A Quiet Place

One trend today is creating a quiet place outdoors to relax and just be. It might be a corner of a deck with comfortable chairs, or perhaps a shady spot in the yard. The point is to create an oasis where you can sit and get in touch with life and nature. Some people add a small fountain for the soothing sound of trickling water. This one requires as much creativity as money, so a limited budget does not have to keep you from enjoying your special place.  

Rock Gardens

Homeowners with a hilly yard can combine rocks and boulders to create a terraced look, and then add perennial plants in a variety of colors to bring the area to life throughout the year. Gardens don’t have to be flat – using boulders to make a retaining wall will create a terraced garden that adds change of elevation to the interest of the colors. Depending on the size of your garden, and the muscle power at your command, building a rock garden can be a relatively low-cost improvement.

Grass You Don’t Mow

This one’s for the homeowner who wants the look and feel of a soft green lawn but doesn’t want the work that goes with it. A high-tech synthetic grass called FieldTurf looks like the real thing but you  never need to water or fertilize it. An added benefit is that it’s safe for dogs and it won’t trouble someone with grass allergies. The best part is that it’s also environmentally friendly because it’s made from recycled materials. What’s not to like? 

A Do-It-Yourself Pond

With a little work, a pump, filter, and tubing, you can duplicate the work of Mother Nature and have a small pond in your own yard. Add some water lilies and a few fish, place a comfortable bench nearby, and you have a calming place to sit and relax. Take a little time to plan the pond’s placement so it gets sunlight for the aquatic plants, and so that you avoid runoff if your yard slopes. For a few hundred dollars and a few hours work, you can have a pond of your own.

What Air Conditioner?

When you put a lot of effort into beautifying your landscape, why leave the air conditioning unit out of the plan? Choose evergreen shrubs appropriate to your climate and create a visual barrier to hide the outdoor unit and any other necessary-but-ugly features. You’ll want plants that will be high enough to provide cover but not so high that they block windows. Smaller shrubs will be less expensive but will take a while to grow to the height you want, so consider mature shrubs if your budget allows.

And For Those with No Budget Limits…

There are plenty of trends to choose from if your budget knows no bounds. Luxury barbecue pits that are really outdoor kitchens and all-weather LCD-TVs come to mind. Perhaps the most fun – and expensive – of the current trends is a tree house for grown-ups. Constructed in mature trees, these multiroom and multilevel playhouses for adults include glass windows, heat, electricity, and insulation. Feel like you want to play in a tree house? No problem…prices start at $20,000 and go as high as your imagination.

No matter what you choose for your yard - pond, garden, or tree house - get outside and enjoy nature.