Your home’s backyard can be a haven away from the busyness of everyday life. Getting started creating this haven can be surprisingly challenging – having a few ideas to use as a springboard can be helpful. We’ve created a few backyard design plans for people with all kinds of available backyard spaces. You can get started creating interesting, inviting, and appealing spaces to relax in. By strategically placing plants, furniture, shade, and other features, you can start enjoying your space to its very fullest.
1. The Water-Wise Shady Patio Seating Area
If you lack green space but have a patio, you might not feel sure how to integrate privacy or greenery. Hedges have a very small horizontal footprint; however, they grow dense and green to provide temperature control, shade, privacy, and a lovely sense of nature. Enhance the natural sense of your seating area with wood-tone patio furniture. Consider a full dining set to encourage relaxation and socializing, and to maximize the usefulness of the space.
Water-wise plants like succulents are great for people who don’t feel confident about their gardening skills. Although these plants are not compatible with every climate, they do well in many regions. They add a pop of color to patios that may not support other types of plants very well; they also require very little water which is an advantage if you are looking to save on costs.
2. A Haven for Seating
If you have a rectangular backyard dominated by a single feature such as a tree, you can create visual balance by adding another feature such as a patio seating area. Lay down a smooth, even surface such as paving stones, cobblestones, or flag stones; there are many possibilities to consider when it comes to creating these surfaces, so feel free to consider many options. Then, add tables and lots of benches or chairs. Benches are a good option because they facilitate easy conversation and can accommodate people of different sizes. Benches can also be easier to coordinate with pieces that don’t precisely match.
Increase interest with some strategic planters. Choose colorful containers or containers made of appealing natural materials. You can choose plants that coordinate with existing varieties found around your property. By adding extra seating around existing trees you can tie the backyard’s theme together.
3. Transform a Difficult Corner with a Visually Dominant Rock Feature
Rock features are under-utilized backyard design features that can do wonders for areas that are trickier to deal with. Sometimes there are corners or other odd bits of space that are difficult to manage. These spaces may get too much sun, not enough sun, not enough water, or are otherwise challenging to make look right. Visually appealing stone assemblages can transform these spaces easily, and with a few additional plants, the hard lines of the rocks can be softened and made more appealing. Succulents like hen-and-chicks self-propagate and so only need to be planted once.
Other difficult areas can be filled in with bushes, trees, seating, and planters. Sometimes, difficult areas don’t need to be hidden away. Drawing attention to them with an appealing feature might seem contrary to the lay person but to a designer, this is actually a reasonable solution. Just select stones, plants, containers, and furniture you want to see!
4. Backyards With Minimal Greenspace
Although most people imagine backyards to be lush garden vistas, many of today’s backyards actually have minimal greenspace. This doesn’t have to be a design disadvantage. Green space can be maximized with the help of vertical space use. Add green features such as bushes to create the lush feeling you desire and to break up the horizontal expanse. You can even create a clover lawn if you want to enjoy a green look without a lot of watering. Another great way to enjoy a lush look without a lot of watering is to utilize planters filled with water-wise plants.
Hedges can be used to add an added dimension to your yard. This breaks up the space into different areas, adds visual interest, and can increase the color palette that greets the eye. Many hedges are also water-wise, so you can shop with this in mind when you select your plants.
5. The Ultimate Dining Patio
For some people, their backyard has one major purpose: cookouts. Backyards are the perfect venue for weekend get-togethers over the grill, for discussing the big game, and grilling up a big platter of perfect steaks or giant rack of ribs. If you dream of mastering the grill in your backyard, then this design may inspire you.
The ultimate cookout patio design is going to need lots of tables and space for seating. Give people options, and make sure there is ample shade to accommodate the changing seasons. Consider both the existing shade created by your home, surrounding buildings, and trees, and the direction your home faces. All this will influence your decisions regarding the number of patio umbrellas you will need. Remember, it’s always better to have an extra umbrella or two than not enough. You can easily purchase separate umbrella stands to make shade more portable and practical.
Your Home’s Canvas for Personal Design Expression
No matter whether your home’s backyard is large or small, regularly shaped or awkward, there are so many ways to design for comfort and enjoyment. Think about the ways you want to use the space, how much you want to spend, and how much work you want to invest in upkeep. Consider also if there are unusual features that you want to hide – or highlight!
Everyone approaches design differently, and this is as true of the backyard as it is of other spaces in and around the home. The suggestions here can help you get started in the design process. Remember, you don’t have to make every decision right away. You can start making small changes as you work towards your final goal.
To get started designing your own garden you can use our free garden planner.