If your home is your castle, then your backyard ought to be Eden reimagined. No matter the size of your backyard, there are different ways to turn it into a peaceful haven where you can relish peace and quiet if only for a few hours. Turning your backyard into a lush oasis is a project that even beginners can get into without opening a line of credit. Here are a few ideas that can spark some inspiration.
Create Shady Spots with Shrubs and Trees
Look at the entirety of your backyard and identify areas that may become more functional with the addition of tree cover to create shady spots. Adding tall hedges or a line of trees may be necessary if your property backs up to a busy road or noisy neighbors. Make sure to account for the space covered when your plantings mature.
Add Architectural Features
Wide open space with few visual obstructions may be easy on the eyes, but it will not satisfy the soul. Create a quiet nook with a strategically situated pergola or a vintage-inspired gazebo. Bonus points for this option because you will be adding intimate and shaded nooks while providing seating areas for reading and entertaining.
Divide an Expansive Yard into Garden Rooms
Use garden arches, walls of hedges and other landscape features to conjure private rooms in your backyard. Add the appropriate seating to these rooms such as a wooden or concrete bench, a classic wrought iron garden set or comfy hammocks suspended from mature trees.
Add Water Features
The sound of moving water has a way of bringing calm. Options vary from fountains to fish ponds among others. The water element in feng shui is most important in ensuring the positive flow of everything in life whether you seek fortune, peace or harmony.
Use a Combination of Annuals and Perennials
You shouldn’t have to redo your landscape annually even if you live in wintry areas. Choose low-maintenance plants that are native to your area for best results. Plan on saving some spots for planting colorful annuals, which would require digging in the dirt a few times a year.
Take Advantage of Container Gardening
First, choose containers that will complement your garden’s theme. Next, choose suitable plants that will add color, interest and heavenly scents to your backyard nooks. Make sure that you have a convenient way to water your container plantings as they tend to lose moisture more quickly than in-ground plantings. Finally, reposition and regroup your potted garden as you see fit, depending on the season and the occasion.
Add Touches of Whimsy
Details matter especially if you want to express your eccentricities. Find things you like and decorate accordingly. A garden gnome here, a flamingo statue there, will make your backyard oasis feel more personal as if it existed only for you.
If all else fails
One should never underestimate the magic of light. Whether you opt for solar pathway lights, torches that create an island feel, or repurposed string lights from Christmas, light can add a particular ambiance we don’t even realize we’re missing.
