If you live in your own home and are fortunate enough to have more than a few square feet of free space at the back of your house, then you have a perfect opportunity to transform your backyard into your own private oasis where you can relax and while lazy days away. In this short guide, we’ll provide you with a few ideas to help you get started.
Don’t Block the View
You might be tempted to fill every inch of your backyard space with patio furniture and outdoor structures, like a deck or a gazebo. However, if you live in a home with a view, all that clutter will prevent you from enjoying the beauty of the surroundings. Instead, try “framing” the scenery with strategically placed furnishings or perhaps some landscaping that blends with the surroundings and accentuates the environment rather than competes with it.
Should you happen to live in an area without a view, you can create one for yourself. Designate an area in your backyard where you want your focal point to be, and from there, build the “view.” It’s all up to you what you want it to be: a tile mosaic, a mural, or perhaps a pond filled with colorful fish and water plants. Strategic lighting can also help enhance the look and improve the overall ambience of the space.
Start a Garden
If your backyard already has pre-existing distinguishing features, try to improve on it instead. You can be as thematic or as eclectic as you can be with your choice of plants, shrubs, flowers, and trees. After all, it’s all about creating a personal haven for relaxation and enjoyment. Just make sure that the flora you choose are suited to the climate in your area.
Adding a water feature like a garden fountain will also help in creating a calming, restorative atmosphere. The sound of flowing water alone is enough to make your backyard a more conducive space for de-stressing. In fact, a garden fountain can mask distracting noises coming from other parts of your neighborhood (for instance, the sound of vehicle traffic), making your backyard an even more peaceful spot.
Cultivate Your Own Crops
Did you know that almost all produce gain most of their flavor as they ripen while unplucked from their parent tree or vine? The closer to the source you can get your peas and tomatoes, the better they’re going to taste. This is just one of the many reasons why having a backyard garden is a good idea: it’s an affordable way to enjoy fresher, more flavorful, organic food.
Gardening can also be quite a soothing, fulfilling hobby. Nothing beats the feeling of seeing your crops grow from tiny seedlings to fruit-bearing marvels of nature. If you’re a bit unsure of your gardening skills, start with a few easy-to-grow herbs and spices like bay leaf, mint, rosemary, sage, and thyme. Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you can try your hand with fruit-bearing plants.
Add Comfortable Seating
Forget about the traditional sofas inside your house. Think about seats that swallow you right up and allow you to stretch out and relax, like loungers, deep sofas, or chaise lounges. Add some foot rests, while you’re at it, too. If the seating is comfortable, then you’re more likely to put your feet up, relax, and spend more time in your backyard enjoying whatever it is you want to do.
Install a Swing or Hammock
Sometimes, the key to relaxation is doing the simplest things in life. Embark on a DIY swing project using some rope, a board or an old tire, and a few basic tools. Hang up your swing on a sturdy tree branch—or an arbor that you can buy or make yourself—and swing the day away.
If you want your backyard to be an even more relaxing place, then consider hanging up a hammock! It’s the perfect feature to curl up on and read a book or just to enjoy a quiet moment. Spruce it up with your favorite pillow and blanket for more coziness. You might even find yourself falling asleep as you enjoy the peace and quiet of your backyard.
With a little imagination, you can turn any space into your personal sanctuary. A backyard is simply a canvass—it’s all up to you to make it the most comfortable place where you can forget all your worries, even for just a little while.
