Aside from adding beauty to a home, a wonderfully-landscaped area also exudes joy and warmth.
Here are 12 easy landscaping ideas for your home, suggested by HGTV Gardens, to make it look more attractive and lively.
1. Create a dramatic wall for privacy.
This is advisable if you feel you are very near your neighbors.Use hedges, mature trees or even walls made of bamboos or bricks. However, on your side, you may put some brightly colored plants for you not to see much of the wall.
2. Have waterfalls or ponds at your backyard.
Place a fountain, flowing stream, waterfalls or ponds to make your "boring" backyard come to life. With the flowing water, such movement creates an enjoyable spot in your yard for the whole family.
3. Add a bench for a nice thinking station.
Just imagine yourself sitting in a serene garden with carefully-manicured grounds. From time-to-time you'll hear the birds chirping and hear the water flowing -- the tranquil ambiance help clear your mind. Here, you may do some reflections, write poems, sketch or just have your needed me-time to think about anything. Truly, a modern bench in your garden is a nice addition.
4. A vegetable garden to enliven your backyard.
This is a nice project to start with your young ones. Create a vegetable plot to plant tomatoes, herbs, lettuces, carrots or any vegetable you like. With this, you will have a bonding activity with your children which is a practical way of instilling in them the value of life, food and hard work.
5. Charm your way out of slopey or shaded areas.
According to HGTV, many people do not like areas that are sloped or shady. However, you may just add some lovely flowers like roses or azaleas, and it will be an enchanting part of the yard.
6. Hang some swings.
Celebrate the inner child in you by adding some swings hanging from some mature trees. Even Jason Statham and Rosie Huntington-Whitely has a rope swing in their yard as reported here on RealtyToday.
7. Design your outdoor kitchen-dining-living area to be classic.
Some people may think that having an outdoor kitchen and dining area is becoming out of style. With proper execution, HGTV says it will still make outdoor activities enjoyable. Hanging out with your friends and family while enjoying festive treats is priceless.
8. Designate a children's play area.
You may build a sandbox for your little ones for them to enjoy, suggests About Home. The website also notes that it must be free of rash-causing plants or the ones they are allergic to. The area must not be too grassy so you can easily watch out for snakes. Avoid sharp-edged stones either, as these may hurt their feet.
9. An informal path is nice to to have in a backyard.
About Home gave a tip on what to use as a pathway in the backyard. It says it is actually all right to make it not that formal. Stepping stones which are wide enough to put your feet are alright and charming in its own way.
10. Know how to secure and make your pool more private.
Another fun area in a home is the swimming pool. Just be sure to use non-slippery materials around it to make it safe for everyone. Use evergreen plants like holly which will give some privacy to people who are swimming, says About Home in another guide. You should avoid plants that are deciduous and even needle-bearing trees so that they will not make it harder for you to clean.
11. Create contrast.
Choose colors that will be magnified when paired with the right colors. For example, "pair rich burgundy-purple with chartreuse," the purple hues are more enhanced and so are the golden hues, notes Better Home and Gardens.
12. Play with shapes.
Geometry has nice application in landscaping, says Better Home and Gardens. The lines and shapes make the boundaries more defined, bold and organized.
