Contrary to popular opinion, it isn’t necessarily easier to come up with a landscape plan for a large backyard than a small one. Although, the former does present its own specific challenges.
So how can you design a welcoming outdoor space when its size naturally makes it feel uninviting? The following ideas are great starting point for creating the ideal backyard for your family!
1. Delineate a Zone for Each Activity
Just like for your residence’s interior, your family’s needs will determine how you use your yard. Each homeowner will therefore require their particular mix of zones, but here are a few of the more popular options:
- A furnished dining area, for all your al fresco meals. It should be near the house to make serving easier unless you are lucky enough to have an outdoor kitchen. In this case, the food preparation area is set up right by the dining table.
- A play area for the young and young at heart. You could, for example, install a play structure, an obstacle course in a wooded portion of the yard, a volleyball net, a basketball hoop with a paved surface, etc.
- A conversation area where you will arrange the most comfortable chairs. It’s the ideal spot to enjoy cocktails with friends or an invigorating cup of coffee in the morning.
- A fire pit area if you really like this outdoor activity. In Quebec, gathering around a fire to chat and toast marshmallows is immensely popular.
- A pool and spa area. For safety reasons, make sure you have a clear line of sight to this zone from everywhere in the backyard and the house, if possible, especially if you have children. And don’t forget that inground pools must be enclosed with a fence.
- A section for gardening. The size of this area can be giant or very small depending on your skills and interests. You can use it to not only grow flowers, but delicious fruits and vegetables as well.
In short, a backyard, especially a large one, shouldn’t be treated as a uniform space. Nevertheless, take care to limit your overall landscape design to a single style and a cohesive colour scheme. For example, the coordinating furniture and accessories for every zone should be chosen in the same shades.
2. Choose Suitably Sized Furniture
Once you have delineated your various zones, it’s time to furnish them with items of appropriate dimensions. A small bistro table will appear insignificant on an immense patio. Take advantage of all this grand space and choose a large table long enough to comfortably seat all your guests. If you wish to have a second more intimate eating area, position it to one side of your yard, surrounding it with shrubs and a privacy screen for a cozier ambiance.
3. Create Shaded Areas Wherever Possible
Small yards are usually lucky enough to have a generously shaded area on one side of the house or other. This is not necessarily the case for a big yard as the residence is neither sufficiently tall nor wide to shade an acceptable portion of the outdoor space. You can compensate for this by installing oversized parasols, canopies, or a pergola. Moreover, adding a roof-like structure will create the illusion of a distinct zone.
In addition to providing sun protection, you will also have to shield yourself from the wind! If your yard is immense and contains few obstacles (trees, shed, play structure), you may find being constantly subject to its gusts unpleasant. Consider delineating zones near trees or building low walls.
4. Use Every Square Metre
Avoid clustering the zones around the house. Apart from the eating area, there is no reason why you can’t spread them all over your yard. When you are setting up areas that will include seating, take time to sit in every chair before deciding on its final position to ensure that it offers a pleasant view of the landscaping.
Owning a large plot of land is quite a privilege! And it is to your advantage real estate-wise, especially if the landscaping has been carefully thought out.