It’s that time of year again. The air is hot, the afternoons are long and bright, and the Colorado lifestyle is calling to you. Your backyard is calling to you — asking for a remodel? After all, a breathtaking backyard can not only enhance your living space but can help increase your home’s value when done tastefully. Let’s talk about a few of the key things that will help build your Backyard Paradise while also enhancing your family’s asset!
First, draw up a map of your yard space, both back and front just in case you want to work on both. Measure your square footage and over a few days pay attention to where the sunlight runs through your yard. This will help you decide what can be done with the space: whether there’s enough or too much light for a vegetable garden, flower patch, or if you need to plant trees and bushes to fill in over time. Decide if you’re going to want a deck or patio, a firepit and lawn chairs, a badminton court or yard enough for corn hole. Some projects will require permits and digging deep underground so prepare to adhere to city regulations and HOA rules where applicable. Look into any equipment you may need to rent to make this work easier and more enjoyable! Walk around the yards and visualize what will make you the happiest in that space while maintaining a healthy flow and aesthetic of your home.
Once you’ve figured out the layout for your new haven away from the rest of the world it’s time to get started! Project management is key at this point. Make a plan, a schedule of when you want to get these new flowers into the ground or when you’ll go shopping for the outdoor furniture. Look online to see what’s available and save yourself shopping time and feeling the pangs of sticker-shock in public. Make sure to plan for walkways and put down stones or install a path to ensure your aesthetic is maintained throughout time: no barren patches of soil devoid of grass just because you’ve been walking through!
When the backyard is staged with furniture, the planter boxes set up, flowers and new trees planted it’s time to think pest control. Vegetable gardens attract a number of pests in Colorado, from slugs to mosquitoes and a variety of other miscreants along the way. Fear not; there are many things to plant which will help you enjoy your living space with a vegetable garden! Marigolds are a brilliant and bright addition to any garden while having the added benefit of keep certain bugs off vegetables you want to keep for yourself. Plant rosemary and lavender, especially around doorways and windows — this will help deter spiders from coming near to household entryways. Grow lemongrass, lemon balm, and mint anywhere you wish to sit and linger in your yard as these plants repel mosquitoes naturally. No spraying needed! And if you have a host of slugs getting all over your flowers and vegetables then put a few small cups of beer in amongst the plants — seriously — the slugs will literally climb in and drink the rest of their life away. The biggest obstacle you’ll run into in Colorado is our clay ridden, rocky soil; but don’t despair! Xeriscaping to Colorado’s naturally drought resistant flora is actually very beautiful: purples, yellows, reds, and a variety of greens are all common to Colorado’s flowers. Remember to always refer to your sun diagram you drew to ensure the vegetation you chose can handle the conditions in which you’re planting them.
Doing outdoor renovations can be cumbersome and tedious, sometimes completely dependent on the weather — but with patience and hard work you can accomplish something amazing! Keep your vision in mind! Compromise with yourself and others as you move forward because nothing goes as planned. But ultimately know the hard work pays off in memory and equity!
