Landscape Design Ideas for Tranquil Outdoor Living Spaces in Sparta and Branchville, NJ, Areas
Tranquility is a feeling that’s so important and often missing in our busy, fast-paced lives. What better place to escape from the stresses of life than in a backyard sanctuary, surrounded by nature? To inspire a backyard you want to escape to, here are five landscape design ideas for tranquil outdoor living spaces in Sparta and Branchville, NJ, areas.
A Private Retreat
When you need a break, there’s no need for a plane ticket if you have your own private space that serves as the outdoor version of a den or library. This type of retreat is meant to feel comforting, to be a place that you return to often to relax with a good book or a refreshing drink. It is private. It is sheltered. It is rich with the sights and sounds of nature.
You could start this process by identifying a space in your yard that would make a perfect retreat or ask for our input. It could be an otherwise unused corner of the backyard or a side yard. Imagine a small flagstone patio with a comfortable bench (or a hammock) there so that you could relax for hours. Or a simple rock garden with fragrant flowers and soft groundcovers, along with gently swaying ornamental grasses. The soothing sounds of a naturalistic-design fountain and a living wall of dense cedars could be another option.
A Patio That Is One With Nature
Ideally, your patio can offer a seamless transition between nature and new landscape features that have been added in for your enjoyment. Consider natural boulders and flowering perennials and groundcovers that become prominent parts of this outdoor living space. Natural stone can provide a discreet platform for viewing a favorite statue or a water fountain. These transitional spaces can be beautified by plantings that add to the sense of being one with nature when you’re relaxing.
Falling Water
Moving water, and especially falling water spilling into a fishpond, can bring a melodious quality and beauty to your landscape. Placing a natural stone water feature next to or within the patio space helps make the space feel as though it’s miles away from everything—your own private getaway that’s insulated from the world.
Walkways and Steps
Give your guests a memorable entry to your gathering spot with a simple stepping stone walkway that blends beautifully into the landscape and invites curiosity: What’s around the bend? Strolling through the landscape takes on a new dimension of connectedness with the earth where you are surrounded by fragrant plants, dappled sunlight filters softly through the foliage, and you feel as though you’re walking on a path that’s been there for centuries.
Softscapes and Hardscapes: Let Nature Steal the Show
Artistically placed stones and plants set the stage for a beautiful backdrop. Then a few simple pieces of furniture, a warm fire, and subtle landscape lighting can be all you need for topping off your day and spending a relaxing evening under the stars. Softly illuminated textures around you turns your landscape into a masterpiece after dark. Carefully chosen and strategically placed lighting fixtures give your landscape just the right amount of lighting without altering its peaceful feel.
Related: 4 Ways a Landscape Designer Can Add Color to Outdoor Living Spaces in the Sparta, NJ, Area