The key with much of landscape design is proportion.  Varying heights, patterns, colors and shapes are all important elements to blend well.  With the right balance, you’ll notice that the yard just looks more inviting and attractive.  Sometimes, it is a few simple steps you can take that can help transform your run down, beaten or boring looking landscape.  So, let’s move on to some of these steps.

With the right plans, your landscape will flourish.

Front Yard Landscaping Ideas

Think about your home as a picture.  The front yard landscaping should blend in well with that picture and utilize certain elements to frame this picture.  These elements could be taller trees or defined structures on the home (like exterior shutters, a chimney or some other defining element of your home) and will also include the various hardscape elements.

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Hardscape refers to aspects of the landscape that are not living.  This could include elements like pavers, driveways, walkways, water fountains, fencing, retaining walls, and (in the backyard more likely) wooden structures, like a pergola, arbor or trellis.

In the front yard, these structures would be used more commonly for an entrance to the backyard; like a vine or flower covered arched gate opening.  These can also be found in wrought iron designs.

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Part of what makes front yard landscaping ideas different than the backyard is that we don’t spend as much time in our front yards as we do in the back.  The trend of moving more outdoor living to the back has transitioned over several decades.  In the past, front porch designs had more of an appeal, but times have changed.   These types of trends happen all the time.

As first discussed, it is all about proportion and dimension.  Landscaping ideas for small yards will have some different principles to consider, but you can find them used in any size lot, just as separate, divided spaces.  It doesn’t matter if you’ll be doing the work yourself or you have a professional landscape contractor or designer helping you out.  Here are some tricks or tips.

Tiered Designs

One key principle is to add depth or dimension to your space.  Yards with different levels or tiers make for more appealing and intriguing looks.  Even in a smaller space (maybe even more so) having dimension can draw the eye in different directions.  You don’t need to be too elaborate, just create a step or second tier using retaining wall blocks.  You can have one tier be a small patch of grass and the other one can be a filled with colorful flowers.  This way, you also achieve the elements of color and minimize your maintenance of a large lawn.

Another way to minimize maintenance issues is to use native or drought tolerate species of plants.  Often termed xeriscaping, this type of landscape design features plants that can tolerate less watering.  Many of these species will grow more slowly too, limiting the amount of trimming and maintaining necessary.  This is more popular in backyard landscapes because they make for great landcapes around pools.

Country Garden or Cottage

This is a very popular style and is appealing on many levels.  The country garden has a very flowing and flowery look about it.  With its variety of colors and shapes, the design is light and represents the joys of a coming spring.  If you aren’t careful, this landscape will leave you feeling a bit underwhelmed in winter when nothing is blooming and all appear dead.  Having some perennials will give you more life to the space.  This is the design that you will most likely associate with the front porch and old Americana.

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Modern and Contemporary Landscapes

This is more of a concept than any particular type of design feature.  Modern landscape designs are characteristically more friendly to the environment in terms of water use and rely more on properly used hardscapes.  These will often rely on more low cut shrubs in geometric patterns, like squares, circles and patterns.  The bluestone paver and grass checkerboard is a common example of a design theme that is used in combination with concrete features to create a minimalist contemporary feel.  You may also see rock or pebble used instead of grass or living materials.  Very well manicured rather than free-flowing plant life are common elements as well.  Think ‘green and grey’ as a common theme with this style.  A central water feature, like a fountain in a courtyard may anchor this space.

Front Yard Curb Appeal

Your landscape should welcome you and your guests to your home.  As the picture, it should invite you in.  A simple and well planned front yard will help you enter the home easily.  Using a paved driveway or paver walkway to approach the front door is appropriate.  Use large anchor trees sparingly.  Large trees with branches that could potentially become hazards for collapsing on the roof of your home or cars in a driveway should be considered.  One large tree in the right spot can do a lot for your design and provide shade to your home as well.  Keeping your yard well-maintained is a much better use of your time than planting a huge variety of plants that need constant attention in order to look good.  Using the right balance of hardscape features and softscape will give your home a wonderful presence in your neighborhood.  Remember that the color of your home, front door design and exterior lighting are all aspects of landscaping ideas for front yard consideration also.

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The backyard is one of those places where we at Patio Covers Place feel right at home.  In fact, that’s what our entire site is about – outdoor living products and patio accessories for modern living.  While we’ve talked about front yard landscaping ideas around here, too, it certainly isn’t our first love, so to speak.  Over the past decade or so, homeowners increasingly request or are looking for backyard landscaping designs that create functional outdoor rooms.  That is to say, the backyard expands upon the livable square footage of one’s home.

