There’s a lot of references made to the importance of adding curb appeal to your home. This is one of the best ways to make you home look inviting. It can also make your home more outstanding and unique. Regardless of how beautiful your home is, an unattractive front landscape will have an adverse impact on the attractiveness of your home.
While it’s your front landscape that is seen by all who pass by, the back yard is often a more private space. The backyard may be where you entertain friends from time to time. However, it’s main purpose could easily be a place for relaxing and engaging in family activities.
As you contemplate the design for your front or back yard, you will want to keep your eye open for some of those great finds that make your design a reflection of your personality. The following suggestions fall into general categories, but within each category there are diverse options that give you the opportunity to create a landscape design that meets your needs and reflects your personality.
Plants, shrubs, trees
Consult with local garden experts to determine the type of plants that grow well in the environment you have. Then, choose something that will become an unusual, impressive focal plant in your landscape.
Water features
Water features can be a spectacular addition to a front landscape. They can also enhance the tranquility of a back yard retreat. Look for a fountain design or waterfall feature that you find outstanding or intriguing.
Garden Art
Browsing estate sales, thrift stores and festivals is a great way to find garden art that speaks to your heart, lifts your spirit, enlivens a landscape or catches the eye of everyone passing by your home.
Furniture
Don’t settle for outdoor furniture sets that are identical to all of the others in your neighborhood. Look for some vintage outdoor furniture or for some ultra modern exterior furniture. Choose furniture for function and comfort.
outdoor-furniture
Fencing
You may have to devise a way to make your back yard a private space. You don’t have to use the traditional type of privacy fencing. Instead, pursue some of the wonderful DIY fencing ideas using recycled or re-purposed items to create colorful or visually exciting fencing. This will make your fencing an artistic part of your outdoor design. Another option would be to create a living privacy wall with large trellises and climbing vines.
Containers
Whether you intend to grow flowers, vegetables, herbs or a combination of all three, you can find some amazing containers that will add color, texture and diversity to your landscape. Take some time to explore the many unique garden container ideas such as old pallets, tin cans, hanging shoe organizers, vintage tool boxes, and various other creative containers.
Lighting
Exterior lighting options have increased dramatically in recent years. Find one or some that impress you and enhance your landscape design.
Pathways
Make the creation of a stone pathway a DIY project. Create a path through your garden or to your front door.
As you wander though garden centers or look through home and garden magazines, there will be items that immediately capture your attention. That will give you an idea of what great finds you want to include in your front landscape or back yard retreat.