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As a homeowner, a backyard garden is a godsend because it allows you to connect with nature and reap the benefits of a natural environment without leaving your home. One research study concluded that spending at least 120 minutes weekly in green spaces improves well-being aspects like mood and lower stress levels.
However, outdoor aesthetics influence the level of serenity achieved from an outdoor space. Therefore, you can create a cohesive garden landscaping theme to elevate your backyard garden to your home’s focal point and enjoy indoor-outdoor living. Below are aesthetically pleasing yet practical landscaping elements for your backyard garden.
1. Erect Outdoor Structures
Functional outdoor structures like gazebos, patios, pergolas, decks, cabanas, and garden porches extend your living space and create seamless indoor-outdoor transitions. They define your backyard space, giving it distinct character and charm.
Second, such landscaping outdoor structures provide functional spaces like sitting areas and outdoor kitchens and bars. Adding outdoor furniture and kitchen equipment like an RCS grill to the outdoor structures in your garden backyard creates a livable space where family and friends come and enjoy good times and make beautiful memories.
The outdoor structure market has multiple product types and designs to suit diverse aesthetic palates and spaces. Therefore, research the structure that best complements and enlivens your backyard garden space. Second, ensure the selected frame has robust weatherproof features against the prevalent outdoor elements in your location.
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2. Plant Annual and Perrenial Plants
Plant ground cover like flowers, grass, and shrubs is the heart of any green space. However, all plants do not have an equal aesthetic appeal; therefore, find plants in colors and textures that best appeal to your senses and evoke positive feelings.
Flowers are a must-have in any backyard garden due to their vibrant colors. However, besides appearance, multiple technical factors determine the perfect flowers to plant in your garden. For example, some flower species, including dahlias, begonias, and ligularia, thrive in the shade, while others, like petunias, peonies, and marigolds, require full sun.
Second, perennial flowers like lavender and coneflower bloom multiple times annually, while others like tulips bloom exclusively during specific seasons. Therefore, plant a variety of annual and perennial flowers and herbs so that you enjoy a panoramic view of bright flowers against a lush backdrop of greenery throughout the year.
3. Include Garden Beds And Garden Borders/Edging
A garden bed is a portion of soil elevated above the surrounding soil level and measures three to four feet wide by six feet long. It features a specific soil-to-compost or mulch ratio, enhancing its fertility and plant growth capacity.
Garden beds have multiple benefits that simplify garden maintenance, including excellent water drainage, soil compaction elimination, and prevent weeds from spreading. To add character to your bedroom garden and the entire backyard, you can use any material, including reclaimed wood, logs, concrete, cinder blocks, bricks, and corrugated metal.
Besides garden beds, garden edging is another landscaping technique that utilizes borders to spruce up a garden. Garden edging demarcations distinguish between the planted areas of your garden and other portions like a mowed lawn and walkways.
Second, the boundaries prevent soil and mulch from spilling from the planted garden when it rains and facilitates weed control. Therefore, consider using garden beds and edging to improve your backyard’s curb appeal.
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4. Add Garden Furniture
Although plants are the heart of any backyard garden, adding garden furniture to your garden creates a luxurious comfy space for you and your loved ones to relax and chill. Garden furniture options include rocking chairs, gliders, dining sets, coffee tables and ottomans, lounge sets, chaise lounges, swing seats, and hammocks.
Second, the furniture options above are available in diverse aesthetics, including contemporary, shabby-chic, and rustic. Third, you can opt to purchase garden furniture made from natural materials like metal or wood or synthetic materials like wicker and rattan.
Also, outdoor furniture accessories like waterproof throw pillows and blankets add a much-needed pop of color and comfort to your backyard garden’s sitting space. However, although aesthetics matter, prioritize sturdiness, longevity, and low maintenance when shopping for outdoor garden furniture.
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5. Install Garden Lights
Adding exterior lighting is another way to accentuate your backyard garden. Moreover, one industry report shows that landscaping featuring exterior lighting improves your property’s cub appeal and increases its value by 15% to 20%.
Second, outdoor garden lights increase your backyard garden’s functionality by providing the illumination to allow you to extend your time in your garden into the night. Third, you can use the lights to illuminate the dark portions of your garden and bolster your property’s security. Also, garden lights highlight other garden aesthetics, enhancing your theme’s cohesiveness.
Outdoor garden lights are available in multiple design styles to suit your taste. However, consider the energy supply (solar VS electricity), bulb type, and ingress progression (IP) rating before purchasing any exterior lights.
6. Consider Edible Landscaping
Besides ornamental plants like flowers, grass, and shrubs, edible landscaping is also an invaluable design factor in your backyard garden. One literature review defines edible landscaping as planting food plants in your garden for aesthetics and fresh food consumption. The typical food plants used in edible landscaping include fruit trees, berry bushes, aromatic herbs, and vegetables.
Edible landscaping facilitates convenient, cost-effective access to fresh kitchen staples, increasing food security. Second, having control over your food production gives you the peace of mind that you are eating uncontaminated food.
7. Install Pavers and Stepping Stones
Pavers and stepping stones enhance curb appeal by adding a textured element to your backyard garden. Ideally, pavers and stepping stones like gravel and river rocks denote walkways, discouraging people from walking on grass. However, you can also use them to add texture to other landscaping elements like water features.
The possibilities are endless when working with pavers and stepping stones to elevate your garden backyard. Additionally, installation is affordable, and the final product requires little to no maintenance.
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8. Water Features
The sound of trickling water from water features creates a serene ambiance, making your backyard garden feel like a getaway resort. Also, the tranquil atmosphere has multiple health benefits, including inducing calm, alertness, elevated energy levels, mood elevation, and lowering stress and anxiety levels.
Popular backyard garden water features include fountains, koi ponds, garden ponds, waterfalls, contemporary water features, and reflection pools. Also, you can combine such water features with other landscaping elements like sculptures and rock gardening to create a stunning focal point.
Conclusion:
Converting your backyard garden into an inviting space extends your living spaces, improves your quality of life, and could increase your property values. Therefore, consider playing with the landscaping options above to convert your garden into the ultimate recreation and relaxation space.