A beautiful backyard is one thing, but needing to maintain and curate it can quickly suck out all the joy. Getting that perfect balance between aesthetics and effort is key to creating an outdoor space you enjoy, and it’s particularly important if you haven’t the time or energy to keep up with gardening every week.
Summer will creep up on us quicker than you might imagine, so now could be the right time for you to embark on a new project and make some improvements. Take a look at our top tips for embracing a stunning yet low-maintenance backyard.
Create an outdoor living space
Even a low key yard should be somewhere you can enjoy spending time in. Include a seating area that is on top of suitable and easy to clean paving slabs, and know that it won’t be taken over by weeds every time you have guests over. Remember to not skimp on the outdoor furniture and cushions – people need to be comfortable.
Get a fire pit
An outdoor fire pit in the backyard means you can enjoy your outdoor space all year round – whether it’s winter, spring, summer or fall. And who doesn’t enjoy watching the sunset and spending evenings with loved ones huddled around the fire? Take a look at what fire pit designs System Pavers have to offer, and see if you can find the perfect place to put it: it’s bound to be an addition you get a lot of use from.
Consider a water feature
Once you’ve set it up, a simple water feature is almost self-regulating, meaning you can sit back and enjoy you striking backyard focal point. You don’t have to worry about much maintenance with it either if you choose a fuss-free model.
Add color to plants
If you fancy a little color in your yard, but don’t want to hang seasonal baskets or borders, reach for those little perennials such as lavender. They are gorgeously scented and beautiful all year round (but especially summer). They’re very hardy plants too, so they’ll need next to nothing from you.
Organise your tools
A low maintenance yard needs to be a tidy one, so consider investing in a shed. This can keep your grass cutter, spades and any other tools you may have somewhere safe and tidily stored away. They’ll be hand for whenever you need them, but not in the way.
Designate a wild area
If you love flowers, create yourself a designated wild area. This allows you to grow some seeds and let nature take over. Fence it off and you won’t need to worry about it spreading out and ruining the look of your yard.
Lawn
This is one of the tricky parts of the garden to maintain. We don’t suggest you get rid of the lawn completely, seeing as it has lots of benefits such as providing a space for outdoor games with the grandkids. Consider reducing the overall size of your lawn and replace the regular lawn paths with some hard landscaping.
Designing a backyard that you can enjoy shouldn’t require lots of timetabled maintenance. The lawn might grow a bit too long, plants might not always be de headed and the odd weed may appear, but just enjoy it – and know you’re doing good for your local wildlife by letting nature take its course.