Spending time outside is one of the joys of summer. Make the most of your outdoor space and turn your yard into an oasis with some of these helpful tips and tricks.
Maximising Outdoor Space
Create Zoned Areas
To achieve a luxury look in your back yard is to create the illusion of zoned spaces. Create a space for your guests to mingle when the weather is warm, create a shady space to relax and unwind, install a pool for those hot summer days, or create a space for your master chef to barbecue for the family. By giving space a purpose, your outdoor space can quickly turn into an entertainers delight.
Utalise Levels
One way to create and reinforce zoned areas is to use multiple levels within your yard. this can be done with the use of a deck, a patio, lawn, or even a gazebo. By having different surfaces and different levels you create a purpose for each space as well as maximise the space in your yard.
Easy to Maintain
When creating your oasis space, it is important to select materials that are not only durable, but easy to maintain. You want something that you will be able to keep up with throughout the year. If you have a small yard consider using artificial turf or planters when designing your space. These items will be easier to maintain and keep your patio cleaner throughout the year. Another tip is to line your walkways with gravel for a clean look with minimal upkeep.
Planting
Low Maintenance Plants
The best way to ensure a gorgeous garden is with low maintenance plants. With plants that easily survive the elements, you can relax and enjoy your garden rather than stressing.
Some suggestions to consider are: Aloe Vera, Jade Plant, Peace Lily, Snake Plant, Bromeliad, Bird of Paradise, Mondo Grass, Bamboo Palm, and Echeveria.
Butterfly Garden Plants
If you are looking to bring a bit more than vegetation life to your garden you might want to consider having a butterfly garden. This not only allows for beautiful flowers and plants, but also gorgeous butterfly to watch while you relax.
Some suggestions to consider are: Bottlebrush, Buddleia, Daisies, Grevillea, Kangaroo paw, Lantana, Lavender, Melaleuca, Purple-top Verbena, Tea Tree, Wattle, Crepe Myrtle, Citrus, Cotton Bushes, Sassafras, Portulaca, Snapdragons, Native Violets, Phlox Paniculata, Anise Hyssop, Butterfly Weed, Aster, Purple Coneflower, Salvia 'May Night', Pentas, Passion Flower, Mexican Sunflower, South American Verbena, Zinnia, Joe Pye Weed, Black-Eyed Susan, Funnel, and Coreopsis.
Native Plants
Overall, the best way to a stunning garden is to replicate what you see around you in nature. By using Native plants you are promoting a healthy environment and giving local beauty to your home.
Some local Banyule plants are: Common Apple-Berry, Mountain Clematis, Small-Leaved Clematis, Love Creeper, Pink / Blushing Bindweed, Twining Glycine, Variable Glycine, Purple Coral-Pea, Common Hovea, Running Postman, Silver Wattle, Lightwood, Black Wattle, Blackwood, Golden Wattle, Black She-Oak, Drooping She-Oak, River Red-Gum, Long-Leaf Box, Melbourne Yellow-Gum, Red Stringybark, Yellow Box, Swamp Gum, Red Box, Narrow-Leaf Peppermint, Candlebark, Manna Gum, Sweet Bursaria, River Bottlebush, Tree Violet, Swamp Paperbark, Tree Everlasting, Hazel Pomaderris, Victorian Christmas Bush, Muttonwood, Small Vanilla Lily, Chocolate Lily, Yellow Bulbine-Lily, Milkmaids, Blue Grass-Lily, Pale Flax-Lily, Black-Anther Flax-Lily, Twining Fringe-Lily, Yellow Rush-Lily, Early Nancy, Gold-Dust Wattle, Spreading Wattle, Hedge Wattle, Prickly Moses, Common Cassinia, Drooping Cassinia, Shiny Cassinia, Prickly Currant-Bush, Rock Correa, Narrow-Leaf Bitter-Pea, Wedge-Leaf Hop Bush, Hop Goodenia, Hemp Bush, Bushy Needlewood, Austral Indigo, Prickly Tea-Tree, Woolly Tea-Tree, Sticky Boobiallia, Snowy Daisy-Bush, Grey Everlasting, Large Kangaroo Apple, Honey Pots, Berry Saltbush, Common Correa, Grey Parrot-Pea, Saloop, Nodding Saltbush, Common Health, Common Beard-Health, Curved Rice-Flower, Common, Rice-Flower, Common Flat-Pea, Golden Bush-Pea, Small-Leaf Bramble, Pink Bells, and Narrow-Leaf New Holland Daisy.
Designing Your Outdoor Space
Your View
Not every home will have city or mountain views to impress their guests, but that does not mean you cannot create a beautiful scenery within your own backyard. One way to improve your views is to "dress up the walls". Consider painting your fence, utilising trellises, or creating a vertical garden. Updating the perimeter and creating vertical lines you can change your backyard views.
Extend the Indoors
The best way to create a fantastic outdoor space is to think of your backyard as an extension of your home. Let your home's interior influence the design of your space. This will give your space a purpose and help your space feel larger.
Furniture for Small Spaces
Outdoor space comes in many shapes and sizes, not everyone has a large backyard. However, most of these tips and tricks will still apply to smaller spaces. If your backyard is smaller, consider zoning your area and using furniture that is either multifunctional or collapsible. When designing for smaller spaces it is important to remember to make the most of your space and to avoid clutter. Select furniture that has simple patterns and that has a purpose. By carefully selecting pieces, you can avoid overcrowding and give your help your small area seem spacious.
Lighting
Create an outdoor space for any time of the day. Installing lighting in your backyard is an easy way to improve your oasis space. Consider the use of multifaceted lighting scheme, be sure to highlight features that you will want to be able to use such as the table, lounge area, grill, pool deck and more. By giving light to your yard at night you can create a peaceful and useful oasis.
