How to Improve Your Backyard?

Last Updated on April 21, 2020

How about improving your backyard that you can appreciate every day? Making improvements to the area around your pool can be immensely gratifying. Owning a home means you are in constant upkeep mode. Every time the seasons change it creates new issues concerning your house, yard, and swimming pool that must be addressed. Therefore, this is the best time to start working on projects that are designed for summer use. So, even though it might be a little too chilly for most backyard activities, Spring is the best time to start planning and strategizing for your next backyard project. Below are a few suggestions you might find useful:

Landscaping and gardening

Landscaping involves more than just planting flowers and trimming the hedges around your pool. It means planning and creating an environment that accentuates your swimming pool, making it beautiful and inviting. But planning such an intimate project is not always easy. So, the first order of business is to look for inspiration. That inspiration could come from a commercial for some exotic vacation spot, or from the flora, you saw on a nature documentary and have been mesmerized by ever since.

If you decide on using shrubbery as a barrier around your pool area instead of regular fencing, choose wisely. Some plants require more maintenance than others, so opt for the low-maintenance ones. Also, avoid large trees that shed their leaves a lot, or you’ll end up spending more time fishing leaves out of your pool than swimming. Even evergreens, like pine trees, and be a real pest with pine needles falling all over the place. However, plants and trees can beautify your backyard, while providing privacy. They are easier on the eye than regular fencing and blend in seamlessly with the rest of the environment.

Retaining walls

Retaining walls can transform an ordinary backyard into a work of art. For example, many homes are built on steep inclines, causing your gardens to look awkward. In situations like this, many homeowners use retaining walls to create level sections for their flower and vegetable beds. Retaining walls can also be used to create a level, safe playing area for kids. With severe sloping yards, it may be necessary to create terraces to accommodate the sloping terrain. Retaining walls must also be strong enough to withstand the pressure of the dirt behind it while allowing for proper drainage during heavy downpours.

Swimming pool

Nothing transforms and beautifies a backyard like an inground swimming pool. So whether your inspiration came from a Bahamian getaway, or an oasis in Dubai, installing an inground swimming pool presents the best opportunity for you to show off your creativity by designing an aesthetically beautiful poolscape, that is uniquely you. Adding lighting to your pool area allows you to entertain friends and family even at night. By employing the combined effect of low-profile lighting around the backyard perimeter, and delicate, colorful fiber-optic underwater lighting in the pool, you can cast a soft light canopy for those who just want to relax and mingle, and a sensational light display for those who can’t resist the water.

Deck and patio

Your deck provides you with even more opportunities to showcase your creativity. Deck designs can range from a simple presentation, like a lounging area, to something bolder, like a multi-level living masterpiece for entertaining friends. The decking material itself comes in a wide variety of designs, colors, and styles, including wood, tile, pavers, concrete, stone, and composite materials.

Fire pits and outdoor fireplaces

One of the most popular backyard additions is the fire pits and outdoor fireplaces. They rose to that position by them acting as the centerpiece of activity where everyone can gather around the fire and have drinks and share stories. Of them, the fire pit seems to be the most popular. They come in an array of shapes and sizes. A fire pit can use either wood or gas as fuel. Wood-burning fire pits are beautiful, but can be messy and must be cleaned regularly. Consequently, most homeowners prefer natural or propane-fueled fire pits. Backyard fireplaces are cooler, though, and make more of an impression on your friends. These attractive amenities can be built on the patio, or in the backyard. Backyard fireplaces are more aesthetically pleasing than fire pits, but serve the same purpose–entertaining at night. A fire pit can be built anywhere on a patio, but outdoor fireplaces are restricted to the perimeter.