20+ Awesome Backyard Ideas That Are Easy To Do [and Make Your Backyard the Envy of Your Neighborhood]


Your backyard’s looking a little bit plain. Yet you know it holds so many possibilities.

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It could be a cozy place to spend with your family and friends. It could be the place for family entertainment and fun parties (and maybe even future wedding or engagement party!)

It could be the mini playground for your kids in the summer– a backyard filled with reading corners, mud kitchens and maybe even a race track!

It could be so much  more! And if you’re up for the challenge, you can make it the backyard of your dreams.

Let’s start with a few cool and awesome backyard ideas to transform your space from drab to fab!

Awesome Backyard Landscape Ideas

Oh the 101 ways to beautify your yard. There are many backyard landscape ideas that your main problem is whittling them down into the ones that best fit your personality and lifestyle.

Right now, these are the trendy ways to landscape a backyard.

The Desert Style Backyard

Get your succulents ready. You’re going to need it for this desert backyard design. Add rocks, some cacti and be very prudent with the grass. If you want a low-maintenance backyard, you’re going to love this.

Desert Backyard with yellow fence, cactus, palm trees and succulent.

Modern Landscape Designs

Have manicured lawns and well-shaped bushes. You can even hire a topiarist to shape your trees. These modern landscape designs do need a lot of work and love put into it, but they’re very well worth it in the end.

A Tuscan Backyard or Mediterranean-inspired landscaping

Oh the sweet idea of living in Tuscany.

Why not start with a Tuscan backyard design and start the dream? And don’t forget to have outdoor lunches that lasts until the sun sets.

A little creativity is what you need to start building your Tuscan backyard. Start with the types of plants and flowers that you see in the Italian countryside like rosemary or olive trees. Then add an Italian Cypress or two and finally, don’t forget to add a pathway with terracotta borders!

A Rustic Backyard

Mimic the great outdoors with a rustic backyard landscape. This type of backyard can be low-maintenance if you plan it right from the start.

Think of nature. Shrubs and plants are left to grow at their own time and form. Wild flowers are welcome as well as moss and ferns. You don’t need to trim or shape the vegetation so much either.

Make it cozy by adding some wooden benches, a hammock and even a wild pond.

Take the beach to your backyard with a beach-theme backyard

Make everyday a holiday when you have a beach-theme backyard. Some of the staples with this theme are sand as well as tropical plants and trees.

If you have a the space for it, a thatch tiki umbrella can go a long way towards making your space look just like being at the beach.

Make it zen with the Asian-inspired garden

The Asian-design is woody and earthy. It also has a clean design. It almost always includes a water feature like a pond or a waterfall.

This backyard will do well with a few Asian-inspired decor like a bamboo fountain,  a Buddha statue or a pagoda lantern.

Decorate your Asian garden with this Japanese pagoda lantern. Lighted and in front of a water feature (pond)

Things to consider when choosing your backyard’s landscape

  • Add a touch of wood in the backyard and you’ll turn it into a cosy paradise corner for you and your family. You can make something as simple as a wood garden bench or pyramid pallet garden. But if you want to go big, why not add a gazebo or a pergola.
  • Don’t want grass? There are a few different ways to landscape
  • Start with landscaping a corner. And then you can make the backyard grow organically from there. Even just renovating a corner in your backyard can make a big difference in its over-all look.

Kid Friendly Backyard Ideas

You don’t need a lot of money to make your background a haven and a playground for your kids.

Sure you can easily buy an inflatable waterslide for a surefire way for the kids to be entertained in the summer, but you don’t have to spend that much money for kids to enjoy your yard.

So what are the things you can add to your backyard to make it more kid-friendly? Here are some ideas

  • Make a playhouse
  • Build a sandpit with  a water play area
  • Got a tree? Build a treehouse!
  • A swing or a playset offers many hours of fun
  • Got a big backyard? Inflatable water slides are ahh-ma-zing!
  • Recycle some old tires and make it the centerpiece of the playground area. You can use it to build a dome, a mud kitchen, or a swing.
  • If you have active kids, why not install a trampoline, an obstacle course, monkey bars, or a basketball hoop
  • Do you have kids who would love to have their own reading corner or chill out area in the garden? Add a reading area or a backyard tent.
  • If you want your backyard to be a playground area for some fun games and activities, make a fairy garden, a music wall or a backyard rc track!

