Section Off A Formal Garden
Quadrants of flower patches.
Formal gardensthink castles and royal palacesare often well-balanced, symmetrical, and full of paths leading from one section to the next. Sometimes called classical gardens, theyre actually pretty simple to design in your own backyard, too. For a starter design, use two intersecting paths to divide your yard into four quadrants with one central area. Employ balance by planting the same flowers and plants in each section.
Build An Outdoor Fire Pit
Theres no better way to bring the family together than with smores over a fire pit. But you dont need to spring for a contractor to put one in with one trip to the home improvement store, you can have your own backyard campfire station in just a few minutes. If you need to get rid of rocks from another project, building a fire pit with them is a great way to do it.
Here are a few ways to make your own fire pit without overspending:
Fire Pit Ideas on a Budget
- Concrete retaining wall blocks about $1.25 per block, total cost of $50
- Cinder block caps about $1.50 per block, total cost of $40
- Concrete fire bowl about $3 for one bag of concrete, $56 total
- Dirt floor fire ring free, if using natural stones from your own woods
Backyard Ideas For Spaces Large And Small
Is your backyard in need of a renovation? We have plenty of backyard landscaping ideas from design ideas for small backyards and backyards that slope to family-friendly designs and backyards designed for entertaining.
Make your backyard a place that reflects your style, whether you prefer a contemporary-style space with succulents and abundant hardscapes or a cottage-style look with pathways or water features framed by masses of colorful perennials. If you like to host outdoor parties, consider adding a fire pit or fireplace for guests to gather around.
This backyard is one both adults and children can enjoy, with areas for play and relaxation incorporated into the design. See the following photos for more backyard design ideas and inspiration.
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How To Plan Your Backyard Landscape
Before you head to your local The Home Depot Garden Center to buy plants, patio furniture or landscaping supplies, you need to have a plan. You don’t need to be a professional landscape designer to develop landscape designideas. An easy way to develop a landscape plan is to sketch it down on paper.
- Measure the backyard area you want to landscape and transfer the basic dimensions to graph paper.
- In one corner of the paper, mark the direction north. This will help you remember the type of sunlight that parts of the landscape get during the day.
- Sketch in areas you want to add to your landscape. Include large features like water features or hardscapes you want to add. Roughly sketch in new garden beds or areas in which you want new trees or shrubs.
- Add in the details. Color in trees, shrubs and garden beds, as well as patio areas. This will help bring the landscape plan to life. Sketch in the details of the paver stones or brick. These details will help you envision the overall picture.
- Make a list. Now that you have a plan of your landscape, you can get all the tools and supplies for landscaping your backyard.
Front Yard Landscaping Ideas
First impressions are everything, so if a lackluster front yard is keeping people at bay, it may be time to get your landscaping act together. Depending on your yard, a few small tweaks or a weekend project might be enough to give you the curb appeal you desire. If your front yard is a blank slate, you may want to go all-in for a big redesign.
Knowing where to begin is half the battle. Take a look at our front yard landscaping ideas for some inspiration.
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Use Trees And Paving To Sculpt The Land
Project by Jo Alderson Design
Fancy a simple but oh-so effective design? Then mix trees, grass and snaking garden path ideas. Perfect for creating a tranquil spot that’s perfect for quiet contemplation or a fun spot for children to play, its a great way to make the most of large garden ideas.
In this project, winter flowering cherry trees are dotted across a gently undulating grassy area. Curving turf paths, edged with simple pavers create sweeping clean lines that add movement and balance the slender trees.
‘This is part of a very large garden and was originally just a flat bank situated quite a distance from the main house,’ explains designer Jo Alderson. ‘My client loves trees so we thought it would be fun to create a swirly maze for her grandchildren to discover and run around – together with visiting dogs! Throughout spring there are lots of bulbs popping up through the longer grass.’
Install An Artificial Grass Lawn
If you love the idea of a huge, lush lawn that covers your entire yard but do not want the headaches, maintenance tasks and higher water bill that come along with natural grass, synthetic turf might be your best choice.
This is a fast, easy way to cover a large area with a low-maintenance landscaping feature that requires none of the watering, mowing, edging, fertilizing, aerating or weeding that comes with natural grass. While you get to enjoy an inviting, kid- and dog-friendly lawn that requires very little maintenance, you will not have to worry about brown spots, wet blades of grass being tracked into your home or mud after it rains.
