If your backyard doesn’t excite you, it’s time for an upgrade. In this article, we’ll share with you some easy and beautiful backyard ideas that can have a huge impact; which means you’ll love spending your days outside. They will help you bring its exterior elements to life while turning it into a high-value area of your home at the same time.

1. Build A Beautiful Garden

There are many beautiful flowers native to Alberta, including bright purple clematis and eye-popping gaillardias in yellow and red. You might also consider starting and tending a vegetable garden that will put crisp veggies on the table every night in the summer. Not only will it guarantee freshness, but it will also help you avoid commercial pesticides.

Any good garden takes time to create, but the end result will be so worth it and you’ll love coming home to see its progress and help it along. Gardening is a perfect escape from a busy schedule where you can relax in your backyard and keep adding to it year after year!

2. Create A Space For Socializing

From pool parties to barbecues, there are endless ways to gather your friends in the backyard. But where will everyone sit? Where will they put down their drinks? A big idea is to build a deck, patio or gazebo. A more casual course of action might be arranging a few chairs around the fire pit.

Whatever you decide, adding a social space to your backyard is something you won’t regret. Even if you don’t have friends over all the time, sitting on a deck or patio that’s shaded from the sun is a great place to unwind after a long day.

It’s your backyard, so this is your chance to make it a comfortable place you look forward to spending time in and inviting people over to share it with.

3. Create A Welcoming Entrance

This will pair nicely with a fence or gate, but even if you have an open-concept backyard, you can still fashion an arbour or archway that leads into it.

If you want something classy, consider twirling vines and trellises; if you’d prefer something cute, have your kids put their colourful handprints on a painted wooden sign that welcomes everyone into the backyard.

4. Add Some Lighting

This is one of my favourite beautiful backyard ideas because you can’t show off your backyard if no one can see it! Arrange tea lights around your walkways for a gentle glow and install tiki torches that burn with mosquito repellent to protect your family from bites in the dark.

Set up a few poles and string fairy lights between them for a casual party look. The right outdoor lighting can really set the mood for a perfect night spent outside without having to go anywhere.

And if all else fails, simply light up the fire pit and enjoy the ambiance of a friendly summer campfire!

5. Install Water Features

You’d be surprised at how the hours can fly by when you’re listening to music in your backyard and watching the water trickle out from a fountain or down the “waterfall” and into your pond…

Whether you’ve put up a marble statue or are constructing a zen garden with a rotating river wheel, water features can really contribute to the aesthetic of your property.

You can also add some aquatic plants and build your garden space around these water features for a more cohesive backyard look. You can make it feel like you’re far away from home and next to a bubbling spring.

6. Divide It Into Zones

Hear us out! Splitting your backyard into zones can help maximize your backyard enjoyment. Picture it…

• The “kid zone” can have their treehouse, fun house and sandbox.
• The “relaxation zone” can have your pool and portable mini-bar.
• The “useful zone” can have your work shed or dog-rinsing area when Fido is too muddy to come inside.

Instead of scattering your belongings throughout the backyard, keep everything divided into separate areas for maximum joy.

7. Cultivate Healthy Grass

If you’ve ever driven past homes with perfectly-cut, vividly green lawns, you know there’s a secret to their curb appeal. These homeowners are tending their lawns with fertilizers and special soils that enrich the earth and encourage nutrient production.

You’ll need to invest in the same thing if you want a beautiful yard of your own. But it’s worth it, resulting in thick, lush, beautiful green grass that feels delightful under bare feet.

If you’re really feeling adventurous, you can even try growing certain grass in one area and creating a mini putting green to work on your short game in the summer.

8. Utilize Your Vertical Space

Many people think of vertical space as an “indoor” concept because it uses things like cabinets and shelves.

But why not bring it outdoors as well?!

You can hang flower pots around your porch or bird feeders from the trees. You can even bring out weatherproof stackable cubbies for kids’ toys and gear. 

Planting vines on the fence next to the garden is a great touch and another way to use the vertical space in your backyard. You can attach planters to your fence to increase the amount of growing space you have – we’ve seen some lovely planter boxes made from upcycled pallets or ladders. Herbs are perfect for this and will have your yard smelling amazing.

9. Create A Place To Relax

Being able to relax in your backyard is key. So maybe it’s a hammock swinging between two trees. Maybe it’s a wraparound porch with a screened-in area for lazy summer nights spent outside. Maybe it’s a hot tub in the corner of the balcony with some privacy screening around it for late-night soaking.

Whatever you’d like, the sky’s the limit when it comes to the ways you can transform your boring backyard into an oasis from the chaos of life. 

10. Invest In Some Outdoor Furniture

If you want to spend more time enjoying your backyard, doing so should be as comfortable as possible. You’re going to want to invest some high-quality patio furniture like a couch and lounge chairs, with cushions that are easy to wash. You can store these items inside or in the garage in the winter months and then bring them out each year in the spring. 

Having this extra furniture comes in handy when you want to enjoy dinners outside or read a book and enjoy the sun.

11. Add A Tile Walkway

Having a backyard that’s just pavement and grass can look boring. If you have a garden, lay down some fun stone or brick tiles to create a walkway toward it. This adds another element to your backyard design and creates a whimsical look. You can even light up the path at night by placing solar-powered lanterns into the grass next to each square.

These are just a few beautiful backyard ideas you can use to update the space into something that inspires feelings of pride and contentment. It’s the only backyard you’ve got, so make it worthwhile! And check out our article on outdoor water features if you want to add something a little extra.

Originally Published Aug 3, 2017, updated May 16, 2023

Author: Sereena S.

Mom of two, wife to one, and a dog lover. Although cats can be okay too, but only sometimes...