Summer is approaching, and as school closes for the summer and the nicer weather brings us together for outdoor celebrations, we’ll be spending a lot more time in our backyards.
It’s important to feel a sense of comfort, not only in your living room and bedroom but also in your outdoor spaces.
Our yards and porches are an extension of our home and should reflect our personality and tastes, as well as our interior décor.
Creating an aesthetic appeal in your backyard takes some consideration and planning, but the results are spectacular. While there are many ways to create an appealing landscape design, gardening is one of the best ways to upgrade your space.
Plants are the key to a happy and healthy home environment. They purify the surrounding air and reduce negative environmental impacts such as water runoff. Studies have also shown that plants can even reduce stress and boost creativity.
Having an outdoor sanctuary that serves a purpose in our lives, whether that’s entertaining your neighbors or relaxing on a Sunday evening, is crucial to making home feel like home.
Ready to transform your backyard into your favorite spot in the house? Here are 10 tips for creating an outdoor space that brings joy to your life.
How do I make an aesthetic garden? 4 Tips
1. Forget the perfectly manicured green lawn
“If half of American lawns were replaced with native plants, we would create the equivalent of a 20 million-acre national park, nine times bigger than Yellowstone.” – Doug Tallamy
Over the last 100 years, the continental U.S. has lost over 150 million acres of habitat and farmland due to the rapid industrialization and growth of city areas. Even suburbs lost touch with nature as manicured green lawns became a popular trend among many homeowners.
As a result, wildlife has decreased in these regions, which has had negative impacts on the environment as a whole. Using native plants in your garden is just one way to offset this decades-long pattern and bring more diversity into your outdoor space.
Benefits of using native plants in your yard
Once planted, shrubs, trees, and flowers that are native to your region are often easier and cheaper to maintain, they are also some of the best aesthetic plants!
Plants that conserve water are essential features of a sustainable garden. Since the features of native plants are more tailored to the local environment, they don’t need as much water as other plants. If you want to keep the environmental benefits of your backyard high and your water bill low, native plants are the way to go.
Speaking of environmental benefits, native plants promote the growth of a healthy ecosystem. Nectar from flowering plants attracts pollinators like hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies that sustain gardens from season to season and increase biodiversity.
Since native plants are already adapted to the local climate and soil, they require less overall maintenance and don’t need much outside assistance from fertilizers and other chemical products.
The average suburban lawn uses 10x more chemical pesticides per acre than farmland, so if you want a healthier environment for yourself, your family, and the community of people and other creatures that live in your region, native plants are the way to go.
If you’re not sure where to start, try adding some native grasses or wildflowers to your garden. You can also find many native plants at your local nursery or online. Just be sure to do your research before you buy, so you know you’re getting a plant that will thrive in your area.
Best aesthetic plants for your outdoor garden
Tropical plants are exploding in popularity recently due to their low maintenance requirements and relaxed, casual vibe.
If you live in Florida, Southern California, or another warm-climate region, many of these aesthetic plants are native and grow well both indoors and outdoors. Here are a few of the best outdoor tropical plants to use in your backyard.
- Fiddle leaf fig tree. These beautiful houseplants are considered tropical plants that grow best on the west coast and most southern regions.
- Monstera deliciosa. Nicknamed the swiss cheese plant due to the interesting cut-outs in its leaves, you can grow these beautiful plants in containers or on a raised bed if you live in a tropical region.
- Palm trees. With over 3,000 different species of palm trees in existence, you are bound to find one that works in your backyard. If you live in a suitable region to grow them, some important things to consider in your choice are final plant height, size of your property, and other nearby plants.
If you don’t live in a tropical region, most tropical plants will also grow well in containers. Our long-lasting and stylish fiberglass planters will last for years, indoors or outdoors. Made with a lightweight resin composite, they’re much easier to move around than other planter materials so you can bring them inside during the cold winter months or leave them indoors all year round.
