I’m going to just come out and say it. My backyard is ugly. And I know better. It’s not that my yard is cluttered or weedy per se, it’s just kind of a conceptual mess. It has a few nice features like a nice deck with a view, but the better features don’t fit together and they aren’t exactly what I would choose.
I’m blaming the former home owner and builder. It’s my suspicion that in the construction phase, my backyard got the last little bit of attention and probably less of the budget. This is not unique to my house. Most new homeowners who build are tired at the end of the home building process. New homeowners that buy are usually willing to sacrifice a good backyard for other options like square footage, fancy finishes and good resale value. Most of us generally accept a little turf, a few trees and some scattered bark as ok. After all it is the last line on the budget sheet and the backyard is, well, in the back. But, then we start to actually live there.
That’s where I find myself. Currently, what should be my super sweet outdoor sanctuary is mostly a vinyl fenced container for some Kentucky bluegrass, a few trees, odd shrubs, some misplaced rocks, 2 dogs, a trampoline and a random assortment of balls (2 boys). But, I want more from my backyard. And I deserve more. After all, it’s my property, my little piece of paradise. So I’m planning something better, and hoping I can help inspire your backyard dreams as well.
Dream it, plan it and build it just for you.
I’m starting my new backyard plans with dreaming, brainstorming and research. Pinterest, Houzz, and assorted other home and garden sites are proving to be incredible assets. I suggest these sites strongly to help you dream up ideas for your own backyard paradise. However, don’t simply imitate. If you do you will end up with somebody else’s backyard. Instead, use some of the brilliant ideas you can find online to fuel your own personal creativity.
In putting my plan together, I’m realizing that the rules for backyard landscaping are a lot different than the rules for landscapes in the visible front of your home. This is good. Landscapes for the front require a degree of adherance to neighborhood norms, conventions and sometimes HOA or community rules. Boring.
Out back you usually have creative license to do what makes you happy, no matter what that is. Perfect!
I want the backyard that I want. And you should have the backyard you want. My dream backyard includes open space for play, a few nice settings to relax, some nice foliage, space for entertaining and some interesting personalized details like natural rock water features. Your best backyard is likely different. It might be whimsical and fun, classically groomed, peaceful and serene, or totally dedicated to sports and activity. Whatever you want is exactly what your backyard should be, it’s entirely yours. Here are a few ideas to help in backyard landscaping, just for you.
Function = form, but is the inverse true?
Good backyards are functional. Too often though, they also look functional. Patio, check. Turf, check. Foliage, check. But great backyards, and there are fewer of these, are functional and truly beautiful. These are places you want to spend your time. To marry form and function it takes not only the right pieces but the right combination of the pieces in just the right places. A professional landscape designer will definitely help, but it’s not always necessary to hire this out. You can pull off your perfect backyard by doing your research, making a plan and tapping into your own artistic senses and personal preferences. Start by making a list of the right pieces for your backyard masterpiece.
Here are some items that function well and look incredible.
Contact:
Universal Spas
19300 Langley Bypass, Surrey, BC V3S 7R2
(604) 539-2182