Add some style, color, AND mulch with this rock mulch idea. All you need to do is make an inner and outer circle of rocks. Light and dark colored rocks make this idea look really good.
Tag: ideas
How to Make Your Foundation Look Like Part of Your Yard
15 Things that will Make Your Backyard More Welcoming
Pathways, without a doubt, improve any backyard. You can make any size, style, or color you want. Make sure to choose materials that look good and match your home and yard, though.
9 Incredible Vertical Garden Ideas for Small Spaces
Turn those old shoes into a vertical garden for your small backyard. This is more for flowers (not necessarily fruits and veggies), and it adds lots of color and fun to the yard. If you can, match the color of the flowers to their shoe container.
13 Different Ways to Make a Rock Pathway
A pallet pathway is a simple and easy solution. Surround the pieces with rocks, and you have a cute rock pathway. I prefer lighter colors, but this also looks good with dark rocks and wood.
15 Brilliant Tricks Every Gardener Should Know About
Don’t throw your citrus peels away. Instead, use them to start a seedling. The nutrients in the peel will go directly to the soil, meaning your seed grows faster and better.
17 Brilliant Backyard Lighting Ideas
My whole family really loves these glow rocks. It’s nice because in the day they act as great yard decoration, but at night they add light to keep things nice and visible. You can find them for a pretty good price if you look hard enough.
Hang some lights from strings around your whole yard and deck. I love this look. It reminds me of my childhood, long summers, and fun block parties in my hometown. You can get hanging pendant lights from anywhere, really, so find some and get decorating!
Tiki torches are a great way to light things up in the yard. You’ll obviously want to be careful if you use real fire, though, instead of electric lights. But I think they’re worth the trouble because they look so cool and fun.
If you don’t want long tiki torches sticking out of the ground, then try wall-mounted torches. The good thing about these is that you can get mosquito repelling fuel so that your yard is lit and bugs don’t come biting you and your guests. It’s a win-win for everyone!
Take your string lights and wrap them around the trees in your yard. You’ll probably have to play around with the spacing and size of the lights, but this is such an enchanted look. I can’t get enough of it!
Use some Mason jars or similar products to making hanging pendant lights for your yard. The jars add a nice rustic touch that makes your backyard feel even homier and comfortable.
Stick some lights into your flowerbeds to accentuate the edges and border of your yard. You can choose from a ton of different lighting types, just make them big enough to illuminate the path as well as the edges of your yard.
Hanging lanterns around the yard is a fun way to get some lighting. They also act as decorations. The lanterns can be hung form trees, the ceiling, pergolas, or wherever else you feel like they could go.
Small pathway lights are really nice if you have a windy pathway that can be hard for your guests to navigate at night. They’re also just nice to have because they give a crisp outline to your yard while also lighting up the evening.
Take small jars or containers and hang them from your tree branches with rope. This creates a rustic feel that you’ll love. I like to sit underneath this with my kids to just enjoy the long summer nights together.
Make these fantastic sun jars that you can place all around your patio and yard. The jars are so fun and unique, and the lights can be placed on tables, stands, or anywhere else you need them. It’s like a pocket of light you can carry with you.
Make your own chandelier or hang one up in your patio area to really light things up. You can use wire baskets to make the chandelier or find other material that would work well.
Wrap some lights around the trellises in your yard and patio. The soft glow from this lights combined with the shape of the trellises will make you feel like you stepped right into a fairytale! They’re so cozy looking!
If you have an umbrella or parasol on your patio, then try this. Wrap some lights up on the inside of the umbrella for extra-close lighting for your late night parties. It provides all the light you’ll need without it being right in your face.
Put some water in the birdbath and then fill it with floating candles. This is an incredibly intimate type of lighting, but it looks so nice. It’s more for show and not for actual light, since you won’t get much. But it definitely adds to the ambiance.
If you’re having a large gathering in your yard and expect it to go late, then do this lighted tables! They serve as both light for your guests as well as tables for them to put their plates, cups, and other items.
Tin cans can be converted into some pretty fun lighting for your backyard. And the best part is that you can make some of these tin can lights with your kids so they feel a part of the decorating process. Just punch holes into the cans and then place a small candle inside them.
8 Brilliant Tips for Growing Strawberries
I didn’t know this, but there are three types of strawberries you can choose from. For beginners, you usually want the Junebearer strawberry. This is the most typical and easiest to care for in a home garden, and the fruit still tastes great. You can try the other strawberries, but that’s if you’re a more experienced gardener.
Make sure to plant your strawberries in a sunny spot. Strawberries taste better when they’re grown in full sun, and we all want the tastiest strawberries possible. Just make sure, especially when the strawberries are young, that they don’t get sun-scorched.
Soil is a vital factor in how well your strawberries grow. The most important rule is that you don’t let them get waterlogged. That means from overwatering or flooded soil. Provide the strawberries with well draining soil to keep them safe and dry. You could also plant the strawberries in a little mound to elevate them.
If you’re really concerned about your soil, then I suggest building a raised garden bed for your strawberries. This gives you much more control over the soil and what goes in it. Also, raised garden beds are easier are your back, which is always a plus.
When planting strawberries, you want to give them plenty of space to grow. Too little, and they’ll fight over nutrients. Most experts suggest a depth of 30 centimeters for the seed and about 40 centimeters between the rows of plants.
After a while, when your strawberry plant begins to bloom flowers, pluck them! I know it may seem wrong, but you want to get rid of the flowers so more energy can be conserved for the fruit. By plucking the flowers, the plant doesn’t need to grow them anymore, meaning it can focus its attention on making the most delicious strawberries possible.
