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The American Society of Landscape Architects says professional landscaping can increase the home’s selling price by 15-20%, according to a report on Bankrate. A large backyard can be ideal for creating a recreational area for kids and adults. It can also help you enhance the exterior design of your home, thus boosting the property’s overall value. However, getting the most from your outdoor space entails more than growing beautiful trees and flowers, and placing pieces of garden furniture.
To transform large outdoor spaces into attractive landscapes, you must plan carefully. With a bit of research, inspiration, and designing, you can convert a spacious yard into a versatile area for eating, relaxing, gardening, and entertaining your loved ones. If you have ample outdoor space and don’t know how to enhance its aesthetics, below are some clever landscaping ideas for large yards.
Consider Zoning
Too often, the overall landscape design of large backyards look messy because owners don’t divide them into sections. So, consider zoning your outdoor space or dividing it into different outdoor rooms to maximize usage and overall enjoyment. For instance, you may focus on growing ornamental plants on one side of the yard and build a pond on the other. You may also find joy creating separate recreational spaces for kids and adults, an outdoor kitchen, reading nook, meditation zone, and vegetable garden.
After defining two or four zones, strategize how each zone will look based on its functionality. Each section should differ from the other, but allow a cohesive flow in the entire space. Note that you can create individual zones of your expansive yard by using decorative fences, paving stones, flower beds, or garden lighting fixtures.
Incorporate a Curvilinear Design
While a variety of landscape styles work for large landscapes, consider a curvilinear design. This design is appealing, as it simulates a natural look at your outdoor space. A curvilinear design involves the use of curved boundary lines, a perfect option for dividing sloping gardens Besides converting sloping yards into manageable terraces, a curvilinear garden design adds a sense of horizontal movement, thus unifying spacious yards.
Grow Landscaping Plants
If you fancy a minimalistic design that makes your spacious yard attractive, then mix a variety of landscaping plants, including trees, grass, shrubs, perennials, and annuals. This landscape design idea is excellent for creating a serene spot for meditation or a fun playing area for the kids. Not to mention, trees help define outdoor space and enhance the overall aesthetics of your property.
Like any other landscape design, you need to plan the placement of your trees and other landscaping plants carefully. Therefore, plant shrubs and trees of varying heights to fill in lower areas of the yard and add interesting depth to it. You’ll also enjoy energy-saving properties trees and other landscaping plants offer. Shade trees, for instance, protect your home from direct sunlight during the summer. That way, you’ll run the air conditioning less often, thus reducing your energy bill.
Install Water Features
Adding a water feature in your backyard is one of the best ways to add a sense of tranquility and light into any garden. When placed in a large backyard, water features can add drama to a plain outdoor area. For instance, raised pools and rills create a sharp contrast with dense areas of landscaping plants and smooth pavings. They also add fascinating reflections and soothing sounds to your outdoor space.
Other stunning garden water features you should consider for a large outdoor space include a kid-friendly splash pad, swimming pool, water fountains, a contemporary moat, pondless waterfall, birdbath, and rock waterfall. A wildlife pond also adds beauty and interest to your large backyard by attracting insects, birds, and other small animals. However, careful planning and designing is essential to make your wildlife pond a focal point.
As a general rule of thumb, your pond should be somewhere with partial shade to prevent algae growth and water loss. Also, be mindful of foliage that may drop leaves in the water, resulting in a buildup that affects the pond’s functionality. If you have trees surrounding your desired pond location, consider hiring tree trimming and brush removal experts. With the help of professionals, you can trim tree branches that could drop leaves in your pond or remove unwanted trees and tree stumps to create room for a sustainable wildlife pond.
Construct Versatile Outdoor Shelter
Your huge outdoor space won’t be complete without a sturdy, versatile garden room. An outdoor shelter is an incredible investment that transforms how you use your yard. It also makes an interesting focal point. There are a variety of unique outdoor shelter ideas, from simple wooden pergolas designed with canvas linings to expensive garden rooms with retractable screens and rotating louvre slatted panels. You can also enhance the style of your outdoor shelter by adding a glass box extension, installing lighting fixtures, heating and cooling systems.
Landscaping a large backyard is an excellent way of improving the aesthetics of your home and increasing property value. While the process can be daunting, it’s possible to create appealing landscape designs for huge outdoor space. All you need to do is zone your garden, plant trees and other landscaping plants, build water features, use curvilinear design, and add a garden shelter.