Backyard Architecture Landscaping

Backyard Landscaping Ideas

Introduction:

For centuries homeowners have been planting, clipping and shaping shrubs as a way of defining areas of their property. Not only is this landscaping for aesthetic reasons, a beautiful wall of greenery is less expensive to construct than a privacy fence of wood, brick or stone.

Backyard architecture landscaping can be in the form of rectangular walls, boxy columns, and pointed cones. The shaping of shrubs into green architecture enables them to form boundaries, establish sight lines, direct traffic, and highlight focal points in the landscape.

Landscaping Ideas

In difficult areas of your yard where there is limited sun, planting perennials is not necessarily the right approach. A small pea gravel pad edged with clipped boxwood is a better choice without upsetting the balance of your backyard. In late summer when flowers stops blooming the area can become a restful green oasis with a formal feeling. Use ball or square shaped hedges to mark paths and entranceways to the different areas of the yard.

For walkways and paths, use low borders to direct traffic. In the main garden, boxwood defines a firm line between the lawn and flower beds, eliminating the need for decorative edging. Repeating a variety of shapes keeps the layout dynamic. For best results use boxwood balls and rectangles to punctuate the edging at consistent intervals. Treelike cones can flank the entrance like columns. Consider placing sheared shrubs on either side of an arbor or a doorway for a more formal accent.

Mixing of plants creates more interest in design. Several kinds of plants can make sheared edging more varied and interesting. A creative way to decorate the patio is to use cones of rosemary to mark the corners or small boxwoods planted in a planter box placed on the edges of the patio. In colder climates dwarf Alberta spruce can be used in place of the tender rosemary plants. To conceal leggy plants use low hedge of boxwood to form a skirt that hides the unsightly bare bases of rosebushes. Boxwoods provide a strong framework for loose beds.

Shape hedges so that the bottom is slightly wider than the top. Narrowing as you go from bottom to top keeps hedges fuller by allowing more sunlight to reach leaves. This prevents unattractive holes in the surface of the hedge and bare branches around the base. To maintain symmetrical shapes of the hedges use guide posts and run string lines along the top and bottom as guides to get a shape.

Backyard architectural landscaping is an inexpensive way to establish privacy fences and creates an artistic appearance to your landscaping. There really are no rules for architectural landscaping. Let your imagination run wild and shape shrubs, small trees, and bushes to suit your desires.

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