If you’re one of those lucky ones that have a yard in their home, then you must definitely make full use of it. Whether it is to make it kid-friendly for your kids to play in the evening, or to hold weekend barbeques with the family – there are so many ways to make changes and improvements to your yard.
Some homes tend to have yards towards the front of the house rather than the back. It really depends on the layout of homes in the neighborhood or community you live in. Many include swimming pools while some don’t, some have a small patio portion or a walkway to the front door of the house.
So what can you do to make improvements to your yard?
1. Build an Entrance
As we mentioned, some front yards tend to have walkways that lead to the front door. So why not make it a great one? Probably the best the neighborhood has seen?
You can do anything from planting flowers or small plants along the side of the walkway, to having a simple stone walkway with lights on either side, guiding you towards the door in their dreamy light after dark.
2. Work with the Lighting
Lights can literally change the look and feel of a place. That doesn’t just apply to rooms inside a house, but also our yards.
Solar lights are quite popular and are usually installed around the edges of the yard. Not only do they serve the great purpose of energy-saving and running completely on solar energy stored during the daytime, but the dim lights can set a very calm, peaceful vibe for you to enjoy in your yard in the evenings.
Installing post lamps at the gate of your home and a nice porch light to go with it, can also lift up the look of your entire house from the outside. Installing motion sensor lighting would also be a great idea; not only in terms of saving energy but also for security purposes.
3. Add a Seating Area
Not all homes come with a built-in porch or patio or sometimes even a gazebo. And you don’t always have to spend a lot of constructing one for yourself unless your heart’s really into the idea of wanting one.
Designating a corner or a small portion of your yard to accommodate a bench or a couple of garden chairs can be great for you to actually have a space in your yard to sit and relax, and enjoy a glass of wine or watch the children play. It’s also great as it adds an extra space within the premises for you to sit with your guests – a change from the typical living room hangouts.
4. Focus on the Plantation
Plants can make all the difference to the whole look of your yard. Flowers in the springtime, vines creeping up the sides of the windows, trees providing shade – they all work in their own way. Remember, greenery always looks good!
But that does not mean go crazy over finding the best of the best to add to your yard. Plant flowers that you know would be easier for you to manage and tend to with your set routine and yet make the yard look beautiful at the same time. Or plant some bushes along the edges to give a clean look, with a garden accessory or two to go with the minimal look.
5. Smart Sprinklers
Sprinklers are a lifesaver, but what’s better than an ordinary sprinkler is a Smart Sprinkler. These sprinklers can connect directly from your smartphones, voice assistants and tablets and can function via voice command. Considering they have their own mobile applications, that makes it easier for you to set schedules and timers in order to save yourself the pain of forgetting to turn on the sprinklers for the third day in a row and depriving your yard of water.
Smart sprinklers also work by accessing weather forecasts considering its Hub connects to the home Wi-Fi. This allows for the device to save water and guide you as to how and when you should water your yard according to weather forecasts. For instance, if it’s expected to rain the sprinklers would automatically remain off and let nature do the work. Cool right? You can find these at 1st energy website, along with more Smart Home devices for your home.