How can I update and beautify a city yard?

Some great ideas here: https://www.pinterest.com/laurenmwebb/designs-for-teeny-tiny-urban-yards/

Cool video at youtube to give you inspiration after seeing this $200 makeover of a NYC rental apartment backyard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rF3NWbLB08

https://www.pinterest.com/aka1034/row-house-landscaping-ideas/

I would look for photos on line of row homes and see how they used their yards to decorate and garden. Here are a few, and maybe you can find one that you like: https://search.yahoo.com/search?p=images+row+homes&fr=yfp-t&fp=1&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8

One thing I remember from living in a row house is that, unless you have access to a back alley, everything you need has to be brought through the house to the yard. So keep that in mind when choosing how you landscape!

Make sure to include the face of the House. Clean up, paint door,windows. Give them either a fun bright color, or sedate elegant color ( black, dark grey, dark blue even red).

What do you have now? Dirt? Concrete? Do you want low maintenance? If dirt, weed it,and put down pebbles,stepping stones and potted plants with a drip system. Or brick it in,even put in a small “wooden “ deck. Add outdoor furniture. Do you have a fence,if you can put that up. A more modern look is wood fencing placed horizontal. Maybe a fountain to help drown out some of the traffic noise. Also go around to the ritzy areas and look at what they’ve done, take notes on what you love, sneak a photo, and copy that. You don’t have to do everything all at once, especially if your on a budget, but make it your priority. And only save and purchase for what you want. Also check out estate sales, Facebook marketplace....