A few weeks ago, I visited one of my favorite mom’s to
see her after a decade or more of being away.
Before dinner, after dinner and a few weeks after dinner I thought,
‘Wow…I love this backyard. It makes me
feel so relaxed and peaceful; and it is simple gorgeous.’ That is what I want and is what I want for my
parents’ home, a relaxing, peaceful and beautiful area surrounding the home.
My family and I used to live at my parents’ Upland
home, while they were finishing up their time in beautiful Kissimmee,
Florida. While we were their guests, we
want to make sure they had a relaxing, peaceful and beautiful backyard to
return to. Also they are getting older
and we do not want them to do it themselves.
And yes, if given the opportunity they certainly would do the work
themselves. My husband and I (and
kids…kind of) are working hard to make the backyard perfect for them.
Let us just say there is a special place in the
backyard that will not grow anything.
Ever since this home has been in the family, grass has not grown,
vegetation has not lasted, and Upland ground is so rocky that all avoid digging
like the plague unless they have heavy machinery to do the heavy lifting. The main accessory we have in the backyard is
rock, big rocks, medium rocks, and small medium rocks. There are about a hundred rocks to use in
some way in the backyard, so we thought let’s go with the flow.
We decided to use the rock as the ground covering with
pots intermittently distributed. Here
are the before pictures. What would you
do to elevate this area? Our plan is to
finish designing this area.
Main challenges:
- Nothing grows in the area
- Lots of rock to use
- Need to find another area for our bunny and its cage
- Need to move exterior rubbish
- Need to make sure it will not trip the baby
- And we have a limited budget
Here are the final pictures of the backyard:
Unfortunately, I could not find a picture of the exact area. I placed all of the rock for a smooth rock finish. I used what I had available for this area and then used sand to make it level. Keep posted for the final pic
Unfortunately, I could not find a picture of the exact area. I placed all of the rock for a smooth rock finish. I used what I had available for this area and then used sand to make it level. Keep posted for the final pic
The main question is, “What is necessary to establish
a beautiful landscape in my area...or yours?”
When trying to figure out what to put into your home as you prepare to
sell or lease your home, you need to determine what will showcase your home in
the most positive way. Grass is a huge
factor and in my opinion you need some color to contract; however, you need to
think from a buyers’ or renters’ perspective.
The best gift to give a future owner or renter is the peace of mind to
know that when they move in they do not have to worry about putting more time
and money into the home.
When preparing a home for rent, many owners will put
artificial grass in the front yard to ensure that the home looks beautiful when
potential tenants come to view the home.
This is a great idea; however, the best option is to leave the home the
way you want it left. Place sod in the
front and back yard to provide future tenants with a home that is in great if
not perfect condition. If you absolutely
cannot afford the cost of grass, then tell future tenants that you are to lay
seed and provide a credit to them for 2 to 3 months to manage the watering of
the lawn.
As you prepare to sell your home, I highly encourage
grass with some green spray paint to keep the look of the grass perfect. This is time to have your home professionally
manicured to make perfect lines around the trees and area for leisure even more
leisurely. Design your yard as an
extension of your living space, as though you are adding a room onto your
home. You
do not have to add a fireplace or a fully equipped kitchen, but use this as an
opportunity to increase your curb appeal with new landscaping plants and some
containers. You may also want to consider removing unused lawn in favor of
drought-tolerant landscaping.
Other tips provided by Landscaping
Network include:
- Vanishing edge swimming pool design
- Selecting plants for Southern California's
Mediterranean climate
- Using low-voltage lighting to illuminate your landscape
- Enhancing the privacy of a front courtyard
- What water-wise groundcover to grow amongst paving
- How to take advantage of a hillside
- Creating the look of a Spanish Hacienda in your backyard
- Dividing a large yard into distinct outdoor rooms
- Making good use of a side yard by installing a sporting area
- Positioning a basketball court so that the sun won't be in your eyes
- What materials to use for a modern pool deck
- Incorporating built-in seating into your landscape
- Using permeable paving to reduce runoff
- Installing a custom spa in a small yard
- Removing your lawn to cut back on water use
- What colors, décor, materials, plants and fabrics are best for a Modern garden
- How to design a mid-century modern garden
- Using your front yard as an outdoor living space
- What colors, décor, materials, plants and fabrics are best for a Mediterranean-style garden
- How to create shade in a sunny yard
- What plants grow best in direct sunlight
- Protecting your home from wildfires with fire-resistant landscaping
- Creating a colorful, low water garden
- Which plants grow best around a swimming pool
Advent Property Management is always available to
provide their expert opinion on what changes should be made to decrease the
amount of time your home is on the market.
Please visit us at http://adventmgmt.com/locations/inland-empire/, email us at inlandempireadvent@gmail.com
or call us at 909-296-5558 for help.
EMAIL ME TO GET STARTED! INLANDEMPIREADVENT@GMAIL.COM
EMAIL ME TO GET STARTED! INLANDEMPIREADVENT@GMAIL.COM
Service areas include Upland, Claremont, La Verne,
Pomona, Glendora, Fontana, Riverside, Corona, San Bernadino, Temecula,
Murrieta, Romoland, Ontario, Montclair, and Diamond Bar.