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Landscaping usually serves two functions: making your outdoor space more attractive and making it more functional. Safety, comfort, privacy, and low maintenance are all aspects of making your outdoor area more functional, while adding features that make it look better is an aspect of making it more attractive. Below, we will touch up on aspects of both attractiveness and functionality so you can improve your outdoor area’s look.
Select The Right Furniture
Outdoor furniture has come a long way from when your only choices were foldable and plastic chairs. It is now possible to find attractive plastic or waterproof wood furniture for your outdoor sitting areas. The furniture can also be made to match your interior or the look and feel you are going for with your outdoor area.
Additionally, there are now furniture fabrics made specifically for outdoor furniture. These materials make the furniture look more attractive while ensuring it is durable and functional.
Add Some Patio Plants
Unless you make an effort to change things, patios can look boring and inviting if they are not furnished. A common option is adding some patio plants. Plants will soften the straight lines of your patio and its furniture and do not take anything away from the other features, decorations and additions added to the patio.
Although there are other ways to do this, many homeowners say that the easiest way to add patio plants is to use container gardens. These gardens are great because they can be used to showcase your patio garden in the summer and then moved indoors when the temperatures fall during the winter. Additionally, you can grow almost any plant in a container if you make the necessary preparations.
One thing to remember is that any plants that flower on the patio will attract bees. This increases the risk of bee stings and so patio plant containers are not advisable for those who are allergic to bee stings or who have family members who are.
Add Decorative Water Features
Water features are great because they let your imagination roam free and there are several options you can choose from. These include exquisite waterfalls, fountains, reflecting water ponds, fountain walls, and fish ponds. The cost, management, and space occupied by the water features will largely depend on the water features you decide to add.
Adding a fountain might take more space than adding a fish pond but less space than adding a waterfall or fountain walls. Additionally, the water features will require very little maintenance work if it is installed correctly and at the right location. You can get in touch with companies that offer hardscaping services to see which water features you can add to your outdoor space and where it would be best to add them. R & L Irrigation is a great landscaping company offering all landscaping and hardscaping services. From water features to outdoor living areas, they have the skills and experience to transform your outdoors to be more attractive and functional. They also handle lawn and turf care, seeding, landscape management, lawn mowing, and landscape lighting.
Choose The Right Trees
Trees can make a huge difference in your property’s appearance but choosing the wrong trees can cause some problems. For example, certain tree types will clash with your landscape plants, leading to a mismatch that makes your property look less attractive. Some rules to follow when choosing trees for your outdoors are to choose those that do not grow too tall once they mature, those with less aggressive root systems, and those that are not too messy to reduce maintenance frequency and cost.
Trees with aggressive root systems will often strangle other trees and plants, and destroy septic systems. Those that are too messy require that you clean your outdoors often and this might not be viable especially if you are busy or do not want to hire someone to do lawn maintenance often.
Choose Some Interesting Outdoor Accessories
For your indoor space, you have an unlimited number of accessories to choose from. However, you are a lot more limited when it comes to your outdoor spaces. You need to find a balance between accessories that fit the outdoors while being environmentally friendly. Popular options include baskets, lanterns, bowels, and garden ornaments.
You can also choose some waterproof paintings to hang on your outdoor walls to complete the look. Adding an outdoor rug will depend on how wet the garden gets and generally, you should avoid adding on to areas that get wet.
Consider a Spa or Pool
One aspect of your outdoor functionality is comfort and having a spa or pool installed helps fulfill this criterion. The good news is that you do not have to go with an expensive pool or spa as there are lots of inexpensive above-ground options available. If you want something more permanent, there is no harm in going with a traditional pool or spa. In fact, this is encouraged because the pool will become a strong selling point when it comes time to sell the home.
Do ensure that you install a fence around the in-ground pool or spa if you decide to get one, especially if you have small kids and pets. Also, get a pool cover to lower your maintenance costs.
Maintain Privacy
Most people like to have some privacy in their outdoor spaces. There are several ways homeowners can go about this. One of these is adding wooden fencing. A wooden fence is a relatively cheap addition and it can even be attached to the house to make the outdoors an extension of the house.
The other option is to use hedges. A row of bushes might work just as well as a wooden fence, especially if it is well-maintained. Homeowners can also opt for a formal hedge which gives the fence a more manicured look.
Conclusion
If you have some usable outdoor area on your property, you should try to find ways to make it more attractive and functional. This will ensure it looks its best whether you are entertaining or not and is usable in various ways when you need to use it.