If you plan on entertaining this spring or summer, you need a beautiful outdoor living space. Here are some tips on making the most of your landscape.
Assess Your Space
Look at your current outdoor space. Take note of the size, how it is laid out now, existing features such as trees, a patio, or landscape beds, and sunlight. Using graph paper, draw a map of your landscape to scale.
Define Your Purpose
What are you planning to use your property for? The layout for a landscape optimized for entertaining guests is different from a yard optimized for kids to play in. The structures and furniture needed are different, too.
Incorporate Native Plants
Incorporating native plants into the landscape saves money on water and fertilizer. You do not have as many problems with your plants dying when you use varieties adapted to the Kansas City climate. Native grasses like little bluestem, wildflowers such as purple coneflower, and native shrubs can form the basis of a low-maintenance landscape. Working with an experienced professional can really add value as they know what plants are hardy in your area and will stand the test of time.
Create Zones
Divide your outdoor space into zones based on purpose and function. For example, you may have a grassy area your kids can play in, a football-watching party area, and a dining area with a table and chairs. Do you want a roof over your space? This protects people from the elements and allows you to add a fireplace and big-screen television.
Add Comfortable Seating
Buy furniture designed for outdoor use. It will last longer and be more comfortable. Materials such as weather-resistant wicker, teak, or metal with comfortable outdoor cushions will do better than furniture for indoor use. We have found that investing a little more in higher quality can pay off in the long term, as you won’t have to replace pieces every few years.
Provide Shade
Summers can get hot, so shade is important. You can build a pergola, a roofed area, or use a shade umbrella or shade sail. Trees planted around the yard can work well, too. Trees can shade out grass, so place them in places where that won’t be a problem.
Illuminate the Space
Lighting up your outdoor living space not only extends the time you can enjoy it but is a great security feature. There are many ways to illuminate a space from string lights, lanterns, LED lights, or fixtures in the covered part of your space. Lighting up edges enhances safety, too. After all, you don’t want guests falling in the pool.
Incorporate Water Features
Speaking of pools, adding a water feature can help the local wildlife. A fountain can create the soothing sound of running water. That masks street noise and promotes relaxation. Water is a life giving element and it has tremendous effects on the health and wellbeing of your family.
Personalize Your Space
Display your personality with the rugs, furniture, and art you incorporate into your outdoor living space. Personal touches tie the landscape together and let everyone see who you are. We often specify focal features that can be sculptures, fountains, large planters, or even a specimen plant.
We Can Help
Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping is a full-service landscape design company. We will be glad to come out and talk with you about maximizing your outdoor space. Once you are happy with the design, we can build what you need to make your space suit your activities. Simply schedule a consult to get started.
Trends change in landscape design just like they change with interior decor or clothing styles. Here are some trends that are big right now.
Native Plants and Sustainable Landscaping
As water becomes scarcer and the environmental cost of imported plants becomes better known, native plants and sustainable landscaping are more important than ever. Native plants have evolved to survive with the average amount of rainfall in the area, therefore requiring less watering by you to help them thrive. They also sustain many more pollinators and other wildlife than imported plants.
Outdoor Living Spaces
Outdoor living spaces have been a trend for a while but are becoming even more popular. Since 2020 when the world was forced to stay home, people are valuing their property’s outdoor spaces more. Families appreciate the experience of spending time together outdoors. Whether cooking on the BBQ, swimming in the pool, or sitting around the fire, our clients are making memories with their loved ones in the spaces we create. We exist to design and build interesting, functional, and comfortable outdoor spaces for our customers.
Colorful and Fragrant Gardens
For a while, plant developers prioritized vigor over fragrance. Now heady scents are back in vogue. Waves of color add to the sense appeal of a well-designed garden. Textures also make a garden more appealing, especially in shade gardens where color can be limited to shades of green. Seasonal container gardening is another great way to add pops of interest and focal points for your garden.
Vertical Gardens and Green Walls
Sometimes, there isn’t room to spread out. Spread up instead! Using vertical gardens allows you to grow an incredible amount of vegetation in a small area. Green walls improve air quality, too. Not to mention they may be used to create a unique privacy screen for your deck or patio space.
Smart Landscaping
Smart technology has really bloomed. Automated irrigation systems, smart lighting, and apps that assist with swimming pool and water feature management are only a screen away. Being able to control features from your phone is the norm for our society and is now available in many applications in the landscape industry.
Wildlife-Friendly Gardens
Butterfly and pollinator gardens are very popular. In addition to looking nice, designing landscapes that feed local wildlife can increase the pleasure a garden gives. Bird and butterfly watching is very popular. Water features draw an even wider range of wildlife to watch. Smart cameras make watching your garden wildlife easy wherever you are.
Edible Landscaping
As many people discovered during the pandemic, incorporating edible plants into the landscape design comes with twice the satisfaction – growing them and eating them. Fruit trees, berry bushes, vegetables, and herbs can provide delicious meals while lowering your carbon footprint. Automated systems like the Tower Garden have also made growing food stress-free and easy to maintain once set up for the season with NO WEEDING to worry about.
Natural Stone Elements
We always recommend using natural stone for pathways, patios, and other hardscape features because it is not only beautiful but durable. Natural stone doesn’t wear like some other man-made materials and will never go out of style. Rocks and stones come from the earth and will always be a part of landscapes from the beginning of time to now and forever.
Water Features
Water features provide a focal point for a landscape, and water is an essential element of all life. Water in the landscape is popular for the sense of calm and peace it creates. Water features also provide water to wildlife, giving more opportunities to enjoy watching the natural habitat.
