Livingston Reporting - page 253

In the previous two articles on creating an ideal backyard we have discussed using materials in your design that are both safe and easy to maintain.  In this installment we will talk about adding in the element most important to your family, friends and pets.  If the space is not being used because it is boring the time you spent designing an environment that is safe and easy to maintain will not matter much.

In order to create a backyard that is enjoyed by everyone your must include elements that benefit each individual using the space.  If you can do this your backyard will become a desirable destination for the entire family.

The goal is to create a space that doesn’t look like a playground but offers similar attributes for young children to enjoy while trying not to alienate the adults.  A swimming pool with the addition of a hot tub and outdoor spa is a wonderful way to accomplish this.  To create a pool environment that is welcoming to both children and adults it is important to consider the environment as a whole.

Start by choosing an aluminum fence with self latching aluminum gate to enclose the space.  This adds elegance while creating a safe guard against access into the area without proper supervision. To enhance the area for adults install a covered bar area with seating away from the pool.  Surround the pool deck with chase lounges and side tables for guests to relax and read a book and enjoy some ice tea.  Add in a slide, diving board and access for a basketball hoop and volleyball net in the pool itself.  This arrangement offers lots of recreational choices for both adults and children to enjoy.

When deciding on plants for the landscaping surrounding the pool and throughout the yard consider a secret garden space.  Children love spaces to hide.  To create a inconspicuous fort create a clear space that is tucked behind some hedges.  Let your son build a fort; let your daughter create a secret world of fairies.  This hidden get away is even perfect for the family pet as a spot to hide his bones.  An area all their own is an ideal way to enlighten your child.  Once your children are grown, this secret space under the hedges is easily transformed into a romantic seating area for two.  A space like this in your yard is ideal for not only your children or pets but for you as well.

A bat house is a popular enhancement in backyard landscape designs.  You will be the coolest parent on the block if you choose to install a bat house over an ordinary birdhouse.  The boxes can be places amongst the trees inconspicuously to attract bats.  Your family and guests will enjoy seeing the bats fly around in early evening and the insect control they provide is an added benefit.

Add flowers in your landscaping that are safe, low maintenance and attract wildlife.  Colorful flowers that add fragrance to your backyard add a pop to an ordinary green landscape.  This type of flower is also useful in attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.  Your family will enjoy hours of endless enjoyment watching the different types of butterflies fly among your plants.

Another addition that children and parents enjoy is a vegetable garden.  This is a great way to teach them about nature and healthy foods while enhancing your backyard space.  Choose some items your children have never had before mixed in with some family favorites.  Growing it on their own may make it more likely to be something they eat when you serve it to them.

Creating a family friendly space that is safe, maintainable and family friendly is worth the work once you realize that your backyard is the desired location for family and friends to enjoy!

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As a parent and homeowner the last thing I want to think about when I am relaxing at home is the work that needs to be done to keep the house in tip top shape.  In my last installment we discussed creating a backyard that was safe.  Safety is of course the first and most important aspect to your home inside and out with maintenance being the second.  Landscaping options that help you avoid expensive repairs and extensive cleanup limit the time and money that you need to spend to maintain it.

Thankfully, some of the same landscape options that are installed to keep your children and pets safe are also easy on homeowners to maintain.   What you are looking for in landscaping that is simple to maintain is how easy it is to clean up spills, repair damage and prevent costly repairs.

Installing a fence around the perimeter of your home or in-ground swimming pool is crucial to keeping your family, friends and pets safe.  A fence keeps unwanted people out while keeping the ones you want in.  Many different materials are used to create fences that are ideal for both pool safety and backyard perimeter fencing.  Out of the materials you can choose none are as maintenance free as aluminum is.

Aluminum fencing never needs to be stained or painted.  In fact to clean aluminum fence panels all you need is a regular hose and maybe a wet rag.  Spraying the fence to get rid of excess dirt and algae buildup is all the maintenance this fence needs to look as beautiful as the day it was first installed.  It is also one of the easiest materials in fencing to install.  Aluminum fence comes preassembled in pre-drilled, pre-measured sections.  All you need to do to install it is to dig some holes for the post and put it all together.  Aluminum fencing basically installs and maintains itself making it an ideal choice for homeowners looking to be free of the hassles involved in keeping up on the look of their fence.

Artificial turf over natural grass is also a great choice not only safety but for ease of maintenance as well.   Not only does artificial grass never needs to be mowed it also never needs weeding, fertilization, pesticides and other time consuming chores.  The turf is easily rinsed if a spill occurs and can easily be repaired if a section is to become damaged.  Artificial turf is ideal for pets as well. Cleaning up both solid and liquid waste is easy to manage on a regular basis whereas natural grass is easily damaged by pet waste.  Dog urine often burns large brown patches in your lawn that can’t be easily remedied.  As long as you have a pet that uses the space as a bathroom brown patches will occur in your natural grass. This is not true of artificial turf.

Using pavers to install non-skid, non-slip surfaces makes maintenance easy.   The non-skid, non slip surface is family friendly and the individual sections make it simple to clean if a spill occurs or replaced if damaged.  When you use pavers instead of pouring a concrete slab repairing a small section is inexpensive, convenient and time friendly.  Replacing one, two or even a few pavers can be done in less than an hour with results that will appear as if nothing was ever damaged.

Safety and maintenance are key issues to look at when designing a backyard.  A backyard is nothing however without using it.  Our next installment will look at creating an environment that focuses on fun and entertainment while incorporating what we have learned about safety and maintenance.

iFenceUSA offers the widest variety of maintenance-free, no-rust aluminum fences and gates in the industry! Whether you are a pool contractor, a building contractor, an architect, a landscaping professional, or a “do-it-yourself” homeowner looking for exceptional value and installation advice, you’ll benefit by buying wholesale aluminum fences shipped factory-direct to your home or business anywhere in America from https://www.iFenceUSA.com.