How to Create the Backyard of Your Dreams

Image Source by Pixabay. 

Many of us have spent a lot of time at home in 2020, and our desire to improve our spaces has led to a sizable boom in repair work. If you're happy with the house but your backyard needs a bit more oomph, keep reading to gain some insightful and fresh tips. 

Work Space

If you're working from home, there are times where it would be nice to take your laptop outdoors, so why not create an office in the backyard. Of course, this may mean that you need a shed of some sort where you can settle in, close the door, and get productive.

It can be easy for your working shed to become a catch-all. Do your best to keep this space free of garden tools and pool noodles. Put up a hanging rack for tools in your garage and train the family to put things away. Get bins around the pool where you can store pool toys for when you need to chemically treat the water. Hang a "do not disturb" sign on your shed door to let the others in your household know it’s work time. Whether you're doing the job you get paid to do or putting some more time into your hobbies, this space is yours.

Outdoor Lights 

Look for more than just pathways and pretty garden spots. With help from professionals who know outdoor landscape lighting, you can create pathways to the pool that reduce the risk of a fall or install a system to reduce and kill mosquitoes. There are multiple options available to create a small oasis of light wherever you want one. Hiring professional outdoor landscapers with searches, such as outdoor landscape lighting Houston Texas if you live in Houston, will be extremely helpful in designing your yard into your dream landscape. 

A Zen Zone

No matter what you call it, there are moments in the great outdoors when you just need to give thanks. Install a comfortable bench and consider putting up an arbor when you can grow a twining vine that will give you shade. If you can put together a small water feature to sit beside your bench, do so. Make this s spot where you can hide away from the world, close your eyes, enjoy the breeze, and just be.

You can turn your meditation space into whatever gives you the most peace. If you want a sand garden, put one in. If you want a big swing or single person hammock to snuggle into, do so. For those with small children, consider adding a floor mat or large pillows covered in UV resistant fabric where everyone can gather and center themselves in peace.

Plants

Carefully review your options for low maintenance plants. You want your yard to not require a great deal of water each day just to keep things alive. If you love brightly colored flowers, invest in hanging and potted plants for something lovely that you can tinker with every day, but consider investing in shrubs and ornamental grasses that can survive the heat of a Texas summer without a lot of pampering.

To that end, do your best to create a gap between foundation plantings and your home. Add lighting as necessary to prevent unwanted critters from getting up against your home, and consider putting down cedar mulch to cut down on fleas if you have pets.

Security

Of course, your lighting and planting choices should provide you and your family with as much security as possible. Consider putting in solar motion sensor lights on outbuildings and on corners of your home where power isn't readily available. Try to direct these lights straight down around your home; you don't want your security light to ruin a neighbor's rest each time a neighborhood cat wanders by.

That being said, if there are crime concerns in your neighborhood, your neighbors may be excited about your motion sensor lights. Communication is key, so let them know where you plan to mount the light and see if they need one for their home.

Having a space to work, pray or meditate, and relax in safety are just a few of the wonderful ways to love your backyard. Consider putting together a portable outdoor kitchen until your design is certain. Set up a simple hose-bib sink for a garden in the cooler months. Try to start with a basic plan, but be flexible and don't build something permanent, such as an in-ground pool, until you're sure.