Backyard landscaping is more than just the living or organic nature of a yard, it is also the hardscape and structural features as well.  You might expect that patio covers make up a big part of that design.  You’d be right!  In fact, many find the pergola designs that offer both shade and the framework for other living materials is a great structure to include.  This is why we spend so much time talking about them and ways of utilizing them in your space.

However, there are more to the hardscape elements than just these patio structures.  Landscaping ideas must address the overall flow in your space.  It needs to address proportion, perception and dimension as well.  In another article, we discussed landscaping ideas for small yards as there are specific concerns and challenges with smaller spaces.  In it, there were discussions about how the height of your landscape features should be varied.  This helps to create that dimension that is so important in landscape design.

If you’re just starting to plant now, it may take several seasons to get some idea as to what the ‘finished product’ will look like.  You can cheat time a bit by purchasing larger specimens of trees, shrubs or plants, but much of your landscape will fill in over the course of years.  This is why it is important to plan and design properly.  It is easy to have your landscape overtake your space over the course of several years.

Beside the fact that you don’t want to have it overgrown, you want to keep maintenance of your backyard to a level that you can tolerate.  Unless you have a landscaper or gardener that will be managing your yard, making sure that it is not a chore is crucial.  The last thing you want is for your yard to become a burden or a place that you resent.

Backyard Landscaping Pictures

It’s hard to convey a concept with words, not to mention landscape designs.  So, the following are some design concepts from which you can get some inspiration.

Country Garden

This term is more of a catch-all.  It reflects the look of a more natural space, with some garden art or focal points thrown in.  It has a more

Here is a great example of a country garden with arbor.

relaxed and ‘flowy’ look about it.  We’ve included this one to represent the ‘flower garden’ category in this discussion.  You can utilize both perennial and seasonal flowers.  Wildflowers are also a great addition and can be a part of most any of the designs mentioned here.

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Xeriscaped Yard

This is certainly one of our favorite types of design.  The reason is because of how it is a more sustainable design for our part of the southwestern U.S.  You can achieve this type of landscape in your local climate as well, using native plant species that

While a bit larger than a typical yard, this is a good example of a xeriscaped yard, with shade sails and metal and rock retaining wall.

are adapted to your environment.  If you live in the desert, using synthetic grass is a much better way to get the look you want than having to water a lawn in a climate where it is not natural for it to grow.  Sure, we’ve got some of the greatest golf courses around, but they do require vast amounts of water resources and maintenance – the very aspects that xeriscaping avoids.    photo credit

Japanese Garden

In this style of landscape, minimalist is key.  The whole Zen principle of simplicity and the use of natural elements together is the focus.  Here, you might find water features, stone figures, hardscape elements and elegant flower specimens.  The pergola is also a great complement to this theme.  Asian-inspired landscapes are and have been very popular in the West for many years.

This is a wonderful example of the use of water, hardscape elements and selective planting to achieve a Japanese-style landscape.

It is their simple, clean lines and serene appearance that appeals to many homeowners.  If you opt for this type of design style, consider accessorizing your home’s or patio’s gutters with rain chains.  These are often copper chains, bowls, cups or figurines that hang from your gutter and allow water to be redirected in a way that is both art and function.  You can even utilize this set up that leads into a stream or river in your landscape layout.

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Modern or Contemporary

With a more contemporary or modern look, there is part minimal and part functional aspects.  The use of rock, cement and metal are very popular components of this design.  There are many modern and sustainable designs that can be incorporated with this approach.

Here is a contemporary design using stone that has an Asian feel to it.

The use of a consistent pattern or color is also part of a more modern look.  So, a checkerboard design made of concrete or bluestone pavers with grass or moss between them is a popular look.  Likewise, geometric shapes that utilize natural stone materials and water elements or living plants is also a good style to mimic.  Modern landscapes will continue to utilize sustainable designs as more and more people bring their ‘green’ living approaches to their backyards.  The re-use or recycling of materials to create an almost urban look to your yard could be a great approach depending on your home’s overall decor.

