For many homeowners, backyard landscaping and front-yard landscaping serve distinctly different functions. The front yard is your display area, the stage open to public view where you can show the world that you have your landscaping “act” together. By contrast, the backyard is not about impressing anybody. Rather, it is all about livability. What “livability” means, precisely, will depend on your own particular personality and lifestyle. The less sociable you are, the more emphasis you will put on turning the backyard into a relaxing sanctuary, a place where you are more interested in attracting butterflies than people. If, on the other hand, you are something of a social butterfly, you may wish to turn your backyard into the ultimate party zone. It’s really up to you. Whichever way you find your joy, your backyard should be accommodating you in this pursuit. If it’s not, then you need to change it. Browsing the 50 backyard ideas in this article is a good place to begin. In terms of style, the patio in the picture above would appeal to someone with modern tastes. The sleek walkway complements the patio nicely. The present article merely skims the surface regarding patios. For a more detailed exploration, please see 50 Outdoor Patio Ideas. Notice also how critical the patio plants are in making this design what it is. For true outdoors enthusiasts, cooking outside complements dining outside. One of the simplest ways to begin cooking food outside is to purchase a barbecue grill. Set Up a Stone Fountain Astute plant selection will be the subject of the next several slides. An illustration of factor #3 is provided by the wonderful, dark-blue delphiniums in this scene. Shorter plants would disappear here. But delphiniums are tall perennials well-suited to the back row in a flower bed. Here are some other choice plants for the winter landscape. Some of the earliest-blooming plants flower even earlier than tulips, such as Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise,’ one of the shrubs renowned for flowering in early spring. Sometimes, you get a “two-for.” For example, tall garden phlox blooms throughout much of the summertime and draws hummingbirds to your backyard, as a bonus. But the present article is specifically about backyards. So let’s focus on a few areas of the backyard that either: A walkway to your back door is an example of the former. Why? Because if you use your back door a lot, the walkway leading up to it is a place where you will be spending a lot of time. Shouldn’t it have maximal appeal, then? Why not landscape this area with interesting edging plants so as to make it a joy to pass through? A smart option here is to line a walkway with outdoor foliage plants. These are plants valued for the display that their leaves put on, rather than for floral displays. Flowers are nice, but the problem with them is that they can be short-lived and/or high-maintenance, generally speaking. By contrast, a quality foliage plant just keeps giving and giving, demanding very little care from you in return. Which particular plants you choose will depend, in part, on the conditions (for example, sun or shade). Fern plants and hosta plants (as in the picture here) are generally good choices for shade, although some types will also take partial sun. For full sun, creeping juniper or Angelina sedum would be better choices. Again, plant selection will be determined, in part, based on sunlight conditions. Annual plants are your best bet because they furnish long-lasting color (most types need to be deadheaded, though, to keep them looking their best). Here are some examples, with sunlight requirements given in parentheses: This herb is called “sweet” woodruff because of its sweet smell, which makes it (when dried) a favorite for wreaths and potpourris. But I prefer to think of it as “tough” woodruff, because it can be grown even under large evergreen trees and persevere through such challenging circumstances. Armed with sufficient knowledge in plant selection, you need not leave the space under a tree bare. Instead, dress up the spot by growing ground covers under your tree. But not to worry: Everyone has to start somewhere, and you have come to the right place for help. Gain practice in gardening by beginning with these 10 plants that are easy to grow. One is pictured above: the lovely perennial, columbine. Cats can be a source of great joy, too, of course. Why not grow your own catnip, give some to your feline pets, and watch them go wild?