Also when the flowers start blooming, you may want to consider using fertilizer. This isn’t necessary for every garden, but if you feel your strawberries are lacking something, this could be the solution. Choose a fertilizer that is rich in potash.
After all this work, you should be getting some amazing and succulent strawberries. Before you go picking all of them at once, remember: only pick what you’re going to eat right away. Once a strawberry is picked, its sweetness will begin to recede. So, if you eat freshly-picked strawberries, they’ll be much sweeter than strawberries that were picked a few days earlier.
Top 15 Most Colorful Perennials for Your Yard and Garden
Peruvian lily. The combined colors in this flower are absolutely stunning. This flower comes in purple, yellow, and orange, and each type is gorgeous. Make sure to twist the shoot off at the base so the flowers keep on growing.
Mango Punch. I’m not going to lie, this flower makes me want to drink a big bowl of fruit punch. It just has that color that I absolutely love.
Phlox. Not only is the shape great on these perennials, but you also have the choice of multiple colors. So you can always get flowers that match and complement the rest of your garden.
Russian Sage. I really enjoy the deep and rich color that comes from Russian. It can grow really big, though, so be aware of that. Usually it works best in the back of a garden so that it can reach high without blocking other plants.
Gloriosa Daisy. I love how simple yet colorful this flower is. It adds that fantastic pop of yellow that daisies are so well known for. Plant a few in your garden to get a great accent color for your yard!
Blanket Flower. This flower is both gorgeous and it’s incredibly tough. It’s drought- and heat-tolerant, which means it can withstand some pretty brutal temperatures and climates.
Yarrow. Whether you want the simple white or the colorful yellow, yarrow is a great addition to any garden or yard. Both varieties grow well, and both add texture and color to your garden that it can’t be without.
Daffodil. This is a classic flower, but there’s a reason for it. It’s so pretty, and it’s not too hard to care for. Just because it’s a classic doesn’t mean that’s bad. You won’t regret the bright yellow addition they are to the garden.
Veronica. For a stunning addition to you garden, try veronica. These spikes of blue or red will pop out all over your garden, adding some awesome height and color to the yard. Plant them near the front for the best growth.
Purple coneflower. This is, by far, one of my favorite flowers. I just love the color and the shape of this plant. It’s so unique, and that makes me happy. It’s great for drawing attention to your flowerbed.
Penstemon. These plants don’t live for long, but I think they’re still worth it because they’re breath-taking. Their rich color is a must for any serious gardener looking for color, and their trumpet shape isn’t too bad, either.
Pineapple sage. Get that tropical feeling by adding pineapple sage to your garden. This is the best in fall, when the plant grows some astounding red spikes.
Aster. To me, aster is like that friend who is just so sweet and kind. When I look at aster, I just feel at peace. Which is why I love having it in my garden. Plus, the white they add is just so cute and pure!
Forget-me-not. I can’t forget to mention forget-me-nots! They’re so cute, and the colors are amazing. It won’t be the focus of your garden, but it will for sure add that extra boost of color that you’re looking for.
Chrysanthemum. The best part about this flower is that it comes in a handful of colors to choose from, so you have a wide selection. The circular shape and texture of the bloom is also great for adding variety to your garden.
9 Genius Ways to Create a Backyard Paradise
One of my favorite things about my backyard is the amazing water feature we have. It’s a waterfall type feature, and it’s the best. Not only does it bring birds and other gorgeous animals, but the sounds are so relaxing. I could just go back there and fall asleep right next to my water feature.
If you like to entertain guests, then hanging lights are an absolute must for your backyard. There are so many different types and ideas, but they all look good. I love the Edison bulbs because the give your patio or porch a nice rustic look that feels really homey and cozy.
Add some light and get rid of bugs by installing some mosquito-repelling tiki torches. You can make your own or buy them from the store. They easily install to the walls (or you can get tall standing ones), and help repel bugs from biting you and your guests.
One of the biggest kills to having a backyard paradise is the outdoor furniture. If you have those dinky plastic chairs, then you definitely will NOT be in paradise. It’s time to get rid of that furniture and get some nice and comfy stuff. You can still spruce up your backyard without breaking the bank.
A little garden pathway is a great visual element, but it’s also fantastic for getting around more easily. Build those gorgeous curling pathways that make you feel like you’re in an 18th century English manor or something. There are lots of different types and materials you can use to build a pathway in your own backyard.
Make sure you have a relaxing area that you can go to in order to get away from the everyday stresses of life. Mine includes a cute little pillow hammock that I can sit in to just breathe! My kids know not to bother me there, and my husband knows it keeps me sane. 🙂
For those of you who plan on using your outdoor space as much as possible in the warm months, you may want to build an outdoor kitchen. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but a nice little sink, oven/stove area, and maybe even a small fridge can save you a lot of time and hassle. Plus, it’ll stop you from having to go inside all the time, which can help with the AC bill.
Divide out your yard (if it’s big enough) to make cute distinct zones. You can use privacy hedges, picket fences, or any other type of material. This is a great idea if you tend to have adults and kids in the yard at once. Areas can be divided between the two ages while existing together at the same time.
This may seem silly, but place some greenery on your patio and porch to make it feel even more comfortable. I know you probably have greenery in your yard and garden, but if you don’t have any on the porch, it will feel like a stark divide between urban and nature. By adding some potted plants and shrubs to the patio, you help blend the two together.