Pool Landscaping Designs

If you have a pool in your backyard, then there are other considerations for you.  If you’re looking for ways of improving or softening your pool landscape, then you should consider xeriscaping as a great option.  In many cases, this will also reduce the amount of debris and leaves that fall into your pool.  This is one point that many homeowners are not aware of when they shop for or plant their shrubs, trees and flowers around the pool.  The pool decking and furniture will also compromise part of the ‘landscape’ around your pool.

Of course, there are other landscape designs that could be a combination of all or part of these above.  If you found these backyard landscaping ideas helpful in creating your own backyard oasis retreat, contact us and send them over.  Maybe yours can be added to our gallery and become a hybrid description above!  Best of luck!

Here is a relatively smaller landscape utilizing water and varying heights of plants and trees.

Small yard landscaping requires a focus on overall proportion.  You need to be careful about the types of furniture, plants, trees and other patio structures you use to still allow a feeling of space.  You can create an intimate outdoor patio area with separate or distinct areas as well.  The materials you use as ground cover and for your living matrix will also help define your space and design.

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Hardscape Elements

The hardscape refers to the materials that are not organic or living materials.  These could be elements of your patio covers, patio floor, patio pavers, brick walkways, waterscape features (see below), rock features or rock and pebble mulch, fencing, etc.  You’ll definitely want to balance the amount of this hardscape that you have with softer, ‘greener’ elements.

You don’t need to have a full lawn or exotic garden in order to have a nice yard either.  Since our site focuses primarily around patio pursuits, backyard landscaping ideas are more of our domain.  If you want to discover more front yard landscaping ideas, we do have something to offer in that area, but we prefer the back.                     photo credit

There is no magic formula to how much space you should dedicate to plants, flowers, gardens and such, but you will have to pay attention to how you plan on using your space.  If you just like the idea of a low maintenance patio garden, then consider using containers and portable planting beds.  Container gardening is a way of allowing you to grow the herbs, plants or flowers that you want in a way that is more flexible and can be accomplished in any size space.

There are also ways to add tiers or dimension to even a small space.  A simple raised planting bed or a stack of two smaller ones can give you some height. This is one thing that you should pay special attention to in smaller spaces.  The dimension is important.  You’ll want to have varying heights of both the hardscape and softscape elements.

Varying heights of plants, flowers, vines and patio structures, like a pergola or arbor can create a well-balanced aspect to your landscape design as well.  Just like you would use height indoors, the same elements apply outdoors.  This is especially true as we design more outdoor rooms and outdoor living spaces.

Water Features

You can also utilize water features, like ponds, fountains, small streams and other water elements in smaller spaces.  You will have the best luck with a fountain or small pond.  These can be purchased as stand alone products or you can assemble your own pond, fountain or waterscape feature yourself.  A table top or corner fountain with a river rock filled basin will work very well – giving you both sound and the changing, flowing element that only water can provide.

Here's a nice combination of water feature, stone patio and container gardening.

There are other water features that may be more seasonal that can also enhance the look and feel of your small space.  One such item is the rain chain.  These are commonly copper chains or decorative cups or bowls that hang from your gutter downspout.  They take up little space, yet provide a great design element when it rains.

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If you prefer fire instead of water, then look at what type of fire pit designs might work in your smaller space.  Of utmost importance with this idea is that you have space for it to ensure it is safe.  There are a variety of portable or built in fire pits that can look like they are a natural part of the landscape of your yard.

Patio Furniture for Small Spaces

Patio furniture is still an aspect of your overall landscape design.  You certainly want to enjoy your time outdoors, no matter the size of the space you’ve got.  So, what can you use that will be comfortable and still suit your space?  To begin with, you could opt for a simple bistro set.  This type of outdoor bar furniture is available from a variety of retailers in both wood and metal designs.

Another great element to add are swings, hammocks,  gliders and other types of lounging chairs.  These are the spaces that call for relaxation and these are the types of furniture that will give it to you.

Small Yard Landscaping

Now, bringing this back around to the plantable aspects of your landscape ideas, let’s focus for a minute on maintenance.  The one thing about living plants, flowers, trees and shrubs is that they need to be trimmed and watered.  This discussion will need to bring up the issue of watering, for the most part.  If you do your planning and landscape design well, you’ll need to rely on as little water as is necessary.  Using native species and proper drainage and natural watering from rain and other drainage sources, you can save a lot of water.  This type of xeriscaping is the most sustainable way to landscape a yard.

