As the days grow longer and the summer temperatures steadily increase, it is also the perfect time to begin creating your own haven in your outdoor space. A place where you can rest, relax and spend quality time in the private sanctuary of your own home is a luxury not to be taken for granted.

If you have been thinking about making the most of your outdoor space it can be difficult to know where to begin. Thankfully, with a few helpful tips you can begin to transform your backyard into an outdoor space you are proud of. This article will look at some effective and affordable landscaping ideas to help you improve the look and enjoyment of your outdoor space.

Backyard LandscapePhoto credit: Unsplash

#1 Choose Your Function

Before you begin your landscaping project, have the function you wish your backyard to serve in mind. Will its primary purpose be to entertain your friends and family, provide a private outdoor space to relax, or grow your plants and vegetables? Perhaps you would like to create a safe and convenient place where your children can play with a variety of playground equipment. It helps to be clear on your requirements and consider working with an experienced landscape architect or designer help you with your plans.

#2 Location

When designing the layout of your backyard, it is important to work with nature and consider factors such as wind direction and natural lighting. By taking advantage of the gifts you have been freely given you can make the most of the features in your outdoor space.

For example, if your backyard is located in an easterly direction it offers the ideal position for a dining area or patio on which you can enjoy your breakfast while enjoying the sunrise. On the other hand, a west-facing space can offer the perfect view of the sunset making it ideal for evening entertainment while enjoying a cocktail with friends.

If you would like to install a fire pit feature in your backyard, it is important to factor in the wind direction to avoid the fire being out at the first gust of wind. By considering the weather conditions in your outdoor space during different times of the day and year you can optimize its natural features and avoid unnecessary mistakes.

#3 Understand Your Backyard

Every backyard offers its own unique characteristics in terms of sunny areas, shade, soil conditions and windy patches. If you plan to grow flowers and plants, it’s important to understand the topography of your garden and the type of soil it has. This will allow you to plant flowers, shrubs and vegetables which are more likely to flourish and bloom in those conditions and to avoid those which will not. Working with the microclimate and environment within your garden will help you to accentuate and showcase its best features.

#4 Spend Time in the Space

This will give you a feel for how your outdoor space looks and feels on different days as well as different times of the day helping you to understand what design will work best overall. The more time you spend there the more you will learn which spots you like to sit in and which views you find most desirable.

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Follow the four landscape design ideas in this article to get your landscaping project off to a great start.

Published in: Outdoors | Author: Yanita

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