A garden is a great way to make your yard beautiful. You can have a variety of plants and flowers depending on where you live. Here are a handful of cool ideas that you can use to help make your backyard your own oasis for relaxation and beauty.
1. Furniture
What good is a garden without a comfy place to admire it all? Consider investing in some nice outdoor furniture and determining where you want to put it before you start laying out your flowers.
When choosing outdoor furniture, you’ll want to make sure you pick something that will stand the test of time. Opt for seating that has removable cushions that can be put in a garage or other covered area during bad weather. You’ll also want furniture that can be hosed or sprayed off for cleaning.
2. Potted Plants
While people tend to think of plants taking root in the backyard soil as a requirement for a garden, don’t underestimate the potential of a few well-placed potted plants.
Potted plants really do have a role in the garden. If you live in an area like Maryland, you can place tropical plants that do well during summer in pots along a path in your garden and still be able to move them indoors once winter hits.
Another fun thing about using potted plants to add life to your garden is that you get to pick all kinds of cool pots, which can become part of the decor themselves.
3. A Water Feature
Now you don’t have to go and build a massive pond full of koi fish and rare plants, though that would be really fun! You can add a small water feature like a store-bought fountain or build one yourself.
A fountain adds a nice audible sound to your garden. Running water helps reduce stress and increase your enjoyment of the space you’ve created.
4. A Walkway
It’s amazing how many gardens have no walkway or path. A well-used garden will eventually develop its own path as people and visitors move through it, but by creating a path you can control the route people take.
A path allows you to turn a walk through the garden into an adventure where you place points of interest along the path and control the viewer’s focus.
Paths don’t need to be made of hardscapes like brick or pavement. Gravel or just a dirt path will do. You could even just place flag stones into the garden to encourage visitors to step in the places you intend.
5. A Bird Feeder
Nothing adds to the enjoyment of your garden like the sound of happily chirping birds. While butterflies and other insects can be gorgeous to look at, birds bring the cheerful sound of nature makes your garden space feel even more alive.
Small hanging bird feeders are great for bringing little visitors like goldfinches, house finches, and the tufted titmouse (shown above).
In addition to livening up your garden space, bird droppings are an excellent fertilizer for your plants and shrubs.
Final Thoughts
A garden doesn’t have to just be flowers, in fact it can be much more. By tastefully adding small items to your garden space, you’ll increase the enjoyment you get from it and relax better than ever before!
Rylie is freelance writer, fitness blogger, and travel junkie. Originally from Toronto, she currently resides in Lima, Peru but is always on the move to discover new adventures.