I’ve been intimidated by my backyard ever since I toured the house before buying it. I remember wondering if I could handle the scale of the yard, but I put that thought aside and bought the house. Now, 8 years later, I’m still intimidated. I’ve done little things here and there like dig out a fire pit and a place for my picnic table, both with pea gravel. But other than that, I’ve had paralysis by analysis.
I’ve had many dreams and I even went so far as to get a company to draw up plans but I’ve never pulled the trigger. One because I didn’t have the funds to do it and two, I wasn’t sure that the plans would work for my dog. Yes, I have to consider my dog because I didn’t want to spend all that money only to have her ruin it with her digging and frolicking. I already have little to no grass because of her running around.
I thought of artificial grass in a patch, because she does like grass. On all of our walks, she finds a particular front yard and always lays on her back and wiggles around. She looks like she’s in heaven and I feel bad about not having the best grass, but then I think, “it’s your fault”. Haha. Also, there’s a lot of shade and I think that contributes to the grass not being hardy. So, I continue to pin pictures of beautiful backyards and lust after them.
So, here’s my third attempt of compiling a wish list of everything I would want in my backyard. Here it goes.
Mixing different types of materials gives the backyard so much texture. It’s also a good way to break up your backyard into zones which is what I need to do since it’s so large.
Walkways and Paths
This is a perfect mix of different materials in this meandering path.
I love grasses and the way they look when the wind blows them is so beautiful.
Rocks and boulders with grasses are the trifecta for me. So cool.
No More Mowing
I love ground cover as an alternative to grass and it’s much more sturdy. The fact that you don’t have to mow them is the cherry on the top.
Clover gives a fine carpet-like texture.
Corsican Mint gives off a minty aroma and is perfect for cozy gardens.
Moss thrives in shaded areas and requires minimal maintenance.
Dichondra is perfect for low-traffic areas like on the sides of pathways.
Planters and Plants
This Corten Steel edging has always been on my wish list for edging as well as creating planters.
I also love a good ceramic or concrete planter.
I have a gray house so I think purple/burgundy and yellows would look good up against the house.
Deck
This is my dream pergola with the cover made out of corrugated acrylic to protect you from the rain.
Another deck design with a pergola and an acrylic roof.
A hanging bed is a must have for me. I love to nap.
This is my kind of deck furniture.
Patio
On my patio I would love to build around my green old school gas grill to make it look more substantial.
This is epic!
I will definitely be stenciling my old concrete patio since I can’t afford to replace it yet.
I love the fencing around the patio although I wouldn’t want my whole patio to be enclosed. I also love the built-in bench. Lots of seating for entertaining.
A bar outside would make having a party much easier and the wheels would enable it to move around to wherever I need it.
This is Fire
A fireplace is my dream and this one ticks all the boxes down to the modern style Adirondack chairs.
This tucked away fire pit looks so comfy with those bean bag cushion chairs.
The pops of blue make this fire pit area really stand out.
If I closed my eyes and tried to imagine the perfect fire pit area, this would be it.
Hammock Time
I have a hammock that my brother and sister in-law gave to me but I need to plant around it to give me some privacy. These are perfect; I want all the privacy when I’m chilling.
Trellis
There’s an area on the side of my house with a shed and I had been racking my brain on how to make it more attractive. I think a trellis with shade plants and/or herbs would dress it up nicely.
This is a DIY project I could get into. Just strips of wood in a poppy color, wire and some brackets.
This one is just an old pallet, painted and hung on the fence. Easy peasy.
Very cool and modern.
Furry Friends
I’ve seen these dog playgrounds all over the internet and I know my dog would absolutely love this!
This is my neighbor’s house and I could totally see me building this out of old pieces of wood and a giant industrial spool.
Like I said, I’ve been promising myself that I would continue on my backyard journey of sprucing it up for a few years now and I need to stop procrastinating and at least get started. That’s the hardest part right? Just getting started. Wish me luck.
Let me know if you have a dream backyard and what are some of things on your wish list.
See ya next time.
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