5 Tips for Transforming Your Outdoor Space

Not everyone is lucky enough to have their own backyard. Many people on limited budgets or those who live in urban areas may not have a great deal of outdoor space to enjoy. But spending time outside is hugely important, whether it’s in your own garden or the local park. Immersing yourself in nature has proven mental health benefits, increasing your happiness and causing stress levels to plummet.

Therefore, if you do have a backyard, it is a shame to see it go to waste. Many people let their gardens degenerate into overgrown, cluttered messes unsuitable for human habitation. But all it takes is a little bit of work to turn a tired old yard into a beautiful outdoor space perfect for entertaining friends and family. You will impress any guests to your home as well as having a wonderful place to relax in good weather.

To get you started, here are a few top tips for transforming your outdoor space.

Declutter

The first step to creating a garden you can be proud of is to roll up your sleeves and clean it up. Depending on its current state this could be a minor job or a major ordeal. Get rid of any broken old furniture, clear out the weeds, and mow the overgrown lawn. This simple step will make a huge difference and will create a blank slate that you can turn into anything you like. Just make sure you adopt good ongoing habits and make an effort to keep it neat and tidy in future. 

Start planting

The most important aspect of a beautiful garden is the flora. Colorful flowers and majestic trees make up an aesthetically pleasing outdoor space that is guaranteed to impress visitors. You can purchase all kinds of seeds and plants from any garden center and you don’t have to worry if you’re not particularly green-fingered. There are many species that require very little maintenance to keep alive so you can enjoy your garden without worrying about it dying.

Add some seating

You can’t relax in your new outdoor space if there is no furniture to make it more comfortable and welcoming. A seating area, maybe using some easy artificial grass, will enable you to make the most of your new surroundings as well as entertaining your friends and family. At the very minimum, you will need chairs and tables for impromptu gatherings and alfresco dinners but you might also want to consider sofas, sun loungers, and benches. Take a look at this patio furniture buying guide for more inspiration.

Build some unique features

If you want to add a splash or originality to your garden and stand out from all the other properties on your street, you might want to add a unique feature to draw the eye. You could buy some paving slabs from a hardware store and build a path from your house to the other end of the yard. Water features are always a great way to add an air of tranquility to any space, or you could go even more out there with a pagoda or sculpture. For something a little more functional, why not construct your own pizza oven to feed your amazed guests.

Attract wildlife

There are few things more relaxing than the beautiful sound of birdsong, and attracting animals to your garden will help to uplift it into a natural paradise. The best way to attract these feathered friends is to install a birdhouse or feeder and keep it stocked up with nuts, seeds, or fat balls for birds to snack on. A wide variety of colorful flowers will lure in bees and butterflies, while fruiting trees may even tempt the odd deer to scavenge for fallen treats. Make the most of your new sanctuary by installing wildlife cameras to capture any visitors.

By following the tips above, you will transform your garden from an unimpressive space in a gorgeous utopia for all of your loved ones (and the local wildlife) to enjoy. And it doesn’t have to be expensive either. You can find many great deals at your local hardware store or garden center and you can save a lot of money by building and installing features yourself. The perfect garden doesn’t happen overnight. It is an ongoing project that can take years of work to get right. It is a learning curve and you may make mistakes along the way, but one thing is for sure – you will be making the best use of the outdoor space you’ve been given.