Updating Your Yard For Summer

Winter in Wisconsin is fading into the rear view. Next up are spring and summer, when you’re going to be able to enjoy your outdoor space as much as possible. This means it's the perfect time to give your outdoor area a landscaping upgrade.

Tyson Mueller, Villani Landshaper's Director of Design/Build, tells us, "There is no better time than now to extend your entertaining space into the outdoors. For a fraction of the cost of adding an addition to your home, why not hire Villani Landshapers' award-winning design/build staff to seamlessly carry your indoor style to the outside, under the stars."

Here are some key ways to improve your outdoor living space this summer:

Tidy Up Your Landscaping

Weed, thin out your garden beds, prune back branches, and cut back any flowers that have faded out of bloom and remove overgrown plants. This can give you a fresh perspective to be able to see what to do next with your outdoor space.

Adding Mulch

Mulch will provide a nice dark, uniform background for your vegetation and make the green foliage stand out. It also provides nutrients, improves the soil’s water-holding capacity, and helps control weeds.

Perk Up a Patio With Pavers

Mueller recommends starting from the ground up. "Start with low-maintenance, eye-catching flooring materials, like decorative pavers, composite decking, or timeless natural stone." Decorative pavers are a great option for upgrading a typical poured-concrete patio, and come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. One advantage of using pavers is that they're easier and less expensive to repair than a concrete slab — if there's a paver that's stained or cracked, you can simply replace it or, depending on the pavers you have, just turn it over.

Go Natural With Stone

The designers at Villani Landshapers suggest incorporating irregular flagstone into a patio to bring a natural feel to a hardscaped space. Not only does the flagstone break up the lines of the architecture, it also provides large, flat areas to set furniture on.

Heat Up Your Patio

Mueller says that a built-in kitchen, bar or fire element will create an inviting gathering place on your patio. He continues, "Encompass it with comfortable, stylish, outdoor-rated furniture to elevate it beyond your typical patio." Fire elements can include anything from fire tables to fire pits to an outdoor fireplace. If your city doesn't allow a traditional, open wood fire in a backyard, a natural gas fire pit lets you have fire at the flip of a switch.

Light It Up With Landscape Lighting

Not only can lighting transform the look of an outdoor space, it also adds safety and security at night. LED lights are becoming increasingly popular among homeowners. While they're more expensive upfront than incandescent bulbs, they save money over time by using 90 percent less energy.

To keep your outdoor area warm and welcoming, consider hanging string lights around your porch or patio. Similarly, incorporating lighting features in your trees or landscaping is an effective way to give your yard a sophisticated, romantic feel.

"Finishing off your space with a low-voltage LED lighting system will highlight focal points and create an inviting and safe space under the stars," says Mueller.

Plant a Rain Garden

An eco-friendly landscaping option, rain gardens divert water away from your house or hardscape elements and bring it to the plants, trees and other areas that need it. Native plants are generally best for rain gardens because they're adapted to the soil, water and climate conditions.

Make a Splash With Water Features

If your landscape still needs a little something, a water feature can be a great focal point. Made from fiberglass reinforced with concrete, rock column fountains are growing in popularity because they're easy to install and maintain. Plus, they're safe for children to be around since there's no standing water.

Finishing Off Your Landscape

Once you've dreamed up your inviting space, think about the plants that will complete your landscape. As Mueller recommends, "Surround it all with the latest and greatest, hardy, low-care trees, shrubs, and perennials that will dazzle your family and guests no matter the season. Team up with Villani and make your property the envy of the neighborhood this year."

For more information about Villani Landshapers 'award-winning landscape design build services give us a call at 262-252-4541 and check us out online at www.villani-landshapers.com.