Artificial grass lends itself well to multiple purposes and can withstand heavy traffic, so you can easily transform your yard into a field for impromptu soccer games, a play area for children or pets, an outdoor entertaining area, or simply an expansive lawn that you can admire from your patio while enjoying your morning coffee. To keep high-traffic areas looking fresh all year long, there are simple turf maintenance tasks that you or a professional can complete.
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Use Edging To Add Some Order
If you want to landscape with a budget, sometimes the best money-saving technique is to enhance what you already have.
Is your favorite tree looking a little forgotten, or is the mulch in your flower beds getting all over the lawn? Consider giving your trees, shrubs, and flower beds a makeover with some edging. Edging helps to keep your mulch in place, prevent erosion, and make your landscape stand out.
Edging materials include stone, concrete, brick, wood, metal, logs, and recyclable items.
Cost: Landscape curbing installation, or edging, can cost between $70 and $1,700. But to keep that piggy bank on the shelf, spare stones on your lawn or extra wood from the tool shed can make excellent materials for your flower beds edging.
Play Up The Prairie Lifestyle
Tall, swaying plants give your backyard allure.
If youre into cottagecore, plant a whimsical garden that looks like it came straight out of the English countryside. One of the easiest ways to create that wild, colorful aesthetic thats a staple of the cottagecore design ethos is through the use of native plants: flowers, grasses, and greenery that grow naturally without human intervention. By planting them in your yard, not only are they sure to flourish but they create that perfect prairie vibe. To find the native plants best suited for your area, google the name of your city + native plants.
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Landscaping Ideas For Large Backyard
In our haste to tackle everything on our to-do list, we often forget the profound affect our immediate surroundings have on our well-being. The backyard in particular can become overgrown and neglected, a nagging symbol of chores yet to be done. Its easy to overlook the potential for calm and tranquility that the backyard offers. With a minimal investment of effort and expense, a weed-infested wasteland can be transformed into a sanctuary. Studies show that Americans suffer from the effects of stress on an unprecedented scale. Now more than ever, we all could use a backyard paradise.
Repurpose Old Watering Cans
Before throwing away those old watering cans, save them for your landscape. They can make beautiful flower pots and will give your lawn a cozy aesthetic. Fill them with flowers, then place them on your front porch steps or in the garden.
Your spruced-up watering cans will have a gorgeous effect, and youll be glad you managed to recycle them.
Cost: The flowers will be your only buy here, costing between $10 and $30 per plant. Your old watering can shouldnt cost you a cent.
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Find Peace With A Pond
A circular pond adds a dose of zen to any backyard space.
A backyard pond adds a tranquil element to your landscaping, turning it from a basic plot of land into a relaxing escape. Consider elements like size, style, and whether you want it to be habitable for koi fish, or the like.
Devote Space To An Outdoor Kitchen
The pressure to use every inch of our homes recently has accelerated the trend for setting up an outdoor kitchen. If you have the space, why not make cooking in the open air a sociable occasion by setting up an adjacent lounge area.
‘Our desire for a great outdoor space has evolved way beyond a portable barbecue and fold-away garden furniture and instead these are now required to be fully functional living spaces,’ says Simon Burvill, founder of Gaze Burvill. ‘With areas to relax, cook, entertain and dine, we can create distinct rooms to give a natural indoor-outdoor flow.’
Just as with an inside kitchen, ample storage and prep space is a must when considering how to design an outdoor kitchen. Go for a mix of drawers and cabinets, adding built-in fridges, wine coolers and ice-drawers where space and budget allows.
An outdoor sink, either plumbed into mains water or feeding off a concealed storage tank, will make every occasion easier and save endless return trips to the house. Upstands with shelving and hanging racks will ensure spices and cooking tools are easy to reach, and also provides a handy spot for growing herbs and edible flowers too.
Find inspiration for your alfresco cooking space in our outdoor kitchen ideas.
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Install An Outdoor Conversation Pit
A sunken back yard with a cozy sectional and firepit.
Conversation pits became popular architectural features in the 1950s and found fame through the 1970s. The built-in seating in a depressed section of a room is an idea that can be transported into a backyard. Create an outdoor version of the midcentury staple with wooden benches, gravel, and a modern firepit.
Landscape Design For Large Backyard
Complementing the clients home is this beautiful and functional backyard. Their wish list for a dream backyard included a large patio and seating area around a fire pit, access to the yard from the bottom floor of the home, a new deck with steps to provide access to the yard from the second floor, and a level area for a play structure that could one day become a sport court once the kids grow up.
