While you may already have a perfect design in mind for your landscape, spaces can present obstacles that stop you from achieving your desires. Perhaps the terrace is smaller than you thought, or there’s a corner that won’t get enough light for the plants you had planned.
Working with the space you have in front of you, and not the one you imagined, can be daunting. If these are the kind of worries that keep you up nights, look for a design firm who can work with you to reach your ideal landscape design. After peeking at the lawns and landscapes of your neighboring flora enthusiasts, you may find that your garden worked out just perfectly for you.
Before finding the perfect landscaper for you, let’s familiarize ourselves with tips and original landscaping ideas for all seasons. You can keep these in mind when embarking on your quest for the right design for your space.
Building up a Backyard Landscape Design for All Seasons
The initial step in planning any new landscape design is to remove existing structures. This can be as simple as pulling the endless weeds that have thrived in your absence, or as labor-intensive as breaking down a rotted deck that predates your ownership.
Once these are removed, your space will be opened up to its full potential. You can even repurpose some of the refuse construction materials, for example, old stones could be used to create a footpath between the patio and the garden.
Establishing a fully fenced-in space while designing your landscape can also help your peace of mind if you have small children or adventurous pets.
Taking every season into consideration when planning your landscape can be a good way to start setting realistic goals. Picture a cedar pergola with open-finished gables, covered in snow and intertwined with bare branches. Now picture it in Spring, new green growth and flower buds overhead. Make sure your dream space won’t just end up disappointing you when the bloom is off the rose.
If you know your area has a predisposition to insects in the warmer months, or inclement weather in the fall, a fully or partly enclosed gazebo can be a better choice than an open pergola. Furnished with all your preferred luxuries, these can be an ideal spot to relax or work while enjoying your outdoor space.
Apart from the initial design, remember your landscape is a living thing. Keep seeking design experts for inspiration the same way you would redecorate an indoor space!
Spring brings warmer weather, and with it, the chance to refresh your open space. Use this opportunity to address whatever dissatisfactions appeared in the winter, and immerse yourself in a perfect summer experience.
With the experience of each season separately, you will be more fully informed on your preferences when talking to professionals. Bearing each of these tips in mind, you can work through a fully satisfying renovation, moving from the larger picture all the way down to the smallest nuance to achieve your vision through every growth period.
Bring the Indoors Out
Everyone wants to make the most of the space they have, to feel at home in their own house. A large part of this feeling will include how comfortable you feel in your outdoor space. Consider bringing the coziness of your inner sanctum to the outside. Take your outdoor lighting system as seriously as you take your indoor one. Well structured lighting can add warmth and depth to any area.
Whether raising a glass around the warm glow of a chimney or descending a stair to an illuminated pool, a good lighting arrangement can improve the experience of your own space.
Make Comfortable Gathering and Entertaining Spaces
Being able to provide warmth and sustenance is a good way to start planning any space where you’d like to entertain guests. Make sure to consider larger spaces for substantial gatherings. Include outdoor chimneys or radiators to broaden your seasonal options, and optimize your lighting plans to expand the experience.
Hiring a decorator can help make your outdoor space feel like a natural expansion of your interior. If you wish to use your backyard as an ideal entertainment space, try incorporating more aspects of what is available inside. An open-air kitchen or bar, along with outdoor speakers, can make the experience outdoors as amenable and engaging as any inside.
Include Functional Kitchen and Bath Features
Do you spend your colder months anticipating spring? Are you holding your breath to be hanging out in the sunshine, grabbing ice for your drink and enjoying the summer as you unwind poolside this season?
You can maximize your experience with an outdoor kitchen, or an open-air shower, coordinated into your ideal summer setting for an outdoor experience.
In the same way that a good floor plan directs you through an indoor space, a good landscape design flows and subtly informs you on the best way to travel through the space, or where to pause and enjoy the moment.
As with interior design, landscape design is a wonderful meeting of form and function. The placement must agree with both utilization and aesthetic, where each furnishing and addition should further the feeling given by the landscape as a whole.
