Backyard Landscape Design - Backyard Landscaping Ideas

Backyard landscaping does not have to be a lot of hard work. There are many ideas for a low maintenance backyard. There are options that can give privacy to a portion of the yard while you enjoy some cozy moments with friends and family. The backyard can have many uses and you can use different landscaping ideas to create a low maintenance, multipurpose yard. In this article, we have listed some tips on creating a versatile, relaxing and absolutely stunning backyard landscape.

Unique Backyard Landscape Design Ideas

Your neighborhood codes may dictate certain formal prerequisites for front yard landscaping. As a result, all the houses in a neighborhood look more or less the same. However, no such codes exist for backyard landscaping, meaning, you can implement some unique and personal landscaping ideas to your backyard. It can be your haven for unwinding after a busy day at work or your holiday home, in your own backyard. There is really no dearth of good backyard landscaping ideas that can appeal to people of different personal tastes. Some of the popular landscape ideas are mentioned in the following paragraphs.

Animal Paradise
If you are an animal or bird lover, then you can create a backyard that can attract many species of birds and wildlife. Plant plenty of tall trees, bushes in your backyard. Place bird feeds at strategic locations in a backyard. Build a small pond from where birds can drink water and play. Have a grassy patch in your backyard to attract wild animals such as hares, rabbits, deer etc. However, if you choose to have animals in your backyard, it wouldn't be a very wise idea to grow flowerbeds or vegetables patches in your backyard.

Caribbean Oasis
You can transform your backyard to resemble a Caribbean retreat. Create a sand bed in a cozy corner of your backyard. You can choose to have builder's sand or sharp sand or even river sand if you can manage. Build a hammock on the sand bed and place some potted plants with tropical flowers. Plant some tall trees around to shield your Caribbean oasis from prying eyes in the neighborhood.

Rock Garden
Rock garden is yet another interesting option for backyard landscaping. You can use nice, colorful stones and pebbles to build walkways in your garden. A stone based fountain can be quite an addition to a rock garden. Xerophytes such as cactus look apt in a rock garden. You can plant tall, evergreen trees at the perimeter of your backyard to break the monotonous look of rocks and add some greenery.

Pools and Ponds
This is a popular backyard landscaping idea, albeit a little pricey one. A swimming pool in a backyard provides a great ambiance for summer parties. You can have deck or pool parties around a swimming pool. Besides, you may also have a couple of small ponds where you can breed colorful varieties of fish and plant water lilies. Pools and ponds look absolutely stunning against a green backdrop of lawn. You can opt for a synthetic one, if you do not have time for maintaining a natural lawn.

Formal Backyard
If you intend to go for a very neat and clean look, then an English-style backyard landscape can be ideal for you. Plant some bushes and shrubs around the edge of the yard and maintain a monotonous look of a lawn. Prune the hedges in a pyramid shape or the classic round one. While pruning, maintain a bottom heavy shape, so that sunlight can reach the new growth. You can add a fun element to your backyard by pruning the hedges in unusual shape such as elephant, dinosaurs etc. However, you will need regular maintenance to keep up the look.

Deck Planters
If you do not have too much of space in your backyard to implement any of the above themes, you can opt for a simple landscape with numerous deck planters. Place attractive pots or planters around the deck and grow colorful flowers. While going for huge planters, cover the bottom half of the planter with plastic bottles or tins, to avoid using so much of potting soil.

If privacy is a concern then solve it with backyard landscaping as an alternative to fencing. Some possibilities are taller formal or informal hedges and vine filled lattice work. However, fencing would be a good idea to give swimming pool area a great deal of privacy and thus some safety for those using it. It is also a great idea to set off sections in order to use for different purposes, such as a section for sports and games that is fenced off for safety and protection of the garden areas. Another section might be a circular section for meditation that is walled off with latticework and filled with cool colored flowers that promote peaceful thoughts. A nice bench to provide a sitting area for reading is also a good idea.

Thus, you can implement any backyard landscaping idea as per your budget and personal taste. While there is always an option of hiring a professional, you can refer to some self-help books on landscaping and create your own backyard landscape.