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Recommendations: Some Fun backyard toys for kids

Here are some recommendations for some cool backyard toys for kids. Just click the image to know more

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Make Your Own splash Pad: Here’s An idea for a cheap DIY project

It’s summertime! It’s hot and the kids want to play outside. Keep them cool and happy with this splash pad. All you need are fat pool noodles, string, tarp, tent stakes, a hose a lot of kids.

This is a very easy and budget-friendly project that you can make with the whole family. The kids can even join in the making of this splash pad.

 

Hold A Backyard Party: Games and Entertainment Ideas

Are you thinking about entertaining friends and families in your backyard?

Whether you’re going to have a small backyard wedding or you’re inviting a few friends for drinks, here are some backyard party tips to think about.

  • Nothing can beat a barbecue theme party if you want a relaxed atmosphere that both kids and adults can enjoy.
  • A decorated outdoor dining table with white table cloth makes all the difference.
  • If you’re having a night time party, don’t underestimate the power of lighting.
  • Serving your most special complicated dish is a good “ideaâ€. But finger food can also go a long way. And frankly, if you’re doing this all yourself, you’d probably want to enjoy the company rather than spend the whole time running around in the kitchen.
  • A party is a great time to catch up with friends and family — and for many, just chatting and talking about each other’s life is enough. But depending on the type of party you have, you might also need to have some party games and entertainment ready.
  • Don’t forget the drinks!

Tip: Here’s a video by Better Home and Garden’s  on how to set up your very own outdoor bar

  1. Use both modern and vintage dishware
  2. Make homemade punch using fruit that is in season in your area
  3. If this is a summer party, have rose wine and keep them cold by putting them in a pretty bucket with ice.
  4. For snacks, have frozen fruit like cherries or grapes.

Backyard Privacy Ideas

Protect yourself from prying eyes and nosy neighbors (!), with a privacy fence. If your neighbors can see into your backyard and you want to stop them from looking into your garden while you go about your business, then you need to have some type of a privacy fence.

A wooden fence is the most obvious way to stop neighbors from looking into your garden. But there are other ways that you can do this too.

You can use some vinyl, screens, lattice, or panels. Or you can get creative with your landscaping and use trees or plants as privacy cover too!

The first thing to consider is how much you want to cover. Do you want a fence that goes all around the backyard? Or do you only need a panel that covers the area where you sit or where your hot tub is?

For example, if you already have a fence that people can see through, you can use a privacy windscreen like this which can be attached to the fence using zip-ties. It’s affordable and very easy to install, and you’ll get the privacy you want.

However, if you want foldable panels that can cover a specific part of your garden or patio, these foldable resin screen are great. You can add as many panels as you need.

Finally, if you want a more natural looking screen, there’s the option of using a faux ivy screen like this one.

These are what the three privacy screens above look like:

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Backyard Pond Ideas

Having a backyard pond is not only good for wildlife but it also makes your garden look very inviting and pretty.

And if you add some type of waterfall so that you hear the water flowing, it can be very soothing for your mind and soul!

Adding a pond to your garden needs a lot of planning. One easy way to do this is to buy a pond kit that already includes a pond liner and a pump.

Backyard Decor Ideas

If you want a backyard decor that goes seamlessly well with the landscape, then you’ll need to consider the type of garden that you have.

Personalize your outdoor oasis by using the perfect decor that fits your style. Here are some furniture and decor that you can add to your backyard.

  • The Seating or lounging area: You’d want a place for people to sit down and gather. This can be something as big as a sectional sofa or a rattan lounge for two. You can even DIY it by using old wooden pallets
  • Lighting makes a big difference especially if you use the backyard at night too. Try using solar lamps and attach them around the fence for extra night lights. Solar fairy lights are great for this too.
  • Need some shade? A garden umbrella, or a thatched hut will keep you covered from the midday heat. If you want to splash a little bit more money, a gazebo or a pergola makes for a very cosy and inviting place.