aggressively2. What is between your wall and the wall of the other building (a road, a path) who owns it?3. If you were to plant a spreading type bamboo, you will need to invest in a rhizome barrier - I can give you details should you decide to proceed further.

Consider a screened room against the far back wall, a guest sleeping area and get-away with storage. In cooler climates, it could have paned glass windows facing the house for a pretty look. Alternatively, I would like to see some horizontal boards or a hedge along the back and possibly one side of the garden, something with horizontal lines to make the space seem wider. Bunches of bamboo or saguaro cactus can look very good against it. Colorful sails, pergolas (ramadas), awnings, and umbrellas will give the space some instant color and shade. If your climate permits, for those walls which get full sun at least 6 hours per day, red runner bean, trumpet vine, ivy, or other vines will cover them in one or two seasons. Then I would change the ground surface a few times between the house and the back wall of the garden, for instance, (1) flagstones set in concrete at the house for kids play and seating, (2) a low raised wooden deck in the middle for a barbeque and picnic table, then (3) at the end of the garden, a more lushly landscaped area with quiet seating around a fire pit at grade. Part of it should have a shade trellis overhead. The barbeque should be freestanding, say 6 feet off the side masonry wall, about halfway down the yard. This puts the focus on the barbeque and chimney and off the wall. A narrow concrete walkway should circumnavigate all elements and give kids a big circuit for riding their bikes. An outdoor rain shower ( a 14" disc type shower head) should be available for kids to run through along the path. It could also serve adults who want to hose off after sunbathing. Somewhere there should be a playhouse (three sides with a roof is enough), and a shed for tools and toys. These little features could be like buildings on a miniature golf course, or alternatively overrun with vines so you get some height to your landscaping nearly instantly. Kids love sandboxes, but they are not compatible with pets. Consider a raised one, with seating all around. This small garden looks great for all kinds of parties and kids play: Alternatively, here is a more passive garden which uses serpentine motifs to make the narrow rectilinear garden seem more interesting: A pergola against a side wall or in the middle can alter the rectilinear shape of the yard. If you prefer games, this is the perfect setting for a climbing wall, a basketball half court, or a bocce court. https://www.houzz.com/photos/72-the-parade-ascot-vale-victoria-australia-contemporary-patio-melbourne-phvw-vp~2281108 A shower is fun even if you don't have a pool. Horizontal slats with bamboo are nice.

-> ASVInteriors, how can I move this post? Or , where is the right place? Thanks!

Dear friends,
Thanks for your posts.

Regarding to my ideas, We are looking for a courtyard with:
- An active space for kids's play, in one of the corner in the back.
- A barbeque space, maybe on the opposite side of the current sofas.
- A landscaping to admire
- We will have a storage for the tools and other staff (it will be in the other side of the house)
- The irrigation could be "manual", we don't need an automatic system.
- Don't like any fish pond or pool.
- About the weather, we have two "seasons," the dry season (November - May) and the rainy season.

Regards!

A local landscape architect could give you the kind of help you need. Landscaping is expensive so it's best to start with a plan drawn by someone who has the background and experience to do it right. After you have a plan, you might choose to do part of the work yourself or hire it all done for you.

It is essential to work with a designer familiar with your country and climate. All we can offer here are general strategies and ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

It is critical for the garden planner to know the path of the sun across the space, where it rises and sets at the equinoxes, and how high it is at noon at the solstices. Are you in the northern hemisphere or the southern hemisphere? Plants are extremely peculiar about how many hours of sunlight they get and their orientation. Shelters should be planned so light can enter them during cool months, but the overhangs block most of the sun during the hot months.

Grass will not survive in heavily used areas. Once the infiltration areas are decreased and replaced with paving, considerable thought should be given to drainage, to insure that excess rainwater does not flow into the house and does not pond where mosquitoes will grow.

The choice of plants is very dependent on what is available to you from family and friends or for sale in your local market.

In temperate climates, we use a lot of wooden platforms, pergolas, and wall decoration. The closer you get to the equator, the more termites, fire ants, and other wood-eating pests dictate stone and concrete terraces and structures, metal poles and polyester sails for shade. Where mosquitoes are a problem, screens are a great blessing. In very hot climates, a ceiling fan under the ramada is very cooling.

The big easy chairs look so comfortable, but they are too crowded under the small overhang. I would like to see the main seating area moved further out into the yard under a new sheltering roof, a ramada, with a masonry barbeque/pizza oven/buffet/drinks refrigerator and high chimney on one side of the ramada. By moving it away from the house, sunlight is not blocked from entering the house, and you can get some landscaping close to the sliding glass doors.

Children may appear satisfied with a corner, especially to a parent who sees them primarily at meals and when they are tired. However, children like to roam and it is healthy for them to do so. Consider the tricycle/roller skating circuit around the yard, 2 feet wide will accommodate one way traffic. A climbing wall is very fun, and inexpensive. Swing set, slides, and jungle gyms and rings are great. The more adventure offered, the more they will use it.

There's quite a few options you can do in your backyard but like the others I suggest you get a plan and work in stages. Search the pro section in your area for a landscape designer. Here is a book of projects I have done in small spaces. http://www.houzz.com/projects/628532/small-spaces

Thanks hhdunlap for your tips and comments! I'm in northern hemisphere.

Also tks Red Berm, there are good ideas in your page. :)

I like the following ideas. I will review all about the plants with a friend.

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Thanks a lot again.

We have great backyard ideas on our site. We would love to come and give you a free estimate on your dream backyard. info@californiapools.com

http://www.californiapools.com/landscaping/

Commercial in backyard

Wow, that looks like a space you could do a lot with. It's small and narrow, but that dramatic shape could really give your backyard a special touch.

What I would do personally is take the modern look of your house and extend it through your yard. You said you would like a kid's play place, a place to barbecue, and beautiful landscaping. I'd be interested to find out the square footage of your yard, but from what I can see having the kids' area in the back seems to be the best idea. You could have a path made of concrete pavers (that way they would match your patio) that would lead to the back and then surround a little area at the back of the lot. That area could be the kids' play place. It would be slightly secluded (which kids always love) and you could put some landscaping in the third of your lot between the play place and your house. The secluded play area would also keep the noise of the kids a little bit further away from the adults :). Also, for the landscaping you will want to choose resilient plants -- otherwise the kids will just smash them.

Here's a plan I laid out based on what I can see from your pictures -- if you post your yard's dimensions I could do more.

I hope this helps!