4 Tips for Creating a Gorgeous Backyard With Practicality in Mind

You’ve painstakingly pondered every item that you have bought for your home to create an abode that is uniquely you. But what about your landscaping? Many people spend the majority of their time and money on a home’s interior design, and then the exterior landscape design is left as an afterthought. But with a little bit of planning, you can create outdoor spaces that are just as aesthetically pleasing as your home’s interior spaces.

Incorporate a Shade Structure

Never underestimate the value of shade in your backyard. While everyone loves to sing the praises of sunny days, there is such thing as too much of a good thing. It may be great in small doses, but few people want to enjoy a meal while sitting directly in the scorching sun. Add a shade structure over a seating area in your backyard, ideally over the outdoor dining table. You can have a custom one permanently installed, but you can save some money by getting a tent canopy that can be easily assembled for temporary or permanent installation to achieve a similar look.

Keep the Landscape Lush

When it comes to landscaping, a lush, thick blend of local plants and shrubbery is an easy way to help your yard look lovely. Skip minimal designs with a few plants sprinkled around like topping on a pizza and instead look to the landscaping at your favorite resorts for inspiration.

If you’re overwhelmed choosing the right plants, consult a local garden center for some plant options with realistic maintenance requirements for your lifestyle. Is your yard in need of a full-scale makeover? Leave it to the pros and hire a landscape architect. It will be well worth the splurge, because the more you love the look of a space, whether indoors or outdoors, the more you tend to use it.

Automate Watering

If you are going to invest in new plants, flowers, shrubs or trees, you will need to devote plenty of time to a watering schedule or your new purchases may not survive their first year. The most efficient and effective way to keep up with all of that required watering is to automating the process. Save your future self time and money by investing in an automatic watering system for your yard. In most cases, a mix of sprinklers and drip irrigation will be sufficient to keep all of the plants and trees around your yard looking their best.

Invest in Furniture That You Love

If you love your outdoor furniture, you will naturally spend more time outside using it. For an average-sized backyard, you’ll want to have a dining set, two chaise lounges, a pair or comfortable chairs for lounging and a few end tables to place in the seating areas.

While finding outdoor furniture that suits your aesthetic can be challenging, the biggest hurdle is finding something that can stand up to harsh weather conditions in your area. Carefully consider what kind of outdoor elements the furniture will need to stand up against before purchasing anything. For instance, will it all need to endure harsh winter weather or do you have an indoor storage area where you will keep it? Or perhaps you live in a dry, desert climate where the furnishings will need to be able to withstand the severe summer sun. If you live in a wet climate, you’ll also want to consider if the furniture will need to be protected from the rain with covers or if it will be at risk for mold.

You can create a backyard that you can enjoy for years to come by following these simple tips. By incorporating shade, carefully selecting plants, automating watering and finding outdoor furniture that you love, you can create a backyard where you will love to entertain.