Is your outdoor space more a place you want to get away from than an enticing getaway? A yard cluttered with too much patio furniture, outdoor structures (like gazebos), and children’s play equipment is going to appear chaotic. In fact, you might find yourself trying to avoid the backyard if there’s too much stuff, you find it difficult to move around, or there is always a project calling out your name. Starting with as clean or bare of a slate as possible, assess your yard for elements it needs to make it a place you want to get away to; a refuge for kicking back and relaxing or enjoying the things you love, like swimming, working out, or eating with friends and family. An outdoor living space has much potential and can provide sun, shade, views, and fresh air. Enjoy all it has to offer and consider the following ways to transform your space when transforming it into an oasis. If the seating is comfortable, you’re more likely to kick back and spend some time outside, rather than sit down, say, at a patio dining table, eat a grilled burger, then go back inside. The key is to choose plants that adapt well to the environment in which you live: dying tropicals in your desert locale will not remind you of Aruba. Mix natives for your region with trees, shrubs, vines, and perennials that are adapted to the climate—usually something that can be found at your local nursery or botanical garden shop. Enlist professional help from a landscape designer, or ask for suggestions from a garden store employee or the local university’s master gardener program. Landscaping should blend in with the neighboring view and environment, not compete with it. Not all shade has to come from umbrellas, though. You can create shade using gazebos or pergolas, awnings, vines growing over arbors, and leafy trees.
Garden pond Koi pond Fountain Birdbath
With so many portable fire pit models available at reasonable prices, it’s easy to create a sitting area around a pit. Just make sure it’s not near any structures, under a roof, or on top of a wooden deck. You can opt to kill two birds with one stone if you throw in citronella candles into the mix. With the ability to repel mosquitoes as well as create a lovely ambiance? It can’t hurt!
