Landscaping – Page 3 – The Garden Boss

12 Brilliant Grassland Landscape Ideas

This idea lets you still grow things for a garden, but it doesn’t require nearly as much grass and lawn. The gravel acts as the backyard, and the raised garden beds give you the growing space you want. This will save you an arm and a leg in water bills.

If your backyard isn’t too big, consider turning it into a full patio. Using brick and other similar materials, you can get a gorgeous look like this one. Add some subtle greenery around the edges, and you won’t even miss the grass.

For those of you with pools, make that the centerpiece of your yard. Get rid of the grass and build a super fancy lounging area. Get those nice sun beds, a gazebo maybe, and a place to hang towels and place snacks.

I like how this lawn has a secluded little area for chairs. It provides a space for relaxing and just enjoying the end of a busy day with your loved ones. You could even add a fire pit there, but it’s up to you.

This modern patio is a great way to get a mix of gravel and stone. The square pieces give the yard a contemporary feel, but the gravel makes it not feel as constricted. You can add some drought-resistant plants around the edges, too, if you still want some green.

This terrace is probably one of the most gorgeous I’ve ever seen. I love how the wood meets the cement in a seamless and sophisticated way. The fire pit, couches, and table make the space even more comfortable and cozy.

A windy rock path combined with some other features can create a fun and unique look to your yard. The path blends into the beds surrounding it. You can also get a mixture of materials here, including stone and bark.

If you want something fancy, go for a courtyard look. You don’t need any grass if you do it right. Normally, a water feature will be the focal point of this type of yard, so keep that in mind.

Build a pergola in your backyard and add some subtle groundcover to give the illusion of grass and greenery. It obviously isn’t grass, by the groundcover requires significantly less water and maintenance than normal grass. Plus, the pergola gives you a place to hang out.

Just because you don’t have grass doesn’t mean you can’t have green. If you plan it correctly, you can have even more green than you ever imagined. Combine shrubs, bushes, flowers, and other plants that don’t need much water and maintenance. You’ll be surprised at how colorful everything can still be.

A dry water feature is always a nice way to incorporate some décor into your grassless backyard. It also gives an explanation as to why you don’t have grass. The water feature can be any size you want, but normally a dry creek bed or something similar looks best.

This boardwalk idea looks so cute; I love it! I adore the color of the wood, and the features around the boardwalk match it all so well. This is a nice setup because it makes your yard look big while limiting where people can go. Which means less upkeep for you!

10 Gorgeous DIY Creek Beds

Take your dry creek bed to a whole new level with a bridge over it! Obviously, you don’t need it to cross the water, but the bridge adds such beauty. It can be any type and any size; just make it look good and have fun!

Place some tiki torches around the edge of your dry creek bed to give it more of a personality. This has two functions. 1) It adds light and style to the creek bed so that it looks even better. 2) The torches serve as a visual reminder that there’s a creek bed there, something that comes in handy when it’s late and dark.

A dry creek bed surrounded by flourishing plants and flowers is one of the best looks out there. Choose flowers that are easy to maintain and natural to the area. If you do, you won’t even have to do much to make sure they stay alive.

If that’s a bit too much work for you, have a stone-heavy dry creek bed. Use different types of rocks and boulders to decorate in and around the creek bed. The finished look is stunning.

A downhill dry creek bed gives it a natural look and can also help add some drainage to your yard. Also, if it does end up raining a lot, the creek may come in handy!

Situate the dry creek bed between two rows of dark bark. You can actually use any material you want, as long as the creek is nestled gently between them. I suggest choosing an exterior material that will complement the colors in the creek bed.

Be creative and place your creek bed underneath your water spout. When it’s sunny, the creek bed is dry and decorative. When it rains, the creek bed will become an actual creek. It’s a nice way to have a water feature without putting all the work into the plumbing and whatnot.

If you just want a simple creek bed, then try this one. It’s a straight and classic design that will look great in any yard you place it in. It’s nothing fancy, but it definitely heightens the yard and does its job.

I like dry creek beds, but I also like water features. This idea combines both. You get the creek bed look while also having a fountain or other water feature. You get that nice white noise that I love so much!

Add some décor and other personal touches to the dry creek bed. It could be in the actual bed or just on the side. These colored orbs make the bed so much cuter and definitely more unique!

9 Plants Perfect For High Traffic Areas

Creeping Thyme. This groundcover only grows to about 3-6 inches high, perfect for high traffic areas. The plant is also very fragrant, and it blossoms many small and beautiful flowers. Creeping thyme can grow in dry soil and it can also be tucked away in tight spaces, too.

Moss. There are a lot of varieties of moss you can include in your yard, but most of them are great for high-traffic areas. Some moss even releases a nice fragrance when you step on it, so look out for those types! You’ll love them.

Golden Creeping Jenny. Add a tinge of gold to your garden and yard with this plant. It can grow in most places, including tight rocky spots. Plant it between stones, between steps, or somewhere similar. It can handle the traffic.

Bronze Dutch Clover. This plant is perfectly paired with brick or other similar stone and material. The colors of the plant complement the brick, making for a super creative and cozy looking yard.

Dwarf Mondo Grass. This plant grows well in both sun and shade. It’s very drought-resistant, which makes it great for hot climates. On average, it only grows to about 2-r inches in height. The dark green color is a must for any yard needing groundcover.

Sweet Fern. This isn’t the most colorful out of all the groundcovers, but it definitely gest the job done. It can thrive in hot and dry climates, and even in soil that is lacking in nutrients. Because of that, it’s a great plant to have in tough-to-grow areas.

