20 Backyard Tips For Sprucing Up Your Space From Professional Designers

Martin loved the look of the modern, black bed, so she used lava rocks over the soil, which also help retain moisture in the warmer months. Learning how to make raised beds is easy and is suitable even for beginner gardeners. Follow Mosquito.buzz on Facebook for more fun Summer ideas, as well as our usual mosquito and tick bite prevention tips.

A lot of people loved the post so I wanted to expand the idea into the backyard as well. Upgrading your backyard doesn't have to be costly or time-consuming. A few inexpensive projects and design tricks can turn your basic green space into the ultimate outdoor retreat.

Fully loaded playground sets with more than a dozen play features might be the grandest of all backyard ideas for kids. Multiple swing seats, monkey bars, a climbing wall and a slide on the ground level give your children and their friends little reason to be bored but there’s even more fun up above. A clubhouse on the upper deck has plenty of room to play and after they’re worn out from all of the activity, they can relax in the shade on a bench swing hanging below.

Introduce some architectural character in your backyard ideas for kids with wood swing sets. Your new addition can have the aesthetically pleasing look of a wood roof with dormers and still have fun activities like multiple swings, trapeze rings and a sandbox. Other features like bench seating, a telescope and ship steering wheel high above the ground let children keep an eye on their play kingdom. With so many play features, your kids are sure to enjoy their outdoor swing set for years to come. Go beyond an outdoor fireplace and add even more warmth to your ultimate backyard with one of these highly-rated patio heaters.

If sports are your game, be sure to leave enough room in your yard for whatever size field you need to play. Also, avoid obstacles like unnecessary terraces or raised beds, which may be a trip hazard. Create this balance challenge with a path of cut logs in varying heights.

Concrete patios, brick pavers, tiled spaces, or raised planter beds Backyard fun would all contribute to a backyard’s hardscape. Consider a hill for a slip-&-slide or a safe zone for a kiddie pool. Kids will go chalk wild for this plus-size chalkboard (and you'll be happy to keep the chalk dust outside!). Stir one cup at a time in a container to ensure proper blending. Apply two coats of the paint to a large piece of plywood. Once it's dried, hang the finished drawing station at kid height with heavy-duty picture-hanging hardware.

This is quite an impressive selection of backyard interest centers for kids. I think that having some of their younger kid toys or play area lets them escape. Finding different ways to use some of what we have is important, and you have found some of those. The idea of repainting faded older plastic was such a “DUH” idea to me lol but I never thought of it!

Mix shapes and colors, or work within a visual theme. One great advantage of container gardening is its flexibility. You can easily move plants around your yard, create different spaces, and completely change your mind from season to season if you like.

Also, be sure to consider the overall size of your backyard. Some people like the idea of designing out every square inch of their backyard while others enjoy the look of a fresh, green lawn. Here's how to create a miniature piece of real estate that kids can call their own; we think it would also be the perfect vacation home for a toad.

Gather the family around a fire and get toasty with some marshmallows. But at the risk of setting fire to this idea completely , make sure to check if backyard firepits are legal in your area . The Great White North is subject to a notoriously short summer, so it's no surprise to find local hangouts swarming with people relishing the warm weather at this time of year. In addition to on-the-ground playhouses, "Treehouses are also a wonder for the slightly older children to escape to and cook up notions of far flung adventures," says Tanksley. "New perimeter fencing can give an updated feel to your yard," says Saul. "Whether you are a modernist or a traditionalist, there are fence designs to suit your style."