How Often and How Much are You Enjoying Your Backyard?

If you read last week’s blog post, you’ll know that this is the first in a series of posts on New Year’s resolutions for your backyard. First up: Spend more time outside in your backyard with family and friends.

Why Outside? Why Your Backyard?
Spending more time with friends and family is a no-brainer, but why outside? Simple. Because, being in nature reduces stress and increases feelings of pleasure. Numerous studies have found that exposure to nature not only makes you feel better, it contributes to your physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones. The simple truth is, humans find nature both fascinating and gratifying.

In terms of wellbeing, I could easily argue that your backyard is the most important “room” in your home. According to the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota, “Research done in hospitals, offices, and schools has found that even a simple plant in a room can have a significant impact on stress and anxiety.” Other studies show that even being able to look at pictures of nature (landscapes, plants, trees) has a positive impact on humans. If a single plant or photo can have significant impact on stress and anxiety, imagine the benefits of an entire backyard!

Obviously, there are many ways and places to be outside, but your backyard has the advantages of easy accessibility (24/7) and the fact that it is your blank canvas; your backyard should be your customized oasis, much like your home, designed and landscaped to accommodate your family and friends in an environment that you find comfortable and inviting, and that suits your interests and activities, be it swimming, entertaining friends, cooking, bird-watching, engaging in outdoor game like badminton and croquet, meditating or any of the multitude of other activities suitable for outside.

Backyard Landscape Design
Most people’s backyard landscape design plans include, at minimum, a place to gather with outdoor seating and an area for a grill. However, a true “oasis” usually includes more. As landscape designers, we get requests for landscape designs that include everything from pools, patios, and decks, to koi ponds, fountains, outdoor kitchens, grilling stations, outdoor fireplaces, and fire pits, and outdoor showers. Pools are particularly popular in the Dallas area. In addition to standard-sized pools we get numerous requests for plunge pools, which are smaller pools “right-sized” for smaller, urban yards. Your landscape design features should blend well with the exterior design of your home and feel like a natural extension of the interior of your home.

A Prevalent Landscape Design Misconception
While landscaping and landscape design features should be added for your own and your family’s enjoyment, many people have strong misconceptions about the value of landscaping overall. Statistics reveal that:

• Good landscape design can add up to 20% of value to your home. (This Old House magazine)
• Landscaping decreases the amount of time your home is on the market – sometimes by as much as six weeks.
• Nearly 90% of real estate agents encourage homeowners to invest in landscaping prior to selling.

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) recommends that homeowners invest 10% of the home’s value in landscaping. (Landscape design goes beyond plantings and includes structural features like patios, swimming pools, fire pits, lighting, and fences. Outdoor rooms, terraces, and decks are also high-yield investments.)

Understand that the value comes from professional landscape design, based on an overall vision and plan. Too often, DIY landscaping reflects an “on the fly” approach based on what’s available at the local nursery and strikes one’s fancy at that particular moment. But more on that in my next post!

For over 30 years, Bonick Landscaping has served Dallas area clients with the highest standards looking for out-of-the-ordinary luxury landscape design and pools by offering the best in service, workmanship, and plantings. Services include hardscape and landscape design, pool designs, pool construction and installation, estate management, lawn care services and garden maintenance, pool maintenance, and more. For discerning clients in Dallas who want to express their own distinctive style through their landscaping, Bonick Landscaping can help you realize your dream. Call us at 972-243-9673 or visit our website at www.bonicklandscaping.com.