Whether you’re looking to improve your curb appeal for potential buyers or just make it a little more fun to hang out in your front or backyard, there is little that compares to upping the ante on landscaping.
However, designing and styling the front or backyard is no easy task, and it can be nearly impossible to know where to start if you haven’t got all too much experience in this arena, and so we have some excellent, creative landscaping ideas for you below.
The Multi-use Space
If the pandemic and numerous lockdowns taught us anything, it’s that the backyard can really be used for just about anything, and so for our first idea we ask that you consider creating a space that can be used for just about anything, or everything at once!
It is a good idea to start off with a solid plan here before you begin, and so listing out or even drawing out which parts of the yard will be used for what is a good place to kick off. If you have kids and want a play zone, then make sure to draw this out. Add a seating area, a planting area and a hosting area too, if you can, and you’re all set.
Remember that in the backyard the options are nearly limitless, and so with a well-thought-out plan and some quality landscaping tools you’re on the way to the backyard of your dreams.
Don’t forget some planter boxes or a planter wall and you’re all set.
Consider False Retaining Walls
If you live on a rather steep lot, these retaining walls don’t have to be false, but for those on a flat site, adding some elevation to the yard through retaining walls is something great to consider.
You’ll be able to simply slot in some timber planks and work to fill the voids with soil and plant some trees, flowers or some general small plants and you’re halfway there.
These are also excellent for added seating if you enjoy hosting parties given that they will act as a comfortable seat, rather than asking everyone to sit on the lawn or deck chairs.
Minor Lawn, Major Garden Beds
For our readers who are after a more intimate backyard through improved landscaping, we have some great ideas for you and these include minimising your lawn space.
You can easily create a much more intimate backyard by allowing your garden beds to take up almost all the yard space and leaving them to terminate by a small lawned area with seating. If you choose to fill these garden beds with large trees, you’ll be essentially forming a small seated nook between the trees which may soon become your favourite, relaxing thinking space in the yard.
Forget the Lawn Altogether
Another great, creative landscaping idea is to remove the lawn from the yard altogether, and this will give you the chance to cover the soil with trees, plants, pavers and rocks and simply have your yard as a small oasis that simply looks like the wilderness or a grassland.
We all know that lawn isn’t exactly the most beautiful yard feature out there, and it’s cumbersome to maintain too, and so consider simply adding a paved path and surrounding this path with as many plants and grasses as possible.
For our tip here, take a look on Google at woodlands or environments that you enjoy and work to mimic these in your yard. These environments will be a great precedent to start with and you will be able to form the ultimate outdoor space by doing this.
Pave the Yard, Green the Fence
To maximise space in the smaller backyards through carefully considered landscaping, it might be worth paving the entire space to make an area for seating, tables, a BBQ and hosting area and work to simply green your fence or walls.
This way, you’re getting the most space out of the yard as possible while also maintaining a nice green look to the yard by using vertical planters on all of your walls, fencing and even sheds.
Keep in mind that you will also be able to more easily maintain and swap out the plants in the yard when you do this given that a lot of your grasses and wall-planted plants will be in boxes or modules that can be taken down and swapped out for something else. A fantastic perk for those who enjoy spicing up the yard before a party, for example.
The Takeaway
With those creative landscaping ideas, we’re sure you will be better able to maximise space in your yard and really form a space that you love to hang out in.
One of the most important things to keep in mind here is that you should always kick things off with a plan, and that means jotting down a few dot points about what you would like to use your yard for and who is going to most frequently make use of it.
From your dot points, a quick plan sketch of the yard (ideally to scale) will give you the chance to work out just how much space you have to work with, and what will and won’t fit snuggly out there.
