There are dreamers and there are planners; the planners make their dreams come true.
-Edwin Louis Cole-
March is a great time to begin creating an outdoor living space. Spring is not far off now. While it’s still chilly, the crocuses are up, and the serviceberry and dogwood trees are budding. Big Bend Landscaping in St. Louis is getting calls from people who are thinking about adding an outdoor living space or upgrading what they have. Our calendar fills up fast in the spring. So don’t wait too long!
time to dream
This is a fun stage. It’s about thinking about what you have and dreaming about what it could be.
First
Bundle up and head outdoors with your phone and/or some paper. Look at your yard as is and ask yourself:
What do you love about your yard?
What do you hate?
What can you change?
What can you live with if you simply must?
Second
What do you really, really want? This isn’t the time to worry about silly things like the budget or realistic expectations. That part is coming. Right now, you’re brainstorming.
What about an outdoor kitchen? A fire pit surrounded by seating walls? An outdoor fireplace? A patio? Have you always wanted a pergola? What about flower beds safely ensconced inside a raised paver bed?
Third
Take pictures of your yard and home. You’ll want these to refer to as you’re creating an outdoor living space.
You can go back inside now if you really want to.
Assess your Assets
Now that you have a list—think about the best parts of your yard. Make a list of pros and cons.
The sunny spaces.
The shaded places.
Your favorite tree.
The best places to grow flowers.
The one with the best view.
Your children’s favorite play areas.
Then make a list of the problem areas:
What about the section of the yard that never seems to dry out.
And that bare spot that just won’t grow grass. Are you at the top or bottom of a hill or even a slight slope?
Write it all down. Don’t leave anything out! Nobody ever says “I wish I took fewer notes.”
Budget for the Best Outcome
Now is the time to take a look at your priorities and your budget. What’s more important to you? What can you live without? What do you consider a “must have” for an outdoor living space?
Are you going to have to work in stages in order to attain your long-term goals? Be realistic about this for your own sake. There is little point in putting in a beautiful new outdoor living space if it’s going to be plagued by issues like standing water. And it will be hard to enjoy a fire pit or fireplace if your entertainment area isn’t level.
So you may want to include the cost of a retaining wall and hardscaping features like a dry creek bed into your plans and adjust your short-term expectations.
Think of it this way:
The fact that you are creating an outdoor living space does not mean that it has to be done all at once. We can come back! In fact, we’d love to.
Give Big Bend Landscaping a call and make an appointment. Let us know what your budget is and your priorities are so they can come prepared with samples and an idea as to what you want and need. They will help you make a plan that will both fit within your budget and help you attain the outdoor living space of your dream
Know thyself
While you’re waiting on Big Bend Landscaping, grab a pencil or use an app that will let you create a rough blueprint of what you want. Here are some additional suggestions that will help as you are creating an outdoor living space.
Divide your space into zones
This will not only provide a visual variety, but it will also increase the usefulness of your outdoor living space and help you prioritize. If you’re going to have an outdoor kitchen, think about where people are going to eat. And what about a Fire Pit? Are you going to provide seating walls or outdoor furniture?
Create focal points
Do you have a tree you’re fond of or flowerbeds you enjoy? What about a spot with an especially nice view of a lake or hill? Incorporate these
into your zones.
Think Weather
In the St. Louis area, you can expect to face wet springs and cold winters. So you may want to consider adding a shelter such as pavilion or overhang to your outdoor living space so you can enjoy it when it’s raining.
Be realistic about who you are
Do you like large gatherings? Excellent. Factor that into your plans as you think about how large you want your outdoor kitchen and patio area.
But if you don’t—then you’re not going to magically become that person if you do build a large, sprawling outdoor living space. Maybe you’ll be happier with a more meditative, intimate space with a little extra seating for close friends and family. Remember: You are creating YOUR outdoor living space—not just something others will approve of.
Greenery and other eye candy
If you don’t already have some plans in or near your outdoor living space, think about adding them. Studies have shown that the presence of healthy, attractive plants have a calming effect. However, if you don’t like working outside or don’t have a lot of time to devote to their care, be careful about what kind of plants and trees you add. There are a number of low-maintenance plants that will withstand neglect.
ready to start creating an outdoor living space? Call us!
Big Bend Landscaping is always delighted to help homeowners with creating an outdoor living space. It is as exciting for us as it is for you to watch someone’s dream come to life.
We do not do generic. Your outdoor living space won’t look like anyone else’s (unless you want it to). If you look through our gallery, you’ll see that no two jobs look the same. We do it that way on purpose.
Big Bend Landscaping has been building patios, firepits, pathways, retaining walls, seating walls, and drainage solutions in the St. Louis area for over 25 years. We have 62 five-star reviews on Google and an A+ rating with the BBB. Our crews have a Level 1 Certification from the National Concrete and Masonry Association. This means we’re experts in our field. Check out our testimonials to see what our customers are saying about us. We rely on only the highest quality materials such as Belgard, Pavestone, and BP. They all provide a life time guarantee on all their pavers, which means that they will replace any pavers that fail under normal wear and tear.
Do you live in the St. Louis area and want to know more about how we can help you create the outdoor living area of your dreams? Check out our product pages and the work we’ve done for other happy customers. And give us a call or contact us for an online estimate!