10 Ways to Improve Your Home’s Outdoor Space
1 Fire – A fire pit or outdoor fireplace changes everything in cool weather. Long after most people have retired to indoor living, you can gather around a fire to enjoy the beautiful weather of fall and even winter, on the milder days. With our mountain weather, a cozy fire is delightful on a cool summer evening. Who doesn’t love S’mores?
2 Water – For thousands of years, humans have found water essential to any garden, not only for the plants, but for enjoyment. The sound of a bubbling fountain is peaceful and relaxing. Running water attracts birds, especially during migration, and they will stop in for a drink and a bath if the fountain is shallow enough.
3 Lighting – Most of us have glaring outdoor spotlights to light the way when we want to spend time in our yards after dark, but there’s a better solution. Some simple uplighting into trees, and pathway lights make the outdoors not only more attractive , but more accessible.
4 Patios – A patio built large enough to accommodate a group of people is a treasured feature of a home. Plenty of space for tables and chairs means you can set up areas to gather and entertain during the warm months.
5 Seating – Rocking chairs, gliders, hammocks, outdoor sofas, porch swings. All are classic pieces of furniture for outdoor comfort. Add some soft pillows and cushions, for color and comfort, and you’ve branched out from the big box store patio set.
6 Scent – Night flying insects, such as moths, need scents to guide their way in the dark. Plant some Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana sp.), Night Blooming Jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum), and Moonflower (Ipomoea alba) which all release their fragrance come nightfall to attract their pollinators. Good thing for us, because this means we can enjoy their scent, too!
7 Destination – Give your landscape a destination. There’s something about following a trail into the woods or seeing a glimpse of a structure hidden in the trees, that draws humans along. Create a place to go to and you will find yourself using more of your property than before.
8 View – We are very lucky in the mountains to be able to glimpse beautiful views from our homes. Take a soft approach to clearing for a view – keep some trees in the foreground and open up the vegetation with a few selective cuts of branches so you having something to look through, framing the view.
9 Habitat – Planting trees, shrubs, and flowers that are native assures you will be able to enjoy the flora and fauna that make this region special. We live in one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the world, so take the opportunity to grow plants that are specific to here, and that feed and house the butterflies and birds that depend on them.
10 Screening – Your house may be right beside your neighbors’, but that doesn’t mean you have to look at them every day. A well designed barrier of trees and shrubs can give your yard privacy without it looking like a solid green wall. A screen of trees can also shield your home from cold winter winds and hot summer sun, thereby decreasing your heating and cooling bills.