My house down in Florida was just under 1,000 so understand size. The yard was very tiny as the lot itself was only 45 x 85 and with a very large 150 year old Live Oak in back. It shaded the entire back yard so no grass to mow. The front yard was so close to the street and sloped so I made it into a rose garden so again no grass.
Now I live in Iowa with a larger house and yard to play with. The back yard houses a 2nd 2-car garage, a garden plot between the two garages and a gravel area for parking. Since I wanted more gardening space I built raised beds in the gravel area as I was not going to try to remove all that gravel at my age. As it was I did move the gravel from around the back deck for a walkway which I was finally age to put in this past Fall.
This back yard gives me such pleasure during the Spring, Summer and Fall months with the veggies it produces and flowers. I'm already planning what to plant next Spring.