Is your current landscaping outdated and in need of a little refresh? Many of us find ourselves in this situation every few years. Plants may start to look scraggly if not properly cared for, mulch may begin to wear and look sparse, and you may begin to see signs of wear and tear in other aspects of your landscaping. And while this is all but impossible to avoid, there are plenty of ways to help make your landscaping look fresh and new again! Here are a few residential landscaping ideas that are sure to inspire ideas for your own yard!
Xeriscape Your Space
Xeriscaping is the best way to keep your yard looking great with minimal care and maintenance. Especially here in our arid Colorado environment, many common plants used in landscapes across the Front Range need lots of water to stay looking their best. This also goes for your lawn! Grass requires a lot of water to stay lush and green throughout the summer, and sometimes this can be difficult to maintain, not to mention costly. Your lawn can also take a lot of work to maintain with the weekly cuttings, periodic fertilization, seasonal aeration, weed control, edging, and more.
Xeriscaping, on the other hand, encourages the use of native plants which are already adapted to the environment we live in. This helps cut down on excessive water use, and your plants also stay looking beautiful with significantly less care, as they are already accustomed to our environment and don’t have to fight to survive. Xeriscaping often results in a drought-tolerant, low maintenance, less expensive landscaping that is less prone to pests, disease, and weed growth.
For some inspiration, check out these before and after photos of a backyard xeric landscape install:
Integrate Some Hardscaping
This is more or less a part of xeriscaping and involves integrating hardscape features such as stone pathways, decorative boulders, rock borders, and the like. In essence, hardscaping refers to any non-living elements of your landscape. Such features are easy to maintain because they really do not experience much change. Adding boulders, decorative stones, natural rock borders, stone pathways, or a faux riverbed (as pictured to the right) to your landscaping is a great way to add visual interest in a sustainable, easy-to-maintain way. Additionally, hardscape features couple very nicely with xeriscaped yards, as many native plants are more accustomed to rocky or sandy soils than most non-native plants are.
Give Your Patio a Makeover
Most homes come with a small cement pad for a back patio that is rather lacking and often does not give you enough space to really enjoy the area. Replacing your existing cement patio with pavers is a very popular residential landscaping design idea that will not only give your backyard a fresh, new, and beautiful look but can also help you maximize your space as well as increase the value of your home! And while this can seem like a large undertaking, the end result is beautiful and long-lasting. A of the benefits of paver patios is that they are sturdy and stable while also allowing for expansion and contraction throughout the different seasons. With a cement patio, it is not uncommon to see large cracks running through them that collect dirt and weeds. Since paver patios consist of a bunch of individual bricks, you do not have to worry about your patio sustaining damage throughout the winter. Paver patios also allow you to add on to your patio and expand it later down the road if you want to!
Set the Mood with a Water Feature
Have you ever sat by a river or listened to the rain and enjoyed the simple serenity of the sound of water? Adding a water feature to your landscaping can bring the same ambiance to your own backyard! Just imagine getting home from a long week of work and relaxing with dinner on the back porch while the soft gurgle of water helps to soothe and relax you. Water features also add visual interest and can come in endless different sizes, shapes, and designs. Such features are also low-maintenance and add value to your home.
Sleek and Modern Fire Features
There is nothing quite like having a reason to gather, a reason to get outside and enjoy your space. This is one of the main purposes of a firepit! Firepits in their nature are communal spaces that are inviting and always enjoyable. They provide a reason to get outside (regardless of the weather) and gather around the warmth to talk, play games, roast marshmallows, and make memories. If you are looking for a residential landscaping idea to help you give your space a refresh, this is the way to do it!
Use Trees and Shrubs as a Natural Fence
More often than not, traditional wood or white plastic fences are not all that aesthetically pleasing. They also often do not provide as much privacy as may be desired. At Bath Landscape and Irrigation, our favorite kind of fence is a living one, consisting of trees and shrubs that grow well in close proximity. Such natural fences provide a beautifully green and textured background. In addition to this, they can also increase your privacy, blocking your neighbors view into your backyard or creating a barrier between you and the road that runs behind your house. Another benefit of using plant material as a natural fence is its effectiveness as a sound barrier! Whether it’s noisy neighbors, and nearby street, or any other undesirable sound, a natural barrier is much for effective at shielding you from anything on the other side. Read more about the benefits of trees!
Make Your Space Your Own
Perhaps one of the best ways to give your yard and landscaping a refresh is by making the space your own by implementing features that suit your liking, encourage your hobbies, help you relax, and make you want to spend time in your yard. Whether this is adding a fire pit for your family and friends to gather around, installing a putting green, adding raised garden beds, creating a custom setup for your hot tub, or any other features you can imagine, we are here to help materialize your dreams.
Beautify your yard with Bath Landscape & Irrigation
At Bath, our expertise is in residential landscaping design and installation, and it is our passion to create beautiful and sustainable outdoor living spaces for you to enjoy for years to come. If you would like to learn more about our landscaping services in Fort Collins, Colorado, or if you would like more residential landscaping ideas, check out our service pages, browse our photo galleries, or fill out a form to talk to a professional! We look forward to helping you bring your dreams to life!