2. Consider the elements of landscape design
“Texture can be used to create both unity and variety in your design, and to enhance the color palette.” – Janine Anderson
When I think about the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen, I don’t picture homogenous gardens with one plant species or color scheme. The most incredible gardens find a unique way to create visual interest by utilizing different elements of landscape design, such as:
Color
Knowing basic color theory is essential for creating an aesthetic landscape design. You could keep it simple by playing around with different tones and shades of the same color flower pots, or you can spice things up by adding a few plant pots in your favorite bright colors to accent the backyard.
Color also changes with the seasons. Once spring and summer have passed, the remaining blooms on your flowers will die or go into hiding until next season, and when that time comes, your landscape will look much different. It’s a good idea to plant a mixture of annuals and perennials to ensure year-round beauty in your garden.
Texture
Using plants with texture in your backyard is the perfect way to create a distinct look for your garden. Texture primarily refers to the surface features of your garden and the visual appeal that your plants create, both individually and as a whole garden unit.
Ferns and grasses are examples of fine-textured aesthetic plants that add a casual, airy feel to the garden. Plants with large leaves, like the fiddle leaf fig tree, are considered to be coarse-textured. They work well along borders and in corners to create more definition in your space.
3. Create a focal point
“A garden without a focal point is like a room without a view.” – Piet Oudolf
The focal point is the place in a room or landscape to which your eyes are naturally drawn to. There are many reasons why gardeners choose to create a focal point in their landscape:
- It adds a unique signature to your garden and allows you to infuse your personality and tastes into your design.
- Focal points create visual interest, and your garden will be more likely to stick in people’s memories.
- By creating an effective focal point, you can camouflage the less appealing functional parts of your backyard, such as garbage cans or utility areas.
Of course, focal points aren’t necessary for creating an aesthetic backyard. After all, it’s your landscape and you can design it how you choose.
Unusual or aesthetic plants, statues, and functional furniture such as outdoor dining tables, pergolas, and stone fire pits can make great focal points in your backyard. But, if you decide to create a focal point, the most important thing to remember is to keep it personal to you and your tastes.
Planters are a great way to create focal points. With our planter range available in over 16 different standard colors, it’s not surprising that industry professionals use them to fulfill their client’s landscaping and decor needs.
4. Plan before you plant
“An hour of planning can save you 10 hours of doing.” – Dale Carnegie
There are a lot of moving parts in any design, and the perfect backyard is no exception. From the length of the walkways to the shape of the shrubs, you’ll need to make some careful choices about your garden design before you even step foot in the nursery.
Planning your garden helps you to figure out what kind of plants to grow, where to plant them, and how much space you need. It also allows you to make sure that your aesthetic plants will have their ideal amount of direct sunlight and water.
When you plan your backyard, it is a good idea to start by drawing a sketch of your property. Include the house, any outbuildings, trees, bushes, and other features. Then, use a ruler or tape measure to determine the dimensions of each area. This will give you an idea of how much space you have to work with so you can decide which aesthetic plants and other gardening features will look best in your backyard.
Once you know the size of your backyard, you can start choosing aesthetic plants that you want to grow. For larger spaces, tall plants and trees are a good option for proving shade and privacy. But keep in mind that too many tall plants can crowd your small space; it’s best to use short plants for small gardens. If you want to grow your own food, consider what kinds of fruits and vegetables you like eating so that you can make the most out of your garden.
Once you have a list of aesthetic plants you’d like to grow, research which ones do well in your climate region and soil type, as well as how much sun and shade your garden gets throughout the day. This information will help you choose aesthetic plants that are more likely to thrive in your specific environment.
Finally, when you have a good idea of the best aesthetic plants to use in your garden, you can research where to buy them. Seeds and young plants are available in many different places, such as nurseries, home improvement stores, and online retailers.
How do I beautify my backyard? 3 Ideas
1. Experiment with non-living fixtures in your backyard
While aesthetic plants are a popular feature of any backyard, they are just one element that makes up your landscape design. The ultimate outdoor space utilizes a variety of features to enhance the curb appeal of your backyard. Here are just a few ideas to give you some inspiration.
Artificial light
After the sun has gone down, lights are essential for highlighting the most important areas of your outdoor space. There are various ways to incorporate lighting, such as:
- Placing lights at different heights to create depth and texture.
