Getting started on your backyard design can sometimes be overwhelming and you may not be sure what to do first. Seeing materials in person can be quite beneficial as a first step. You may end up finding out about many options you never even knew existed. Here are some key questions to ask your landscape supply store to prepare for a new backyard design in State College and Lancaster, PA.
Which Masonry Material Is Best for My Patio?
Many backyard redesigns begin with the patio. When you visit the landscape supply store, describe a bit about what your home and surrounding landscape looks like now and show pictures if you can. Your local supply store can help you navigate the broad selection of patio pavers, natural stone slabs, and uncut natural stone that will meet your aesthetic and practical needs.
You could also make sure to ask about using permeable pavers for your patio, pool deck, walkways, or driveway. Instead of allowing rain or snow melt to collect on the surface to form puddles or ice, a permeable paver system will allow excess water to seep between the joint spaces to slowly disperse into the ground without causing damage from the freeze-thaw cycle.
And then there are vertical surfaces such as the walls of your outdoor kitchen and retaining walls. At the landscape supply, you can see choices from decorative concrete blocks or stone veneers that will give you the look you want.
How Can I Make My Landscape More Beautiful?
Improving your landscape means choosing plants that will thrive, and for the most part this means native plants that are perfectly adapted to the environment. When you visit your local landscape supply, be sure to ask about which native plants they have in stock. Native plants tend to mean far less watering and other maintenance, and they’ll reward you with incredible beauty.
What Will Make My Backyard More Relaxing?
For creating a feeling of relaxation, you could look no further than installing a water feature in your backyard. From the serenity of a reflecting pool or a koi pond to the excitement of a bubbling water fountain or rushing waterfall, a water feature will make a backyard more interesting. The visuals of water will enable a peaceful feeling and the sounds of moving water from a fountain or waterfall will also wash away noise from the outside world.
What Will Make My Backyard More Comfortable?
Adding some creature comforts to your backyard can make all the difference in how and how much you will use your backyard. A fire feature and an outdoor kitchen will be natural draws to the great outdoors. At the landscape supply, you can choose from fire pit and outdoor fireplace kits or materials for custom fire features.
And when it comes to your outdoor kitchen, planning is key. Choosing the right appliances and amenities for the way you cook, will make all the difference in a kitchen you’ll love to use and one where you wish you hadn’t spent money on things you rarely use.
How Can I Improve Lighting?
One simple, yet dramatic improvement to landscape lighting would be to first abandon the bright overhead light. This inefficient light source should instead be replaced by hardwired pathway lights that follow the perimeter of all your paved surfaces. From there, focus on ambient light sources such as spotlighting, backsplashing, moonlighting, and other techniques.
Related: WHICH PATIO PAVERS WORK BEST IN A STATE COLLEGE, PA, OUTDOOR KITCHEN?