Your design should help express your tastes and serve your needs.  Whether you are the ultimate lounge lizard, patio green thumb or just looking to create some more life or zest in your space,  hopefully, these small yard landscaping ideas gave you some great creative insights or inspiration.

This seems like an elementary point, but you might not know how a plant, shrub or other tree behaves when it is out of season from when you purchase it.  You may fall in love with the colors of the flowers or like the shade that the leaves provide only to be disappointed when you find them plugging up your pool skimmer every other day.

This type of swimming pool landscaping is not available in all climate zones.

The point of having a pool is to be able to enjoy it.  The last thing you want to be hassled with is having to clean all your great landscaping ideas out of your pool time and again.  Sure, you could hire someone to do this or get one of those swimming pool covers, but it will still affect the performance and function of your pool equipment.  Your best bet would be to plan your pool landscaping ideas with respect to your climate and local conditions.

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You can see a lovely tropical setting happening in your backyard patio, with your outdoor fireplace, sitting on your chaise lounge listening to some great tunes, melting the night away.  The only problem is, if you live in a desert or more frost-prone climate, your tropical paradise oasis will quickly turn into a deserted island in the Sahara.  If you don’t match your landscaping to your climate, it will never survive and grow to be what you’d like.

With this in mind, keep native species in mind.  Native plants will do much better because, as their name implies, they have adapted over thousands of years to tolerate the weather conditions in your area.  Aside from this, they will likely bloom and go dormant at the times that would best suit your swimming season as well.  A term that is used for this type of use of native plants and thinking of natural water conservation is called xeriscape.  Xeriscaping can allow you to grow many different species of plants with minimal water use.  We are big fans of not only sustainable products and materials here at Patio Covers Place, but sustainable landscaping as well.  This is a wonderful option for swimming pool landscaping.

Let’s take the desert southwest, for example.  There, you can find structures that could shade your backyard, patio and pool landscape as well.  And, you can also have access to all the water you want – even though using it on landscaping can be considered a slightly irresponsible use of natural resources.  However, you could grow any number of plants and non-native species.  They would require excessive work and also force you to spend more time on them than enjoying your patio or pool.  Desert plants can have a wide variety of color and flowers that can bloom nearly year-round, depending upon species.

Hardscape Elements

This pool landscaping is highlighted by a stamped concrete pool deck and multi-colored gravel with a simple, repeating plant pattern.

There are also ‘hardscape’ features to consider.  In our example here, the plants and trees would be considered the landscaping, while the hardscape could include things like the rock, flagstone or patio pavers you intend to lay, creating some sort of path or walkway.

Great strides have been made in patio concrete designs as well, giving you the ability to paint, stain or stamp concrete in a way that can mimic any natural material.  We’ve written more extensively on this topic elsewhere in our ‘Patio Designs’ category if you’re looking for more specific help in that area.

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Your outdoor lighting is also something to consider.  Since we were talking about sustainability earlier, let’s continue that theme with a solar discussion for your lighting.  Things like solar garden lights are a great way to conserve energy and place points of interest in and around your swimming pool landscaping.

How far you want to go with your landscape designs is really up to you.  The ideas and material choices are essentially endless.  You can go for a more rustic look and add a nice looking patio cover to go poolside or go with something much more finished in its appearance.  Your patio furniture and other outdoor accessories are all part of your overall design as well.  Matching your outdoor fabric choices to blend in with your landscaping is a nice touch.

Let’s not forget to mention pool safety as well. While not necessarily your first consideration when planning your landscaping, but nonetheless important.  In many areas of the country, a pool fence is mandatory now in newer construction.  There are styles that are less obstructive to your visual line of sight, so they make great choices here.  The last thing you want is for your pool fence or other equipment to take away from your swimming pool landscaping design you worked so hard to create.

The reason that your patio space will look better with time is because of your landscaping and other elements that you add to liven up the place.  A brand new patio looks, well, brand new.  If you want yours to have a little old-world charm and distinguishing characteristics you can either wait for a period of years or you can get the look from the early on stages.  Now, you can’t necessarily rush the growing of your plants and vines, but you can affect how the hardscape looks.

Hardscape simply refers to those things that are part of your landscape or backyard design elements that are built or are manmade.  For example, your patio cover is a type of hardscape element.  It blends into your landscape design but also requires little in the way of maintenance, pruning, watering, etc.  The same thing is true about your actual patio itself.

