Backyard Landscaping Ideas
Need backyard landscaping ideas to create a place you love to hang out? It's all about choosing the right plants, hardscaping and other landscape design elements. Whether you have a small backyard or a lot of space to work with, these landscaping ideas will help you make the most of it.
1 Let the garden pavers do double duty
A few well-placed pavers are a simple backyard landscaping idea that you can DIY. In this backyard, flagstone squares separated by lawn ribbons serve two functions: a bold garden walkway and a mini patio that can handle additional outdoor seating.
2 Add a water feature
Water features, such as a fountain or small waterfall, provide soothing sounds while attracting backyard birds and other fascinating wildlife. If your backyard has drainage problems, a water feature can help solve the problem. Here, the homeowners turned a low, wet spot into a focal point for landscaping with a waterfall and stream.
3 Conceal dark circles creatively
It's hard to believe, but the only glimpse of what this backyard once had was an old, oversized barn door falling off its hinges. Instead of living with the sight, the owners removed the door and covered the opening with a series of vintage shutters. They added a beautiful, weatherproof table that does double duty as a plant stand and an outdoor buffet for food and drinks when friends come for a backyard party.
4 Smooth your site
Enhance the view around your deck with planting beds to cover leggy supports. Here, a six-foot-wide floral border hides the underbelly of the deck and adds tons of summer color. Additionally, ornamental grasses, sedum, black-eyed Susan, and other beautiful perennials provide plenty of screening.
5 Raise your lawn
If you have a plain, flat backyard, give it a dramatic makeover. After the homeowners created a more dynamic backyard landscape design centered around a two-level lawn, this dull space was given a new lease of life. They also planted a living screen of lush tropical plants that provide the space with a sense of enclosure and privacy.
6 Make a grand entrance
First impressions count. That's why it's important to pay special attention to the entrance to your backyard. Nothing ruins a scene faster than a rusty gate or a muddy trail. This beautiful garden creates an elegant and welcoming gateway for family and friends.
7 Create a cozy backyard corner
Get up close and personal with your plants by sitting in a small sitting area between the beds. Here, a cozy nook is created with an angled trellis and a pair of Adirondack chairs. A tall trellis works well hiding a utility pole on a nearby street.
8 Hang Curtains for Backyard Privacy
Instant privacy! That's what you get when you add curtains to your deck, patio, porch or pergola. On this colorful deck, weatherproof outdoor curtains were hung over the pergola to create privacy and add protection from the sun. Curtains help block the wind, so food and drinks don't blow off the table.
9 Install a reflecting pool
Try this small backyard landscaping idea: Make long, narrow spaces seem larger than they are by adding some sky-gazing to a reflecting pool or pond. The homeowners added a 6x4-foot stone water feature that doubles as a sitting area on this luscious landscape. They also used a black pool liner to reflect the clouds above.
10 Add pergola
When designing your backyard, remember that pergolas and arbors are most effective when used as stand-alone architectural elements. Here, for example, a pergola built of thick black wood makes this small seating area look like an art installation. The taut wire cables tied to the top of the pergola are strong enough to support the heavy vines.
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