If you want to give your home a new look and don’t know where to start, you may want to take advantage of the warm weather and give your backyard a refresh. You will be surprised to see how much the entire house can change when you start with the exterior.
You don’t have to redo the entire backyard, but by adding or changing a few essential elements, you can have a completely new space to enjoy the last days of summer.
Build a deck
If you want to give your backyard a totally new appearance, building a deck might be exactly what you are looking for. Although it may sound complicated, building a deck is something that can be done in just a weekend.
First, you need to figure out the size you want the deck to be and the height. Then, you need to have the wood custom-cut to fit your size exactly and start assembling it. Then, you can go ahead and either paint or polish the wood and start decorating. There are countless ways you can decorate the deck to make it feel like an entire outside room. You can even add roofing, to use the area year-round for barbecues.
A less expensive way to build a deck is to use pallets. The downside with pallets is that you need to be very careful when selecting them. Pallets are used for handling, shipping and storing various merchandise, so they might get damaged in the process. If you plan to get them for free from warehouses, you need to pay attention to the quality of the wood and maybe secure them with some extra nails. You can also get them from supplies, although you will have to pay for them.
Redo the pathway
If you are tired of walking on a cracked pathway, then it may be time to redo it. There are numerous materials you can use for the pathway, including gravel, stone, paver or even wood. What you must keep in mind is to always use type 1 material as a first layer, under the decorative one. The type 1 material helps you level the ground and allows for a nice even look.
The simplest method you can go for is to use gravel for the path and add brick-shaped stones on both sides of the path to give it more dimension. This idea is budget friendly and gives a more natural feel to the yard, as opposed to pavers.
If you want to give it a more intricate look, you can also use various sizes of flagstone placed like a puzzle and fill in the gaps with gravels. This adds even more dimension to the path. Make sure to cement the flagstones, to secure them and prevent any unfortunate incident.
Plant for all four seasons
There would not be a backyard without some plants to give it a fresher and more natural look. The key to always having a nice garden is to play with various plants that bloom in different seasons. Truth be told, there is no exact recipe for this, as it highly depends on the area you live in, but with a little bit of research and planning, it can certainly be done.
The first thing you need to do is clear the area and establish a ground plan. Decide how you want to mix plants and which are the areas you want to emphasize each season. For fillers, you can use evergreen plants that bring everything together and don’t leave room for dull areas. Based on your region, decide which season is the one you will be using the backyard most and build your garden around it.
Don’t ignore spring, as you will need something to remind you that summer is just around the corner. For winter, focus on the areas close to the house and choose some winter-flowering plants that you can see from your window.
Create a small herb garden
Nothing compares to the smell of fresh basil straight from your own garden, so if you have a small area that you can’t seem to find how to use, consider planting a small herb garden. The beauty of an herb garden is that you don’t need much space to create it. You can either set it on the ground or in some pots on the wall.
Choose herbs that you will use, either for cooking or to use as scented ornamental flowers. You can start with some simple choices, such as basil, cilantro, dill and rosemary for cooking. Mint, parsley and thyme are some other great choices that will add flavor to your food.
For decoration and nice scents, you can also plant lavender, St. John’s Wort and Bergamot. Anise Hyssop is another great option, which can also be used to make tea, but you do have to keep an eye out for the bees that are drawn to the scent like a magnet.
Add a pergola
If your space does not allow for a deck, then a small area where you can build a pergola can look just as nice. Depending on the space, you can set up a small dining area under the pergola, along with a barbecue, and have friends over for a nice BBQ evening. You can add lots of lighting to create a warm space, as well as white drapes for a more dreamy space.
If you have a small space available, create a seating area underneath a lower pergola. You can even throw a rug on the ground and some pillows, along with a small coffee table and decorations. This way, you can create a cozy area where you can lounge in the evening. Another idea is to set up a hammock and tie it to the sides of the pergola, for those days when all you need is a power nap outdoors.
