Nothing says summer like long, warm days spent with family and friends in your backyard. Turning your backyard into a space that you’re proud of and can enjoy might seem like a big undertaking, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right help, it can be an easy process that results in a yard that you love.

There are so many features that can be added to a backyard to make it more comfortable. Selecting the right design will depend on the natural layout and soil type of your space and how you want to use your backyard once it’s complete. Here are some of our favorite design elements that can be added to a backyard to make it feel like an extension of your home.

A Backyard Fire Pit

Everyone has fond memories of nights spent around a crackling fire, roasting hot dogs and making s’mores. Adding a fire pit to your backyard creates a great place for friends and family to hangout and enjoy each other’s company. Fire pits lined with decorative pavers are safe and easy to maintain. Of course, before lighting any fires be sure to check for any local burn restrictions.

A Patio or Deck Area

There are a lot of benefits to adding a patio or deck to your yard. Entertaining is much easier with a level, solid area that can be used to host parties and get-togethers. You could even add a built-in seating and dining area or a cooking/grill station. Often, a patio or deck will increase the value of a home. Plus, there will be less lawn maintenance to worry about.

Lush Plantings and Landscaping Details

No backyard feels complete without thriving plants that added to the landscape design. The right plants add a finished look to any space and can transform a bland area into something that feels special. Work with your landscaper to select plants that require an amount of maintenance that you’re comfortable with. Other details that can be added to a landscaping design include water features, rocks or boulders, and decorative elements.

It shouldn’t be new information that pollinators, especially bees, are having a hard time right now. There are a variety of forces, man-made and environmental, that are negatively affecting pollinator populations. Fortunately, having a pollinator-friendly garden also means having a garden that is full of bright and fragrant flowers throughout the growing season.

Why attracting pollinators is important

In the United States, up to a third of our agriculture output is dependent on pollinators. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds all play a vital role in the production of healthy fruit and vegetables. They are encourage plant diversity and help maintain a healthy ecosystem.

How to create a pollinator-friendly yard

Fortunately, creating a bee and butterfly friendly yard isn’t that hard and the results are often stunning.

Planting pollinator-friendly plants

Start by planting nectar- and pollen-rich flowers. Native wildflowers are attractive to pollinators and will thrive in your area. At Native Plant Finder, you can see a selection of plants that are native to your zip code.

By planting a succession of blooming flowers and shrubs, you’ll be able to ensure that nectar and pollen are available through the growing season. Dill, fennel and milkweed are other great options for attracting butterflies.

The University of Minnesota Extension is another resource for choosing pollinator-friendly plants that will thrive in Minnesota.

Choose organic

Many pesticides and herbicides are toxic to pollinators. Even if those chemicals seem useful in the short term, it’s good to remember that they are also killing beneficial organisms when they are used. Using a more organic approach to weed and pest control is safer and more effective.

Provide shelter

Butterflies, bees and other pollinators need shelter to thrive and protect themselves from predators. Shelter can be created organically by letting your grass grow longer, or leaving leaves and other organic material undisturbed. You can also use artificial nesting boxes to increase the number of pollinators in your area.

Provide food and water

Pollinators need pollen and nectar to thrive. Consider adding special feeders to attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

They also need access to still water and can benefit from birdbaths and other small pools of standing water.

Plants to attract pollinators

• Purple coneflower
• Dill
• Hollyhock
• Joe-Pye weed
• Globe centaurea
• Peony
• Turtlehead
• Swamp milkweed
• Yarrow
• Queen Anne’s lace
• Tawny daylily
• ‘Marine’ heliotrope
• Gayfeather
• Butterfly weed
• Petunia
• Mountain bluet
• Annual aster
• Autumn Joy’ sedum
• Rock cress
• French marigold
• Happy Returns’ daylily
• Blanket flower
• Nasturtium
• Goldenrod

Who says that dream getaway has to be somewhere far away? With a little planning, you can create your perfect backyard getaway and have a peaceful retreat right out your door.

We all dream of getting away to somewhere quiet and peaceful, and we all would like to take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But sometimes planning even a weekend away can seem overwhelming.

Creating your perfect backyard

Everyone has different ideas of what the perfect little getaway would include. Of course, it’s pretty impossible to add a mountain or beach to your backyard, but it is possible to include elements of those locations in your landscaping design. Maybe creating a heavily shaded and secluded area will remind you of the mountains. Or maybe adding a hammock and the sound of running water will remind you of the beach.

Chat with your landscaping expert about what features would work in your backyard, and how you can create the backyard you’ve been dreaming of.

To get you started, here are some of our favorite backyard features.

Water elements

Water features come in a variety of shapes and sizes. It is easy to find or create options that fit everyone’s space and budget. Water can be a beautiful addition to a backyard for a variety of reasons. It can be used to add a visual point of interest and a calming noise and at the same time, help mask any unwanted noises like nearby traffic.

Pavers

Pavers can do more than just add a walkway from one place to another. They add an interesting element to your backyard or patio area and can be used to enhance and reinforce the design theme of your space. Pavers come in so many shapes and sizes that almost any design can be created, from charmingly simple, to eye-catching and intricate.

Plants

Some people love gardening and enjoy having exotic plants or finicky in their yard. Other would rather spend their time lounging in their yard rather than working in it. No matter which you prefer, there are plenty of plant options that can be used to create the yard of your dreams. Native plants are especially useful for homeowners who want to be able to plant grasses and flowers and then forget them.

