Beautify your backyard on a budget
Backyard items to add like potted plants, string lights, and DIY lanterns bring charm and personality to your outdoor space without requiring a big investment.
Edible gardens in raised beds or containers give you fresh, homegrown fruits and vegetables right outside your door, saving trips to the store and ensuring quality.
Fire pits with comfortable seating transform your yard into the perfect gathering spot for family and friends during warm evenings and create lasting summer memories.
Hiring a local landscape designing professional takes the guesswork out of planning your backyard layout and helps you create a beautiful, functional outdoor oasis.
Your backyard can be a lot of things at once: a place to grow a garden, a spot to host friends and family, or simply somewhere to slow down on a nice afternoon. However you use the space, a little time spent outside tends to do everyone some good. If you're not sure where to start, these ten improvements can help you turn an ordinary yard into a personal oasis.
Whether you have a sprawling lawn or a compact patio, most of these ideas scale to fit your space and budget. Mix and match a few that suit your lifestyle, and tackle them as weekend projects or hand them off to a local pro.
While all backyards need shrubs and trees, consider adding potted plants to your backyard designs for more dimension in your garden. Container favorites include begonias, asters and azaleas. Fill containers with an organic potting mix, such as The Espoma Company's, to ensure proper drainage and best results.
Get kids outside by making the backyard fun for them, too. Add an outdoor DIY chalkboard where kids can express their creativity. Games and toys like hopscotch or jump rope are perfect for warm nights outside. You can even encourage them to eat healthy by growing a vegetable garden.
Yards can be purposeful, too. Growing your own fruits and veggies ensures the best quality, convenience and taste. Grow plants in raised bed gardens or containers, if you’re short on space. Some plants offer year-round foliage, tasty fruit and space saving, and some plants are good for your garden. Choose dwarf varieties such as those from Bushel & Berry for growing in containers.
Popular backyard upgrades:
Instead of throwing away old household items, give them new life in the garden. Almost anything can be turned into a container garden, from toolboxes to wheelbarrows. Fill empty wine or beer bottles with LED lights for unique lanterns.
DIY lanterns make for a great crafting project and add a unique touch of light to your backyard. Add candles or LED lights to mason jars or painted tin cans.
Nothing says summer like a backyard bonfire. Purchase a fire pit at your local garden center or create your own fire pit using stone or brick surrounded with gravel or small stones. Grab some comfy furniture, family and friends and get ready for s’more season.
Enchanting string lights turn your backyard into an outdoor oasis. Hang them between posts, dangle from walls or ceilings or even wrap them around planters or trees.
Durable yet comfy outdoor couches and chairs make your backyard the perfect space for entertaining. Hang a hammock between two shady spots for a place to catch up on some reading.
Use gravel, stepping stones, or wooden pallets to create a walkway through your garden. Line the path with low-growing shrubs or groundcovers like verbena, hostas or sedges.
Trending outdoor upgrades:
Add water features to your backyard to create a zen garden effect. Tiered fountains look great in any backyard and add the soothing sound of running water. Create a small pond to create visual contrast with your plants. Birdbaths can also serve as a focal point and provide shelter for our friends in the sky.
Any of these backyard ideas will be sure to turn your outdoor space into a fun, relaxing and beautiful space.
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