Backyard Simple Garden Design

Backyard garden designs can consist of one or many different size beds. Many people consider this part of their outdoor area as the main hot spot to relax and entertain.

Backyard Bonanza was designed for several clients interested in landscaping the entire perimeter of their yard.

Some people already had existing fences or decorative walls. Others decided on either a fence, wall, or large trees for privacy. I put a fence in this design, along with some deciduous and evergreen trees. Many of the clients requested low maintenance shrubs and trees.

A lot of these plant specimens are evergreens. The trend today is to have color year around in gardens. There are different options for doing this type of design. You can consider lessening your expenses by doing a partial fence, maybe along the back of the property.

Plant shrubs and flowers along either side of the backyard and put trees along the back side. Notice how the defined bed is continuous all the way around.

Border the bed in a trench that is about three to four inches deep. This allows for drainage and also creates a finished look when you apply mulch, pine straw, or decorative stones to the area. Below is the design key and some suggestions for different trees and shrubs.

1. Emerald Green Arborvitae - evergreen upright tree, great for privacy. Grows 10 to 20 feet high and three to five feet wide. Does well in zones three through seven. This tree is used some times in place of a Leyland Cypress. The Cypress is also an upright, but grows 20 to 30 feet high and three to five feet wide. Soft looking leaves are on both the Emerald Green Arborvitae and Leyland Cypress. You can also use Cryptomeria, Spruce or Cedar Trees.
2. Maple Trees - very popular deciduous trees. Green leaves appear in the springtime and leaves change to vibrant yellow, orange or red in the fall. Maple trees can grow anywhere from thirty feet up to 100 feet high, and up to ten feet wide. A wonderful backyard tree for providing shade. Put a rope on a branch, and your children or grandchildren will swing for hours.



3. Bird House - an option is to put up a bird house out by the Maple and Emerald Green Arborvitae. The birds love the shade in the hot summer months.



The Backyard Bird Feeder's Bible: The A-to-Z Guide To Feeders, Seed Mixes, Projects, And Treats. (Rodale Organic Gardening Book)

This is highly respected book on everything you need to know about bird feeders.

Great information and wonderful reviews. A must read for the bird lover.

Sally is very experienced at sharing this information. Being a bird lover myself and having around 11 different feeders, this resource book is invaluable to the gardener or landscaper.



4. Bird Feeders - place the bird feeder on the other side of the Maple, and you will be able to watch your fine feather friends feed and play in their own special area.



5. Indian Hawthorn - evergreen shrub with pink or white flowers in spring. Blueberries will appear in the in fall and winter months. Indian Hawthorn minor is a bigger shrub and will grow four to six feet wide. The major is a little smaller and will grow three to four feet high and two to three feet wide. Very durable shrub.



6. Mop Cypress (False Cypress Family) - evergreen variegated shrub - yellow and green leaves throughout the year. Good to grow in zones five through eight. Grows 3 to 4 feet high and wide. A great plant to accent a solid green color shrub in your backyard. Natural flowing long, skinny leaves.



7. Rocks - do a series of three rocks each in front of the Leyland Cypress. Purchase decorative rocks or existing rocks you may have on your property.







8. Chinese Pizazz - Loropetalum - evergreen shrub with purple and green leaves year around. Does well in zones five through eight. Pink/red flowers will bloom in spring and summer. The Ruby Loropetalum is a dwarf and will grow 3 to 4 feet high and 3 wide. The larger versions will grow 8 to 10 feet high and 4 to 5 feet wide. The larger variety will need to be trimmed, unless you have it in an open area and want the shrub to grow naturally.



9. Bird Bath - Include a bird bath in front of the Maple and between the Chinese Pizazz.



10. Butterfly Bush - deciduous or semi - evergreen shrub. This will depend on what zone you live in. Beautiful light or deep rich purple flowers in the late spring and throughout the summer. Shrub can grow up four to five feet tall. Prune back in fall after blooms have died. Pruning will give you a better crop of blossoms next spring. Fantastic plant for attracting various types of butterflies.







11. Carolina Sapphire - beautiful evergreen tree, can grow twenty to forty feet, but also can be topped so you can keep it under control. Tree can grow four to six feet wide. Hardy in zones six though nine. After a rain storm the long skinny leaves glisten. Other options for the Carolina Sapphire are Douglas Fir, Hemlock, or Spruce.



12. Tea Olive - Osmanthus - small evergreen tree growing anywhere from eight to ten feet tall and four to six feet wide. Wonderful fragrant flowers appear in spring through fall. The Tea Olive has been known to bloom even through the winter months. It takes a normal watering program after the roots are established in the ground. Likes sun to part shade. Birds love to make their nests in the spring. Grows will in zones seven through ten.



13. Dwarf Globe Arborvitae - Hetz Midget, or Little Giant - round, global shape. This shrub will grow three to five feet tall and about two to four feet wide. A wonderful shrub to incorporate with some deciduous shrubs. Putting the Globe Arborvitae in a group of three to five in front of some flowering Quince, or a group of of Winged Euonymus gives a landscaped area a whole new look.
    
    The Globe shrub will with stand some drought conditions and will do well in the sun. Surprisingly, the Arborvitaes do well in warm climates during the summer. They require normal watering after their roots become established. The Globe as well as other Arborvitaes do well in clay, sandy, and even rocky soil. A great small shrub in any garden. Take a look at Sample Photos Of Three Landscaped Backyards and see a few different pictures of backyard designs.

This design and key only represents some suggestions for you to use in a backyard garden design. Add annual or perennial flowers throughout your shrubs. It will definitely accent the entire bed. Techniques And Tips For Your Garden Project, is a page that can give you some more ideas. This is a simple backyard design idea to spruce up your outdoor investment. You will be able to show off your pride and joy!