Some perennials, such as the black-eyed Susan, crave six or more hours of sun a day, while hostas that spike blooms in midsummer are happy in shade. But ponder what you really want before you start landscaping: Do you want a four-season garden that provides color year-round? Or a cutting garden that fills vases with brilliant blooms during summer and spring? Think hard about what you want to grow, then pick an area of your yard that will be its best home. Gardens are a no-brainer in backyard landscaping. (WoodenDinosaur/iStock) Grow some gardens Remember, all water features must have either a pump, aerator, or wiggler to keep the surface moving to prevent mosquitoes and other disease-bearing insects from breeding. If you’re looking for the calming sound of running water, you can go small and install a solar-powered tabletop fountain in your garden or on your deck or you can go all out and install a pond or pool in your backyard. (irina88w/iStock) Fountains, ponds, and water features Break out those marshmallows and ghost stories for a good time. Who doesn’t love the idea of sitting around a blazing fire pit, the (literally) hottest new addition to your yard? This backyard landscaping idea is pretty easy to DIY, and it will extend your yard’s hours by keeping the area lit and warm long after dark. ![]() And why not? No one wants to stay cooped up inside when everyone else is living it up in the great outdoors. And while having a whole kitchen might be overboard for many folks, more reasonable options might be just to have a minifridge and countertop next to your barbecue grill. Outdoor kitchens are the biggest thing since the McRib. (stevecoleimages/iStock) An outdoor kitchen If epicurean pursuits are your thing, keep reading. Many of the things we once thought were possible only indoors can easily be brought to the open air thanks to the latest rage of creating “outdoor rooms.” We’re talking about spaces where you can enjoy the creature comforts of, say, your living room, only in your yard. So if you love to read, create a reading nook with a truly comfy couch and ample lighting for the evenings. If you’re more of an “indoor type,” never fear. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, here are some backyard landscaping ideas to consider. Build a purpose into your yard and suddenly you’ll be out there. If kicking a soccer ball around with your kids is your “together time,” create a level lawn where you can play. If you can’t take the sun, plant shade trees. If listening to lapping water soothes you, then a water feature is a must. If growing green things is your passion, then your yard should be filled with vegetable and flower gardens. “You need a legitimate reason to go out there,” says Chad Bostick, a Huntsville, AL, landscape architect and member of the American Society of Landscape Architects. So before you start putting your backyard landscaping ideas into action, take stock of how you like to spend your free time. That’s where an infusion of backyard landscaping ideas could help. Perhaps the reason you aren’t in your yard isn’t due to laziness it might merely be because you have nothing to do there. While outdoor living spaces topped the 2015 Home Design Trends survey by the American Institute of Architects, UCLA’s “Life at Home in the Twenty-First Century” study showed that adults spent less than 15 minutes per week out in their yards (even kids log in just 40 minutes). But while most homeowners pine for a green patch of land to call their own, once they’ve got it, they very rarely visit the place. ![]() Your backyard should be an oasis, a place where you want to spend time. ![]() The backyard landscaping ideas you choose aren’t just about keeping the neighbors from complaining about the mess.
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