Looking to transform your backyard? Just follow these landscape design tips to make the task easier

Your backyard is like a blank canvass. You can do just about anything you want with it and transform it into whatever you envision. If you want a spot that’s green, stylish and welcoming to both guests and family, consider revamping your landscaping.

AMERICANS LOVE A GOOD BACKYARD

Come to think of it, you’re not the only one who values having a great backyard to spend time in. In fact, a survey commissioned by the National Association of Landscape Professionals found that as much as 83 percent of Americans believe that having a yard is particularly important. Another 71 percent have also said that they feel it’s important for their neighbor’s yard to always be maintained well.

That said, transforming your yard into something that you can be proud of is easier and more manageable that you can imagine. In fact, to walk you through it, here are a number of landscape design tips that you can follow.

THINK ABOUT THE SUN AND WIND PATTERNS

Especially when you are looking to put in a patio in your backyard, you have to be mindful of the sun and wind patterns surrounding your home. For instance, situating a seating area on the west side of the house may mean that it might be too hot to enjoy a meal there on certain nights. If the wind can sweep around it, you can expect your fireplace to be quickly extinguished. If you are not sure how to go about this, you can always consult with a landscape specialist regarding where it would be best to set up your patio.

CONSIDER THE THREE DEPTHS

Take the time to step back and look at your backyard from a distance. Take note that there are actually three types of spatial depths that are at work here: the foreground, middleground and background. In the case of a backyard, the house is often considered the background. Meanwhile, you may want to vary the design and texture between the foreground and middle ground. For instance, you can put up a stone walkway in the foreground and fill the middle ground with lush, green artificial grass.

UTILIZE POOLING AND CHANNELING

In landscape design, you have take note of a principle known as pooling and channeling. It asserts that people tend to move through a space pretty much the same way that water would flow. That means it would move rapidly through a narrow channel and slow down the moment it flows into a larger, wider pool. That’s why people would move faster when they are going through a narrow walk then proceed to slow down or stop the moment they arrive at the opening. Using this principle, you can use the pooling and channeling principle to direct people to a certain part of your backyard, especially when you offer quite a large area to explore. To do this, you can line a narrow pathway with artificial grass and let it lead guests to a wider part of your backyard. This can be anything from a viewing deck to your outdoor lounge area.

PUT A SURPRISE IN YOUR GARDEN

The idea of having a secret in your garden can be quite exciting for both your family and guests. Find a secluded spot in your backyard and conceal it using some tall potted plants. You can turn this spot into an outdoor dining space or just a lounge area with some outdoor sofa pieces. You can also add a water feature here if you have enough space. Finally, you can use a combination of artificial grass and stone tiles to create a pathway towards it. At night, you can also illuminate this path for a more stunning effect.

Just keep these tips in mind and you should be able to transform your yard into any look you like without breaking a sweat. Remember that you are not in any pressure to get the whole project done in a single weekend. Take your time both with figuring out what you like and translating it into an actual set-up before your eyes. Get help and ideas from landscaping experts for good measure. Then working on your yard will be fun. After all, it’s meant to make your home all the more cozy and welcoming.

 

SOURCES:
SURVEY SAYS: AMERICANS LOVE THEIR YARDS AND THEY ARE IMPORTANT TO A HOME’S RESALE VALUE, newgardenselect.com
9,077 Atlanta Landscape Design Photos, houzz.com
50+ Fresh New Ways to Landscape Your Yard, countryliving.com
10 Best Landscaping Ideas, southernliving.com