You can have a simple concrete foundation poured and call it a patio, but this certainly lacks some much needed character.  Besides, if you have a patio paver walkway or other type of custom brick design, then you’ll get a much better blended feel if your patio brings this theme all the way around.
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Patio pavers are the building blocks of good design.  This is a somewhat general term for the several styles available.  Pavers for patio construction come in both natural stone styles, brick looks or in cast concrete.  There is another category of pavers known as interlocking pavers.  The name comes from the fact that they have a symmetrical shape that are meant to be put together with others of similar shape to create an overall design.  Most places where you get your materials will even have a chart to help show you what types of patio paver designs or patterns you can create with these and also how many you can expect to need based upon your measurements of square footage.

Most of these interlocking ones are concrete patio pavers that can be colored shades of reds, browns and tans.  When all put together, they form a nice blended color palette.  The same thing is true of the brick patio pavers.  While these may be the familiar maroon colored brick, you can also find a brick shape that is made of these cast concrete stone looking styles.  The bricks can be laid in a herringbone pattern which has a nice and sophisticated look or a simple basket weave or butted joint type of pattern as well.  There really is no right or wrong way to pick your design, the key steps are with installation.  Another great thing about having a paver installation is that you can be comfortable with some type of outdoor fireplace and not worry about a fire risk.

Installing Your Patio Pavers

As mentioned, installation is the most critical part of this process.  If you are relying on your patio to be a firm foundation for years to come, you must make sure that it is graded properly.  For drainage purposes, you should have a degree of incline away from your home.  It doesn’t take much to get the water to drain away from your home’s foundation.

All climates and city building codes vary, so consult with your local professional to determine if you need to take any further steps before continuing here.  Once you’ve determined that you are clear to begin, you’ll need to dig out the area where you plan to lay your pavers.  Plan on having a 6” space around the edge of the area you plan to lay, that way you have some room to work and wiggle as you go.  You’ll appreciate this later.

Once you get the basic area dug, you’ll be adding in the base layer of stone or sand.  If you have a large area to build up, go with the decomposed granite to get the height up.  Then, you’ll use the sand as a base layer upon which your pavers will be set.  The process of leveling the sand – critical step – is called screed boarding or screeding.  It basically consists of laying down 1” PVC or rigid metal tube, pouring in the sand and leveling it.  The screeding step is to pull a board perpendicular to these tubes and pull toward you.  This will level the sand to the tubes and give you a nice 1” base layer to lay your pavers on.

Once you’ve got this part finished, you can begin laying in your patio pavers.  If you are making an old cobblestone looking walkway or patio, you can be a bit more haphazard or random with the selection of each paver.  If you are going for a more uniform look, like with bricks for a herringbone appearance, you’ll need to be a bit more precise.  Most newer concrete pavers have built-in spacers to them, so you just place them right up to one another.  Some older bricks are smooth on all edges so you’ll need to leave some space for the sand to fill the joints later.

What About A Flagstone Patio?

The process is very similar whether you are laying brick pavers or flagstone.  The only difference is in the thickness of the flagstone itself and the way that it is set into the sand or decomposed granite or crushed rock as it is sometimes called.  Because of the way that the flagstone is shaped in nature, it naturally has a non-uniform surface.  Laying it flat on a smooth concrete surface would reveal this.

So, when you are going to use flagstone for a patio or walkway, it needs to be set properly to avoid rocking and breaking due to uneven pressure.  Also, there are different grades of flagstone.  If you just plan on light use then ‘walk on’ grade is acceptable – usually measures ¾” to 1- 1/2” thick.  Thicker than that and you are into ‘patio grade’ which is rated for heavier use and placement of patio furniture and the like.  Once you’ve got the right thickness, you can begin laying it out.

Flagstone comes in odd shapes and sizes for a more organic looking pattern.  You simply lay your crushed rock or sand down in about 1” thickness and then work your flagstone into it by sliding it a bit back and forth and side to side.  You can gently tap some spots with a rubber mallet to nudge it into the base layer as well.  Be careful because it is very easy to crack and split with too much force on an uneven lie.

With both the flagstone patio or paver patio, you’ll need to finish the joints in some way to complete this project.  Simple mortar sand can be used to fill the cracks and swept over it at a 45 degree angle.  Then water it to let the sand settle and repeat until you have sand filling the joints.  For wider joints like with the flagstone, you can also grow some moss or other fine living material between it.  As we first mentioned, these little touches can make your patio look even more charming and aged than it really is.