5 Ways to Create the Ultimate Backyard

When you think about usable living space, it can be easy to just think about your home itself. A well-landscaped and -maintained backyard, however, is a great place to do a lot of living, as well. Indeed, out in the sunlight and with electronics tucked away, some of the best moments of your family life will take place in your backyard.Whether you are looking for a the classic combo of a grill and a table, or full patios with plenty of seating, fire pits, water features, and more, making your backyard uniquely yours can certainly enhance your overall enjoyment. That said, here are five ways to create the ultimate backyard. Feel free to mix and match to suit your particular needs.

1. Let’s Get Cooking
Who doesn’t love a cookout? In recent years, outdoor cooking has really seen an uptick in popularity. Whether that stems from the plethora of cooking shows on television these days or the wide range of grills available, we can’t say. Grills can be just the start for your outdoor cooking adventure. Have you ever considered stone or brick pavers with a brick oven? What about food prep counters? Sinks and/or refrigerators can also be options. The bottom line is that there are a tremendous number of outdoor cooking options for all tastes, spaces, and budgets.

2. Let There Be Light
You may already have a light for your backyard. Perhaps the goal of that light has been for safety or for assistance when taking the dog out. Outdoor lighting, though, can really add a wonderful dimension to your landscaping. Strategically-placed lighting can draw attention to highlights of your yard, such as walkways, porches, or special trees and features. The right lighting can create an ambience that is perfect for entertaining guest after the sun goes down. The barrier to entry here is very low. Start with some basic solar lights along the edge of any walkways you have. If you like and it and want to do more, your local landscape professionals can discuss options with you.

3. Get Fired Up
One of the greatest parts of summer is sitting around a fire with friends. These days, there is a huge range of portable fire pits and chimineas that can run on either gas or wood. If you want to go bigger, you can build features around them or build up a stone fireplace for a more permanent option.

4. Let it Flow with a Water Feature
Let’s be honest, nothing brings a sense of calm quite like water. And when it comes to water features, there are really so many ways to go with it. You can do a simple pond. You can work a moving stream into the yard. Perhaps even try a fountain or water wall.

5. Go Green
Consider a garden of herbs and/or wildflowers. Not only do they make for an attractive ground cover, they smell wonderful. If you like the idea of building an outdoor cooking space in your yard, having an herb garden makes it easy to clip what you need for your food prep when you need it. Depending upon how elaborate you would like to go, you can map out a fully functional, edible garden.

In Conclusion
Whether you are looking to entertain guests, create tranquility, or simply increase your overall living space with outdoor amenities, there are so many options for making your backyard the ultimate backyard. If you have some landscaping ideas (or would like some), contact E.P.M. today or give us a call at (517) 990-0110!