As a house proud nation, Australians love nothing more than an opportunity to create living spaces that are uniquely their own. Despite this enthusiasm, many homeowners struggle when it comes to landscape renovation. If you’re currently considering giving your backyard a makeover, here are four essential questions you need to consider before breaking ground.
What do I want to use it for?
Different landscaping designs suit different lifestyles; do the first thing you need to put some serious thought into is what you want to do in your backyard. Some of the most common answers include relaxation, entertainment, exercise, gardening, or creating a play area for the kids. If you have more than one answer, then prioritise them in order of importance and use this list to inform your design.
Am I working with the natural terrain?
Landscapes cannot be designed in isolation; you need to take the natural terrain of your yard into consideration. Whilst it is possible to completely ignore things like gradient, soil type and existing plants or features in order to execute your dream landscape design, it will be much more expensive and time consuming than if you’d taken the time to integrate the existing elements of the space into your plans.
Does my yard and my home connect?
An effective garden landscape is one that entices the homeowner outside by making the outdoors feel like an extension of the house. Creating a tie or sense of continuity between your house and garden is the best way to capitalise on your outdoor area and will help to build on the architectural integrity of your house.
Have I considered all the details?
Once you’ve established what you want to use your backyard for and the major features you want to have in it (i.e. swimming pool, lawn area, play area, garden path, veggie patch etc.) it’s time to think about the details. The more details you can factor in before you start building, the faster and cheaper the whole process will be, as it’s much cheaper to draw and correct than to build and correct. Take the time to consider things like irrigation, plumbing and lighting which will be cheaper if they are laid in the ground before construction starts.
A Better Driveway specialise in decorative concrete solutions for outdoor spaces. If you’re renovating your backyard, A Better Driveway can assist with elegant hard scaping solutions for paths, patios and driveways in Melbourne. To learn more about our capabilities, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by calling 03 5783 4746.