Starting with an unusable sloped lawn, Alderwoods team transformed this space in just 12 weeks after working with the clients to perfect the design. Work was completed on time and on budget for between $100-150, 000. The large natural stone patio and custom stone fire pit surrounded by a natural rock outcropping is the focal point of this backyard resort which perfectly defines the Pacific Northwest aesthetic. Seasonal plants and ornamental trees soften the rock features while offering much-desired privacy while maintaining good Western exposure.
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Create A Secret Garden
When I was in college, my parents had a 40 acre farm.
One of my favorite areas was a secret garden that wasnt visible without walking through arching evergreen shrubs. You walked into a beautiful design with multiple pathways and a fountain in the middle.
It was a literal secret garden and it was such a special space. If you have the room, adding something charming like this is a treasure!
Incorporate A Bench Swing
A bench swing is a playful approach to relaxing.
Though bench swings are common porch additions, this doesnt mean you cant have one in your backyard as well. There are various prefab bench swing options available, or you could design and build one yourself. Although many bench swings can and do stand alone, you could also consider hanging one from a pergola to achieve that front-porch look.
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Repurpose Items As Planters
Repurpose that old barrel, tub, piano, or wheelbarrow into an eye-catching focal point full of plants. Youll get in A+ in recycling and likely have a one-of-a-kind creation in your front yard.
Dont repurpose an old toilet into a planter, though. Thats not going to get the kind of attention you want from friends, family and neighbors.
Cost: Since youll be building a flower bed inside of an item you already have, youll only need to buy flowers, which may run you $10 to $30 per plant.
Install A Garden Room
A garden room is a great way to maximise and extend your space whether you want a home office or a yoga studio, and planning permission is not usually required. Whether it’s a large shed or summerhouse, it can be the perfect space for entertaining guests over summer, and can even be used as additional accommodation for guests. Think about ways to make your garden more than just an outdoor area to eat, drink and soak up the sunshine.
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Light The Way With Lanterns
Your curb appeal neednt disappear after that sun goes down. Install a few lamps around the yard, and youll add instant charm.
You can use lamps to provide light to your outdoor spaces, such as around the dining area or your reading bench. Lamps also can help guide you along a safe path, like to the front door or the garden, while also providing you with a sense of security.
Cost: Lamps are typically sold in bundles. A bundle of six or 10 lamps may cost you between $20 and $100.
Daily Unwinding In The Backyard = Mini Vacations
With regular infusions of relaxation, youll find yourself feeling more centered and able to handle the stress of your work-a-day world. Knowing youve taken a moment to smell the roses will make you less anxious about the passage of time. Youll keep things in perspective and remember whats important while enjoying your backyard paradise.
*****
Kimberly Aardal, Publisher of EveryDayRockingChairs.com loves the outdoors and relaxing in her own backyard paradise on her . Kimberly lives in the mountains of Colorado with her husband Jon and yellow lab Ginger. In the summer, the three of them spend a great deal of time in the mountains, hiking and exploring the small mountain towns in their beautiful state. In the winter, they admire the view from their
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Rustic Backyard Landscaping Ideas
Last but not least, heres a very simple stone path idea with flowers and rocks. Its cute and wont require any maintenance.
Bonus: Cant get enough of these landscaping ideas? Explore now another 7250 unique landscaping designs and ideas to fire up your imagination and turn your yard into a work of art.
Large Garden Ideas: 15 Design Savvy Ways To Transform A Spacious Plot
Looking for smart large garden ideas? Our selection will help you decide on the best plants, landscaping and lifestyle choices for your outside space
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Our large garden ideas are bursting with the latest design tricks and inspiration just what you need to whip your vast patch into shape. From simple planting tips to fill your outside space with year-round color and interest to nifty ways to help divide and cosy up a dull, empty plot, we can help you realize your vision and get the outdoor space you long for.
Forming a clear, overall plan for your garden layout ideas is well worth the time and effort, but often tight budgets and other commitments mean putting them into action, all at once, is not always possible. But dont despair, by just concentrating on one smaller area maybe next to the house or a single aspect of your large garden ideas, you can gradually transform your space and enjoy the changes.
Weve spoken to leading industry experts and experienced landscape designers to get their advice and top tips. Although no two projects are the same, great ideas are always transferable and these are just the ticket to transform your large garden ideas into somewhere truly special.
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Incorporate A Fire Pit
Fire pits are a great element that you can enjoy all year long. Create a custom fire pit or choose from our pre-packaged kits to establish a warm and inviting ambiance. You can also install a curved bench around your fire pit to make the most out of your space and add a touch of design. If youre looking for a high-quality fire pit with a long-burning flame that you can ignite with the push of a button, check out our Warming Trends burners.
Featured product: Blu Grande patio slab