Landscapes aren’t just for looking good. They’re for living in.
It may be sweltering right now, but before you know it, the weather will be perfect for backyard entertaining. And summer is the perfect time to start your yard makeover so it’s in pristine shape in time for fall and winter.
Here at Big South, we love coming up with ideas to liven up people’s landscaping in Bradenton. (We’ve been doing that for more than a dozen years.) But we also love it when our clients come to the table with their own ideas. After all, it’s your property!
We’re happy to ensure that what you want is practical for our climate, for your particular location, and for your budget. We can even show you a digital mock-up of how various features and plants will look in your yard.
Here are some possibilities for your landscape makeover. Now’s a great time to start dreaming of a whole new yard!
Strategic Trees
Newer neighborhoods tend toward nicer lawns, but they often suffer from a lack of tall, full trees. The place to start might just be the right tree or two, planted in the right place.
When we take into account the way the tree will grow, the shape of your property, the angle of the sun at various times of day, and other factors, with one or two trees we can create an idyllic, shady spot that will stick around for decades.
Paths
Sometimes it doesn’t take much to bring a little pop to your landscape. Pathways break up featureless parts of your yard and draw the eye throughout your landscape and toward the highlights. You can have just stones, or style them up with a combination of gravel and steppingstones, maybe even putting a row of small plants along the border. Lots of options!
Paths can also be placed more simply around the side of the house, turning that narrow area into something intentional. (Plus, they help to keep your shoes clean.)
And you’ve got a lot of options when it comes to path materials.
Popular Pathway Materials for Florida:
- Gravel (comes in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors)
- Flagstone
- Pavers
- Turfstone pavers
Property Line Hedge
Fences are fine and all, but a lush, well-maintained hedge brings a pop of nature to the edge of the yard—not just the plants themselves, but the birds, butterflies, and other creatures that will occupy them. You can choose a bold green bush or something with more flamboyant flowers.
While it can serve as a source of privacy, a hedge is a barrier that also has a welcoming, homey feel.
All of the Flowerbeds
Florida flowerbeds are too often an afterthought, just something to put along the bottom edge of your home’s exterior wall. And while that’s a great place to start jazzing up your lawn, flowerbeds don’t have to stop there.
You can create standalone flowerbeds around trees or simply as their own 360-degree feature. It gives your yard a multi-dimensional appeal and encourages people to walk around, explore, and see your property from multiple angles.
Seating Area
A common landscaping mistake is the failure to think of your yard as an extension of your home. Landscape design is akin to architecture, in that we consider the flow of a space and how people can use it. Backyard seating areas turn your property into an inviting room, one that features plenty of plants but is designed for people, too.
You can park your outdoor furniture in the grass or install a gravel or paver “floor.” Add a firepit as a centerpiece. Meanwhile, your friendly Bradenton landscape designer can design and install a lovely collection of plants around the perimeter to accentuate your new outdoor “room.”
Reading Nook
Your backyard doesn’t just have to be for other people. First and foremost, it should serve you and however you like to spend your quiet time.
Explore your yard to find a peaceful space and enhance it as your own. Think about where you can kick back in a hammock or Adirondack chair, with a bit of shade and a small table. And when you pick your eyes up from your book, you can bask in the beauty of your perfectly orchestrated landscape.
Your Bradenton Landscape Designer Awaits
Ready to turn these dreams into reality? At Big South, we’re passionate about helping Bradenton homeowners create outdoor spaces that are not just beautiful, but truly livable. Contact us today for a consultation, and let’s start designing the landscape you’ve always envisioned.
