How to Design Backyards

Designing a backyard will depend greatly on how the family uses it and the area you have to work with. A family with small children may design a play area into the yard, while a family with no children may want the focus to be on the patio and gardens. Some people will want to design the yard around a pool. Whatever your focus is, that should be your starting point. Designing the backyard is the easy part; putting the design into action may be a challenge.

Things You'll Need

• Graph paper

Instructions

1. Using graph paper, designate each square to be so many square feet of the yard, and draw a picture of the entire space. Draw in fences, out buildings and obstructions, such as approximate locations of trees.

2. Decide on the focus or focuses for the yard. If you are designing for someone else, then ask him what he would like to see in his yard.

3. Place patios close to the doorway. If you are going to have an eating area, you don't want to have to walk all the way across the yard with food and accessories from inside the house. Pools that will be covered by a Lanai should be located close to the house if not attached to the house.

4. Design areas for play, such as swing sets, away from the house. These areas work best off into a corner of the yard but within view of a window from the house. That way an adult can keep an eye on the children, and the children will be free to play and laugh loudly with disturbing anyone.

5. Flower garden designs work best against a fence. This is true for the sake of the area as well as for certain flowers. A fence creates a windbreak for many types of flowers and a partially shaded area so you can have both full-sun- and partial-sun-type flowers. You can even use the back side of a storage shed if it's placed correctly. This area should be opposite any play areas, so children do not accidentally run on the flowers.

6. Design fire pits on the opposite side of a patio from the house. You will want to enjoy the fire pit while on your patio, but you will not want the smoke blowing into the house. Also, your city may require a burn permit to have a fire pit and may have specific regulations as to the location of the fire pit in comparison to any structures on the lot.

7. Place a beautiful pond at the far side of the yard, tucked into a corner with lots of foliage and bench seating. This can be a small water feature for a small yard or a large koi pond for a large area.

8. Design within your budget. Know your budget before you start, and add to the design what you can afford. You may want to sit down with a home improvement store catalog to see what the area you want will cost as you go along. Make the design so you can add to it later when you have more money if you can't afford to do it all at once. This means leaving certain areas open or easy to change later.