- Use uplights to highlight the trees and shrubs in your yard, while using smaller lights for more delicate plants like flowers and vines, or small spaces like a secret garden.
- Experiment with different types of lighting to achieve the effect you want. For a softer, more romantic look, try using warm temperature bulbs, instead of harsh halogen or fluorescent bulbs.
- Add accent lights that focus on specific focal points in your landscape, such as your favorite aesthetic plants, statues, or furniture. This can help draw attention to these areas while creating interesting shadows and textures throughout your yard.
Placing lighting in certain areas of your landscape can highlight the most important focal points and textures in your yard. By strategically placing lights, you can add depth and dimension to your landscaping, bringing out the individual characteristics of each plant or architectural feature.
Water elements
Water features can add beauty and visual interest to your landscape. The ways to incorporate water into your garden designs are not just limited to fountains and ponds.
There are several new products on the market that can be used to incorporate water into your landscape design including:
- Fountains that resemble rocks or trees make great focal points. They are designed to catch your eye, but also look like they were part of the natural environment.
- Water walls are essentially transparent panels with small holes that spray a fine mist over them when filled with water. They will create a natural illusion and add an elegant touch to any garden space.
- Automatic watering systems, which are available for plants and flower beds, keep your garden looking lush and vibrant during dry seasons. They also save you time and effort.
2. Create a zen garden
Originally designed by Japanese Buddhist monks as a place for quiet meditation, zen gardens incorporate features such as water, accent lighting, plants, rocks, and gravel to create a relaxing place outside the home for you to unwind.
The foundational principles of Zen gardening can be suited to your own tastes and style. Different aspects of Zen can be incorporated into any backyard, depending on factors such as the size and nature of the open space.
Traditional Zen gardens are minimalist dry landscapes comprised of earthy elements like rock and gravel, but more modern Zen garden designs are incorporating plants and water features. Man-made features such as bridges, fountains, statuary, and stone lanterns are also used.
3. Grow a veggie garden
Whether you just want to grow some simple vegetables for your salads or start a gourmet kitchen garden, veggie gardening at home isn’t super difficult.
There are many reasons why people choose to start a veggie garden. First of all, it can be very rewarding. There’s undoubtedly no better feeling than cooking with vegetables from your own garden. You can literally eat the fruits of your labor, and the fresh taste is unbeatable.
Vegetable gardens can also be beautiful. From red tomatoes to purple eggplants, there are plenty of colors that will add beauty to your garden. With the addition of decorative plant pots, your garden will become a beautiful sanctuary for pollinators that will encourage your vegetables to grow better.
Related: Beginner’s guide to vegetable gardening in your apartment
Final thoughts
After 2 years of canceled graduation parties and holiday barbeques, we’ll finally have a chance to use our backyards this summer, so it’s the perfect time for a garden makeover.
If you want to create the perfect aesthetic yard, you’ll need to start with a plan. This may be as simple as sketching a picture of your backyard and/or taking some notes. But if you have a large backyard or you are planning a big project or redesign, you may benefit from consulting a landscape design expert in your area.
Once you have ironed out the details of your ideal backyard, it’s time to start planting and adding new elements to your landscape. From aesthetic plants to Koi ponds and porch swings, there are so many ways to make your backyard feel like a sanctuary.
Enhance your garden aesthetic with our fiberglass planters
If you want an aesthetic backyard to be proud of, the most important thing to look for is durable, reliable, and beautiful pots.
Plus, a high-quality and professional planter is more likely to impress visitors, and customers and help achieve your business goals – which is the reason many invest in garden aesthetics in the first place!
Our planters, made from lightweight yet durable fiberglass, are perfect for planting trees, bushes, and simple flower displays both indoors and outdoors.
Offered in a wide selection, there are many styles and colors to suit your business’ design needs.
If you are worried about the longevity of your investment, do not. Our planters withstand diverse weather conditions, from frosty winters to scorching summers.
All our planters come with an industry-leading warranty emphasizing the commitment and value of our fiberglass planters.
Contact us today to learn more about the exciting opportunities we offer. Or better yet, give us a call and our sales consultants will be more than happy to walk you through any outstanding questions or requests you might have.