Purple Mazus. This plant is both hardy and strong. It adds a wonderful touch of color to your yard, and it can withstand being stepped on. Combine it with some complementary flowers, and you’ve got yourself a sweet garden setup!

Ajuga. This is a pretty popular groundcover. It can range in color from purple to green to hints of pink. It’ll grow to about 6 inches tall.

Blue Star Creeper. Here’s a plant that’s perfect for growing in between rocks or stepping stones. The flowers add even more color and texture to the yard.

15 DIY Garden Pallet Projects

One of my favorite and easiest ways to reuse garden pallets is by turning it into a pathway. You just pry off each of the planks and them use them as a part of the pathway. You can paint the planks, but it’s not required.

Add some more gardening space to your yard by turning garden pallets into a vertical garden. There are a few different ways to do this, but they all give you a bunch more space for gardening.

Make these adorable window boxes out of old garden pallets. You can hang them up anywhere around your home. Paint the boxes to better match your house and the colors of the flowers in them.

Garden pallets, if they’re in good condition, can be used to make the platform of a bed or couch outdoors. You just want to make sure that the material is sturdy enough to hold the weight of the furniture and anyone sitting on it.

Become one with nature by building a compost bin. This will help you more effectively use your food remains, and it can also drastically increase the health of your garden plants.

A raised garden bed is also another ideal use for old garden pallets. Raised garden beds are much easier on your back, and they improve drainage. Make as many as you want/need.

Build a place to store your garden tools. It can be a small little cubby system or a full-out wall mount. There are numberless options, and a garden pallet can be used to make every single one of them!

Don’t just let your dog sleep on a cushion on the ground. Upcycle an old garden pallet and make an actual bed frame for Fido! This will also teach your dog to stay and sleep in the same spot.

Potting benches will be your best friend. Seriously, they help with gardening SO much. And you can build one out of an old garden pallet pretty easily. Your life will be changed forever when you build one.

There are quite a few tutorials you can follow online to make a yard chair out of garden pallets. Add some pillows and cushions, and they’ll be super comfortable and much cheaper than any store bought chair.

You can also make a garden pallet table to go with those chairs you just made. It can be whatever size you need, and you can even customize it to have a spot for drinks or maybe even some flowers. It’s up to you!

I love the swing chair that we have in our yard. It’s cute, it’s comfy, and it’s so fun to sit on. And we made it out of old garden pallets! You want to ensure you have high-quality wood (so it stays intact), but the assembly isn’t too difficult.

When I have a pool, I’m going to build an outdoor shower. I don’t want kids tracking in pool water throughout the house. This shower platform was built using garden pallets, and I love it!

A fence, whatever size, can be built from garden pallets. You can build one for your yard, your garden, or just as decoration. Some people use them to hide recycling bins and other items around the outside of their home.

These stools are so cool, and they’re made from garden pallets. You couldn’t ask for something better. I love the touch of color the cushions add. Here’s a project you definitely want to try and do.

13 DIY Backyard Pathways

I love flagstone. It’s easy to work with, looks great, and relatively well-priced. You can place the flagstone right next to one another, or you can space them out for a more country-like feel. Also make sure to choose a flagstone color and style that best fits your yard and house.

Upcycle an old garden pallet by making a pathway for your yard. The planks can be pulled off and touched up, then just place them on the ground. You’ll need to surround them with rocks to secure in place or push them into the dirt. You don’t want the planks getting moved around.

Stone and moss is a nice combination. The soft and hard textures work together really well. I prefer a gray or simple type of stone to go with the moss. I think it makes it look quainter and more rustic.

If you have a yard that doesn’t have much grass, do a combination of gravel and square (or rectangular) cement pieces. This looks particularly good in a dry climate like the Southwest. I like to see bigger squares of the cement and smaller, more reddish, stones, but that’s just my opinion.

A nice twist on the cement squares is to do the same thing but decorate them! You (and your kids) can each paint a cement step or create some consistent design. These look good in any type of yard and environment.

A fun project to do with your family is to make your own stepping stones for a pathway in the yard. You can use big leaves to make the outlines, or random materials you have around the home. You can even carve names and dates into the cement to make a memento.

Thinly sliced logs look good in a yard that has a sort of forest-y feel to it. I would suggest either using the same exact size and type of logs or vary them all. You don’t want a pathway that looks like it couldn’t decide to be consistent or not.

For a classic and simple pathway, use brick. It’s not some eccentric and unique idea, but it looks amazing. Try a few different designs and layouts to see which one you like best. This idea works well if you also have a brick patio (but it’s not necessary).

A cute little mosaic stepping stone collection is such a fun idea. You can be as creative as you want with this idea. It’s also one that you can enlist the children to help with.

I didn’t think I was going to like this design at first, but it really grew on me. The sort of eclectic nature makes it really fun and appealing. I believe it’s made from leftover granite from a kitchen remodel. What a smart way to upcycle.

Here’s a design that used to be really popular and is starting to come back in style. It’s the wooden box with stone in the center. You could also use rocks or bark or another material. They’re relatively easy to make, and they’re best for sloped yards that need stairs.

If you’re REALLY crafty, why not make seasonal pathways for your yard. You can do little reindeer for Christmas, pumpkins for Halloween, or tiny hearts for Valentine’s Day.

A super easy and cheap backyard pathway idea is gravel. That’s right, just plain gravel with some edging to keep it in the right spot. It looks pretty good, gets the job done, and is a really fast project.