While the back of the home is not seen by the general public passing by, backyard landscaping landscaping should also have careful attention if possible for a number of reasons. The same reason applies as for the front yard landscaping - good gardens add 5% - 10% value to a property. This alone is a good reason not to just use the back of the house as a dumping ground for all the discarded items of life - like old sofas, car bodies and other trash. In addition, it is space that can extend the size of the house and its function - thoughtful design and planning can give you extra 'rooms' as it were.
For example, a deck added on to the back of the house and set up say with a BBQ and for entertainment effectively is another room added onto the house - an outdoor room. Likewise, if you have wide sliding glass doors on the back and they can open up - you effectively join the outdoors to that room - extending it, with or without a deck. Having an Italian style covered arbor (in larger gardens) or a gazebo also adds another room. This is all then great for summer entertainment. Add to all this some subtle outdoor lighting and you can enjoy the backyard from an entirely different aspect at night with all the interplay of light and shadows. Size and space available dictates what you can do with your back yard.
Some ideas to consider:
Play area for the kids (lawn and sand pits, play equipment)
A vegetable and herb patch. Though, herbs are probably better in pots kept near the back door for ease of access when cooking in the kitchen.
A secret garden (in larger gardens) - this is essentially an area that is separated from the rest of the area by a screen of thick foliage plants like hedges. Within you can have deckchairs etc for quiet relaxing.
Perhaps, a small fishpond or a birdbath as décor.
If space permits, a large tree that can provide shade to sit under. You can also plant bushes and annuals that prefer shade or semi shade in the summer - azaleas do well, as do annuals like primulas, begonias, lobelias, ferns.
If you have a pool, decorate the surrounds with potted plants - even mandarins will grow in large pots - great for color - and you get fresh fruit as a bonus.
A small grove of silver birch adds a touch of elegance to any garden - always use in odds numbers - 3, 5, 7 etc. They don't like grass around them but you can get away with it, or use dicondra (kidney weed).
The backyard is a real asset to any home - and even if you do not like gardening, it can be designed in such a way as to still be beautiful and relatively low maintenance. In such instances simply go for bushes, shrubs and trees that need little or no pruning. Cover the ground with lawn - for the kids to play on - and that's it. While you may not want to bother with higher maintenance flower beds, veggie patches and so on - a planted with just trees and shrubs will give a idea of potential to any prospective buyer should you decide to sell someday. To keep the back reasonably orderly, try and put your garden shed right down the back in a corner - and grow a climber over it. Remember, thoughtful backyard landscaping will provide the best use of land that you have paid for, as well as also adding to the property value
For example, a deck added on to the back of the house and set up say with a BBQ and for entertainment effectively is another room added onto the house - an outdoor room. Likewise, if you have wide sliding glass doors on the back and they can open up - you effectively join the outdoors to that room - extending it, with or without a deck. Having an Italian style covered arbor (in larger gardens) or a gazebo also adds another room. This is all then great for summer entertainment. Add to all this some subtle outdoor lighting and you can enjoy the backyard from an entirely different aspect at night with all the interplay of light and shadows. Size and space available dictates what you can do with your back yard.
Some ideas to consider:
Play area for the kids (lawn and sand pits, play equipment)
A vegetable and herb patch. Though, herbs are probably better in pots kept near the back door for ease of access when cooking in the kitchen.
A secret garden (in larger gardens) - this is essentially an area that is separated from the rest of the area by a screen of thick foliage plants like hedges. Within you can have deckchairs etc for quiet relaxing.
Perhaps, a small fishpond or a birdbath as décor.
If space permits, a large tree that can provide shade to sit under. You can also plant bushes and annuals that prefer shade or semi shade in the summer - azaleas do well, as do annuals like primulas, begonias, lobelias, ferns.
If you have a pool, decorate the surrounds with potted plants - even mandarins will grow in large pots - great for color - and you get fresh fruit as a bonus.
A small grove of silver birch adds a touch of elegance to any garden - always use in odds numbers - 3, 5, 7 etc. They don't like grass around them but you can get away with it, or use dicondra (kidney weed).
The backyard is a real asset to any home - and even if you do not like gardening, it can be designed in such a way as to still be beautiful and relatively low maintenance. In such instances simply go for bushes, shrubs and trees that need little or no pruning. Cover the ground with lawn - for the kids to play on - and that's it. While you may not want to bother with higher maintenance flower beds, veggie patches and so on - a planted with just trees and shrubs will give a idea of potential to any prospective buyer should you decide to sell someday. To keep the back reasonably orderly, try and put your garden shed right down the back in a corner - and grow a climber over it. Remember, thoughtful backyard landscaping will provide the best use of land that you have paid for, as well as also adding to the property value
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