As the summer heats up, why not consider your backyard an oasis? Cool down and take a load off in the privacy and comfort of your own home. Build something that you are truly proud to live and build a life with your family. With these backyard desert landscaping ideas, you can take your property from drab to fab during those sizzling days of summer. Here are three ways that custom landscaping can help you beat the heat without leaving the beauty of your very own backyard:
1. Plant Shade
Planting shade trees is not only good for the environment, but with the right landscaping firm, can be a natural way to create beauty and grace. Landscaping can provide much-needed shade in order to cool you down when the heat rages high. The most important factor in desert landscaping is to find a tree that will thrive in the area where you live: climate, soil chemistry, and water levels are all vital factors to consider. Luckily, a good landscaper can take care of these concerns for you. If you’re the type who likes to be prepared with your own suggestions, consider a popular shade tree for desert dwellers: the cascalote tree.
These beauties are native to Mexico, and their low water and full sun requirements make this tree the ideal oasis companion. However, though they are strong and beautiful, be prepared for yellow blossoms that have a high pollen content – if anyone in your family suffers from allergies, this may not be the best tree to choose. The cascalote tree is a generally small tree, so it will fit in many sizes of backyards. Have your landscaper accent this tree with flowering perennials like trailing purple lantana or Mexican honeysuckle to reap the full visual glory that the cascalote tree can lend. Understanding what will and will not grow (particularly in conjunction with other flora in the area) is generally best left to an expert.
2. Build Shade
If you have enough green going on already and don’t wish to add more, there are still plenty of shade-creating options. Consider a custom build-out from your porch or a free-standing gazebo, both of which will increase the “cool” factor of your yard. These types of buildings can put shade precisely where you want it so that you won’t be stuck walking to the other end of the yard just to enjoy some time outside.
Additionally, these are great options if you live in an area susceptible to weather events or if your backyard tends to “take a beating” during busy season. Since gazebo structures are solid, sturdy, and built to last despite what nature may throw at them, they are reliable fixtures even in areas with strong storms.
3. Drape Shade
If you are looking for a more graceful and less permanent shade solution, perhaps a shaded canopy will be right for you. This versatile shade solution can be a semi-permanent fixture with sturdy arches or columns built into your yard, then finished with draped fabrics, bamboo matting, or strung with silk or canvas screens. Because canopies can be made from so many different materials in so many different styles, they are the ultimate in customized luxury for your yard. A canopy can be custom-crafted for you precisely to your specifications. When choosing materials for your shade canopy, ensure that you find something available in a wide array of hues so that you can custom-match the product to the beautiful luxury of your home.
When considering what to add to an extant backyard, you need to take in all the possibilities: what is now, what could be, and what elements of your backyard might prevent from coming into being. Backyard desert landscaping ideas are always best executed by professionals like our team at Blooming Desert who can help to ensure that execution is flawless, up to safety standards, and exactly what you want to see in your backyard oasis.