Have you ever been to a wedding reception held in someone’s back yard? Did you find yourself envying the elegant landscaping, the ease of the design, the beautifully trimmed shrubberies and photo-ready hardscaping? Well, there are a few things you can do to make YOUR yard the hosting hub that you’ve always dreamed of. Having a beautiful yard is like having a great joke; you want to share it with everyone!
Thoughtful Landscaping
Most of us recognize well-done landscaping when we see it, but few of us realize WHAT makes it good, and what we’re missing when we try and fail to achieve the same effect. That’s when a professional’s help is so welcome! However, if you’re working on your yard’s aesthetic yourself, make sure that you educate yourself on some essential design principles, like:
- Emphasis on points of interest. Add supporting features with planned framing and contrast.
- Layers to meet you at every eye level. Often, we skip the mid-level range, instead focusing on ground cover, and overarching tree branches.
- Naturally interacting elements. Often the most pleasing designs are those which imitate nature, like undulating contours in the yard, or colors that are naturally found together.
Strategic Hardscaping
Hardscaping is probably the most fun element of yard design to play with. Hardscaping can include any non-plant elements, from retaining walls to garden pathways to a fountain feature or a pergola. These elements can take your yard from blah to celebration-ready. Elements like an archway can provide a picture-perfect frame for portrait shots. Water features, bridges, and benches can create little destination areas that will draw people farther in and up through your garden. Pergolas and decks can provide sitting areas that will encourage guests to mingle and linger. Even better, hardscaping elements like an arbor or fence are easy to decorate with fabric and twinkle lights for an instantly-festive air. If you’re thinking about building a structure like a gazebo, arbor, or pergola in your yard, let us know! We can help.
Careful Maintenance
If hardscaping is the most fun thing to play with in your hard, maintenance is probably the least fun element. The trademark of a great hosting-yard is maintenance that makes it always guest-ready. Last-minute changes in a yard will always bear some evidence. However, regular maintenance and consistent care will also be evident and grant an overall orderly and pleasant atmosphere. Keep trees and shrubs well-pruned, water in a way that will allow all of your planned plants to thrive, and counter encroaching weeds quickly.