As the flower buds start to open, and the weather feels warmer, it’s natural to think about the outdoors after our long winters inside. Garden centres are opening, and depending on the weather in your area, you might even start to see the tips of your perennials peeking through. And many of us are spending more time at home these days, it’s also natural to look how to maximize the enjoyment of living at home which includes the outdoors. So this month’s blog is dedicated to the trends we are seeing in outdoor living and enjoy the outdoors spaces of your homes, even year round.

Think Creatively
As the price of land and construction continue to rise, the trend in building for a number of year has been to maximize the use of the indoor and outdoor space, especially those who are living in the city. With a little planning your small outdoor space can create a zen like environment with a water feature that could double as a watering system for the garden. Or raised decorative planters that can hold a few vegetable plants. A little planning and creativity can go a long way.

Year Round Living
When planning your outdoor space, why not consider four season planning in your design. Adding the right plants that thrive at different times including winter, you can have a year round backyard oasis, especially if you have some cozy blankets, and a fire pit.

Using Foilage as Fencing
Good fences make good neighbours, and although fences are used to create a boundary for a yard, there are creative alternatives to the traditional fence and board design. There are a number of types of foliage that provide screening, like bamboo, dogwoods or Japanese maple. They can even be incorporated into you fencing you may need for security of your children and pets.

Create a Focal Point
There has been a number of local artists in the news lately that can create feature elements for gardens including handcrafted benches or gazebo type structures. Or if you choose to go the traditional big box store design route, these structures can add interest and useful ways to utilize your outdoor space year round.

Cooking outdoors
Outdoor kitchen have been on the rise and allow use of the space with gas stoves, water, and refrigerators, that of course need to be shut off during winter, but the grill can operate year round, and with a gas heater, imagine dining under the winter stars?

By incorporating these year round outdoor features you can add value to your home while enjoying all the aspects of home sweet home.