When you look out into your backyard, what do your feel about what you see there? Are you excited about spending time out there? Do you imagine yourself relaxing in those comfortable chaise lounges you purchased 10 years ago? Do you still WANT to be out there enjoying the comforts of your personal oasis? If your answer is yes, you can skip over this article and go about your day, maybe spend some time reading our pool articles to see if there is anything you missed! But if your thoughts when looking at over your landscape are less than proud, sit back, get comfortable, and be prepared to learn about some of the newest landscape trends guaranteed to put the wow factor back into your tired Arizona landscape.
Plant a Vegetable Garden
In addition to adding a lush beauty to your yard, a vegetable garden can add a healthy deliciousness to your table! Keep it simple with a potted jalapeño garden on your porch, growing tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, even onions and garlic, most of the items needed to toss together a spicy homemade salsa. If you think that owning your own small piece of “farmland” might bring you to your Zen, go all out with raised beds filled with your favorite veggies! Offering a rich and substantial beauty to your natural landscape most of the year, a vegetable garden can be your first step in revitalizing your backyard.
Flower Gardens That Keep the Pests Away
Don’t you just love things that serve multiple purposes? A dining room table that works as a game station, a sofa that doubles as a place to sit and a place to nap, or a flower garden that looks beautiful and keeps those pesky mosquitoes away! We, of course, are more interested in the last bit, especially this summer, as the monsoon season has created an environment the little pests are thriving in! Add a pot of purple lavender to either side of your front door, plant a bed of marigolds close to your covered patio, and add a potted herbal garden to the pots on your porch, being sure to include basil, and you have a naturally beautiful mosquito repellant garden.
Create a Secret Escape With Your Arizona Landscape
We once knew a gentleman who lived in an ordinary 80s ranch style home. From the front, it blended in with all the other homes on the street, but when we walked into his backyard, our gasps of joy could not be withheld. In a regular-sized Arizona lot, he had transformed the space into his own secret paradise, building secret gardens with gravel paths that meandered through, hiding a comfy bench behind a mature tree at the back of the lot. A fountain bubbled merrily, blocking out the sounds of traffic, music played quietly, offering even more noise that formed a pleasant barrier against freeway sounds, and the smells of aromatic flowers created a space of peace and comfort that we never wanted to leave!
Add a Koi Pond
This blast from the past is hot again, and if you have the time, space, and stick-to-it-ness, a koi garden can transform your own backyard oasis! The desert, as you very well know, can reach unbearable temps in the summer months, but if you place the pond under mature trees and surround it with cooling plants, your koi will thrive. Remember, however, that they can grow up to 36 inches long or more, so be sure that you have the space they will need when they reach full maturity.
Lighting Transforms Your Space
Maybe your lawn is perfectly acceptable during the day, but as soon as the sun sets, it loses all its glory. It is hard to appreciate a big black hole when sipping wine on the patio, but with the addition of lights, your oasis becomes a 24-hour paradise! Twinkle lights in the trees, solar lanterns along the paths, or for pool owners, an LED color changing light in the pool are all great options. Consider up lights, step lights, or for those special occasions, citronella tiki torches that can keep the mosquitoes away from your guests while providing a festive ambience. (This last idea is solely for special occasions or when you are going to be out in the yard, as you should never leave flames unattended.)
Go High-Tech
Although this last tip won’t change the look of your yard, it will definitely change the way you appreciate your landscape, lessening your chores and increasing your enjoyment. Smart technology can be run from your phone, keeping the pool equipment working efficiently, and can be added to your watering system, allowing you to enjoy the beauty of the flowers without having to be constantly out there watering. Also used for lighting and music systems, the options are virtually limitless when you go high-tech in your own backyard!
New Image Landscape and Pools Has the Answers
Interested? Need a few more questions answered? Give us a call today and let New Image Landscape and Pools help you bring the wow factor back to your yard!