As the thermometer continues to creep upward, gardeners and homeowners are starting to think about getting ready for spring. Everyone is dreaming about being in their yard, gardens, and flowerbeds and enjoying the warmer weather.

Getting your yard ready for spring will help plants flourish for the rest of the season.

5 steps to get your yard ready for spring

These early spring months are the perfect time to do a little prep work. Taking care of a few simple chores now will make the rest of the growing seasons easier and more enjoyable. Here are five easy steps you can take now to get your yard ready for spring.

1. Tidy up

Throughout the fall and winter, all sorts of things can end up in your yard. Start with a fresh slate by tidying up your yard early in the spring. Branches, leaves, and other debris that have been left behind by storms should be cleaned up. It’s important to take care of these chores quickly before spring plants start popping up. The sooner your flower beds are cleaned, the less chance there is that you’ll step on a plant by mistake.

Trees and bushes can also be spruced up in the spring. Trim off any dead or broken branches and prune and shape your trees and bushes as needed.

2. Prep garden tools

Your garden tools have been sitting around all winter, but soon they are going to start earning their keep again. Make sure they are in shape and ready to go by cleaning them off with soap and water and use mineral spirits on the wood handles. Mineral spirits help prevent the wood from splintering.

3. Give your soil some love

To get your soil ready for the growing season ahead, turn over any soil that you’ll be planting in with a pitchfork and then rake it out. Clear out any weeds that have grown and add fresh compost or manure to the soil. Add any fertilizer to the soil a few weeks before planting to avoid burning the roots of your new plants.

4. Make a plan

Know your plant hardiness zone and select plants that are best for your location. Local nurseries are also a great place to get recommendations for your area. Other factors to keep in mind is soil drainage when plants will bloom and plant height.

5. Keep up the maintenance

A little upkeep throughout the season is the key to keeping your yard and flowers looking beautiful. Once flowers start blooming, deadheading will promote more flower growth (depending on the flower type). Annuals can be planted to supplement perennials and keep flower beds looking full.

Late spring is also a good time to mulch your garden. Mulching will keep weeds at bay and help the soil retain moisture for the hot summer days to come.

Make your landscape dream come true by adding a beautiful flower garden.

You know when I realized I had finally reached adulthood? It was when I found myself getting excited about remodeling our house and fixing up our yard. Forget the daydreams I had as a child, I’d rather think about which flowers I’m going to plant in my cutting garden this year or try to figure out the best place to add a patio and fire pit.

These days, I can’t think of anything better than spending summer evenings sitting on a patio in a beautifully designed yard, sipping a glass of wine, and chatting with friends.

Especially after spending all winter cooped up inside, nothing sounds better than soaking up the sun, getting my hands dirty planting flowers, and having a space outside that I can be proud of.

Your yard is part of your home

Your yard is more than just the patch of grass that surrounds your house and a couple of trees. It’s an extension of your home and your living space. It’s where your children will have their best adventures and where you and your friends will spend relaxing evenings.

Your yard should be a place where you feel comfortable. A place where you can entertain and make memories with your family and friends.

Making your landscape dream come true

At Great Goats Landscaping we like to see your landscape dreams turn into reality. Mike and the team pride themselves on designing spaces that you’ll love and that you’ll be able to enjoy all season.

Whether your style leans toward wild overflowing flower beds, or a manicured design that the Queen of England would envy, we will sit down with you, listen to what you want, and make it happen.

We can also design and install outdoor features like patios, gazebos, water features, wood burning stoves, and fireplaces. Whatever you need to make your outdoor space feel like an extension of your home, Great Goats Landscaping can make it into reality.

And if all that still sounds a little too serious for you, we’d be happy to add a tire swing.

We’re not the type of folks to jump on board with every new fad, but we have to admit, landscape trends in 2017 look promising. Landscape designers and homeowners alike are moving away from neat and tidy ornamental lawns and embracing yards that are both beautiful and functional. I love the idea of getting the most out of a yard while still having a space that shows off bright plants.

Landscape Ideas

Here are some of the landscaping trends we’ve been seeing that can inspire your imagination and get you daydreaming about what to do with your yard this summer.

Sustainable plants

Many homeowners are moving away from lawns featuring turf grass alone and embracing yards that feature sustainable designs. Low-maintenance gardens and drought-tolerant plants are edging out turf grass for both economic and environmental reasons. Of course the added bonus is less grass to mow which equates to more relaxation time.

Edible yards

Blended gardens that mix ornamental plants with edibles give homeowners the best of both worlds: beautiful yards and bountiful harvests. You can easily incorporate fruits, veggies and herbs into your design without committing to a full-sized garden. Adding edible plants to your yard design brings in rich textures and colors. Plus, you’ll be rewarded knowing the healthy selection on your dinner plate was the result of some ingenuity on your part.

Higher quality and more functional

Many homeowners are moving away from ornamental, showy deck and patio spaces in favor of quality, natural materials. Today it’s easier to find great products that compliment the natural environment around you.

Water features

Nothing is more relaxing than the sound of flowing water in a yard. From inexpensive self-contained systems in an urn or portable fountain to large water walls, water features are available in any budget and can easily be added to landscaping designs. Incorporating moving water is a great way to turn your yard into an oasis.