3 Inspirational Projects That Landscapers Near Me Have Been Working on This Year in the Portsmouth, RI Area

Planning the perfect landscape for your home begins with a few goals in mind: relaxation, entertainment, and adding beauty to your environment. Despite the vagueness of those ideas, you likely already have a vision of what you and your family are looking for. Knowing how to tackle the specifics is a whole challenge, with so many wonderful ideas to choose from. If you’re stuck on which direction to go or what to do next, here are three inspirational projects that landscapers near me in Portsmouth, RI have been working on this year.

Related: 5 Ideas for a Family-Friendly Landscape Design in the Newport, RI, Area

Back to Nature

More and more homeowners are making sure that their property has as little impact on the environment as possible. One of the biggest draws of resources is the lawn, which requires a lot of water and often, a lot of chemicals to keep it looking good. This has led many homeowners to downsize their lawn to only what’s necessary. If you find that you never use your backyard lawn, you can localize it where it makes the most sense. Everywhere else, xeriscaping will reduce the amount of water your landscape uses - and add a lot of visual interest. Xeriscaping doesn’t mean creating a desert-like yard. It simply means choosing plants that don’t need supplemental watering. Choose native plants that thrive in the summer drought and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful flowers, foliage, and even fruits.

Outdoor Rooms

The majority of homes have one patio where everything happens: sitting by the fire pit, dining, playing games, entertaining, and relaxing. An emerging trend involves creating multiple interconnected mini patios across the backyard: in effect, creating several outdoor rooms. These “rooms” are surrounded by vegetation of varying heights and densities depending on how much privacy and shade you want. The transitional spaces between these patios are another opportunity for creative landscape design.

Several interconnected mini patios will let you designate each space for one specific activity. This approach gives you a central spot for entertaining and separate spaces for quieter activities. It will keep the various equipment or outdoor furniture mostly confined to that space. Even better, you don’t even have to choose between building materials: each “room” can have its own materials and character. Add even more interest by changing up the elevation of these mini patios. A terraced approach is a natural solution for sloped backyards, although you can achieve this same level of interest by changing the elevation just one or two steps up or down on a flat property.

A Farm to Fork Backyard

One of the biggest trends in landscaping in recent years is b as families want to be more certain about the quality of their fruits and vegetables. You may think that growing your own food could take up a considerable amount of space in your landscape. While it certainly can, there are plenty of great design ideas that minimize the amount of space needed to grow various kinds of produce and culinary herbs. A series of vertical gardens will reduce the square footage needed for growing food and create a beautiful, natural barrier between spaces. Raised masonry planters are also an elegant way to contain your gardens and place them at a more convenient level. Planters can be located at the bases of a pergola; along a retaining wall; along the perimeter of a patio; or along a walkway.

Related: How Expert Masonry Contractors Bring a Landscape Design to Life in Newport, RI