Tips For a Functional and Beautiful Landscape Design in the Saddle River and Millburn, NJ Area
When looking into options for a landscape design that is as beautiful as it is functional in the Saddle River and Millburn, NJ areas, the challenging part may be narrowing down the choices. From the way you plan to utilize your outdoor spaces to the style that your home gravitates toward, there are a variety of feature and design combinations that can help turn your landscape into a guest-favorite spot.
Adding a Retaining Wall
One of the best plans to increase functionality is to include a retaining wall in your landscaping plans. If you have a sloped area that has limited useability, a retaining wall can help to provide more usable space from which to build landscape features. While a retaining wall is a highly functional feature, it can also be a beautiful addition.
A retaining wall can be made of natural stone or concrete blocks that come in different earth-toned colors. By using different colored wall blocks, you can create designs within your retaining wall, such as a border effect with darker wall blocks around the edges or a mosaic effect with many different colors. There is also an opportunity to use different sizes and shapes to create desired effects, like using wide, flat wall blocks at the top of a retaining wall as a surface for food and drinks. It can even serve double duty functionally by including built-in seating as part of a retaining wall around a fire pit.
Fresh Planting Installation
New plantings can add beautiful colors, diverse textures, and visually pleasing differences around your outdoor space. More than just adding natural beauty to your area, different plantings can provide different functional benefits. For example, trees can provide beautiful shade to keep lawn games comfortable or you can place some outdoor furniture under them for shaded lounging. Hedges and shrubs can provide a natural added privacy and sound dampening. Planting them close together can help create a seamless boundary to separate features and create more clearly defined areas. They can even be planted along walkways to help keep guests on designated paths. Flowers, vines, and bushes can even help with preventing soil erosion while providing necessary elements for local pollinators to thrive.
Pergola or Pavilion
A pergola or a pavilion can help make your outdoor space more comfortable and extend usage into even the hottest days. The dappled shade provided by a pergola or the full coverage provided by a pavilion can help keep you and your guests cool while enjoying each other's company. These features can be customized in different ways to complement your landscape design. For a more rustic landscape design, you can opt for a natural wood finish. Available in both lighter and darker stains, backyard spaces that emphasize comfort and casual gatherings can benefit from this type of finish. For something more modern, you can consider a vinyl option. For a truly unique structure, you can mix materials to create a gorgeous statement piece. Masonry posts with wood accents can create a timeless balance between industrial and rustic design styles.
Fire Pit
A fire pit can help you increase the usage of your outdoor space by adding extra warmth as the nights get cooler. The gentle warmth provided by a fire pit is likely to naturally draw in guests as a main gathering location. To make this feature really pop, consider the shape you want to include. To elicit thoughts of nostalgic camping trips, a classic circular fire pit can be a great possibility. If you want a more formal appearance that is beautiful for dinner party gatherings, a long, rectangular fire pit is a unique take on the feature that is not often seen. A modern option inspired by both is the square fire pit. This shape fits well amongst other features and the clean lines lend to a more stylish feel. If you’ve decided on a gas-fueled fire pit, you can include glass beads or lava rocks in the fire pit for even more character.
Related: THE FINISHING TOUCH: ADDING A PERGOLA TO YOUR SHORT HILLS, NJ AREA LANDSCAPE DESIGN
About the Author
GreenNature Landscape Design offers viable solutions to our clients. We provide residential landscaping services that are innovative yet competitively priced. Why choose us? We treat each client like our only client. We have the experience and knowledge to turn your most ambitious ideas into reality. You are the driving factor in our designs. Our designs are focused on meeting your unique preferences. Let us create beautiful landscapes you can be proud of, and outdoor living spaces you can’t wait to spend time in.