Landscaping Ideas to Improve the Look of Your Yard

By: Eric Winston

A landscaped yard makes the outside of your home look more polished. There are many easy ways you can improve your yard to increase the value your home, make your yard more appealing, and create a more entertainment-friendly environment.

Here are some great ideas for landscaping your yard.

Build a brick patio. Building a patio is a great way to expand your outdoor entertaining space. You can make it whatever size you like and the cost is pretty inexpensive.

Make a walkway of stepping stones. This is a great way to add a unique touch to your house. You can extent the walk out from the back door of your patio, the front door or even side garage door.

Plant a garden. Gardens are a great way to add some beauty to your yard. You could plant a flower garden or vegetable garden. If you have children, having a vegetable garden can be educational and fun way to learn about nutrition.

Buy some garden & patio Furniture. Adding a comfortable seating and dining area can be a great way to create a great place to socialize for you guest. You could get an outdoor bar and bar stools, or something more along the lines of benches and lounge chairs.

Get a swimming pool. A swimming pool is definitely an investment. But, it can be great for entertaining and really help the look and value of your home and yard. If you have an above ground pool, you could wrap around a deck and tie it to your house. This will create balance to your backyard and house. If you choose to add a deck to the swimming pool, make sure you properly waterproof your deck with the correct coatings.

Consider gazebos and pavilion kits. These can provide a very intimate space to your backyard. You could even add a spa or hot tub to these enclosures to provide even more entertaining space.

Build or install a fence. Putting up a fence around your home is a great way to add some privacy to your yard and home. This could include a wood, chain-link fence or a trellis. A trellis works better for a smaller area, like the front of a yard, rather than around the whole yard. Some examples of faster growing, taller deciduous shrubs that when planted in a row creates a kind of wall are:

•Lonicera (honeysuckle)

•Syringa (lilac)

•Phyllostachys (bamboo many varieties)

•Ligustrum (privet)

•Euonymus alatus (burning bush)

•Acer campestre (hedge maple)

•Berberis (barberry)

•Forsythia

•Cotoneaster acutifilius (hedge cotoneaster)

•Spiraea vanhouttei (bridal wreath)

And some evergreen varieties:

•Thuja (arborvitae)

•Buxus semipervirens

•Juniperus (juniper)

•Cupressus (cypress)

•Ilex (holly)

•Taxus (yew)

•Pyracantha coccinea (scarlet firethorn)

•Elaeagnus pungens (silverberry)

Be sure to check out which of these shrubs will grow in your location.

Add some landscape lights. This is one of the easiest ways to create a dramatic effect in landscaping. Try low voltage landscape lighting. They can be used to light a path or walkway to the entrance of stairs or a patio. The lights can create a more soothing and appealing atmosphere for you and your guests.

Landscaping should be fun. Take unique ideas of your own and combine them with some basic ideas to create a place that’s beautiful for not only you, but your guests too!