Different rooms in your house serve your different needs: your kitchen for food prep; your bedroom for sleeping; your family room for gathering. Designing your outdoor area similarly in terms of creating distinct spaces based on function/needs helps optimize your space, provides coherence and connection between your indoor and outdoor living, enhances your yard’s overall appeal and simplifies its upkeep.
We’re here to help you with all your landscaping needs, so here are some ideas to consider when designing your outdoor “rooms.”
Start with the Basics When Designing Your Outdoor Spaces
Determine Function
What are your priorities? A safe place for the kids and pets to play? A chef-worthy outdoor kitchen? A place to be at one with nature? The ultimate entertainment spot? A welcoming gathering area for family and friends? A dedicated spot for gardening? Begin with what you want the space to provide you with.
Work With What You Have
Along with our plant hardiness zone (6b-7a), take into account the orientation of prospective zone site areas (NSEW) on your property along with the amount of sun and shade these areas get. Also determine if the ground is level or hilly, wet or dry, and if there are existing features such as trees, large boulders, ponds or streams.
Be sure to consider the style and exterior color scheme of your home, and existing hardscaping such as fencing, walls, paths, sidewalks, pools, and fountains so you can create a cohesive outdoor design that complements your home.
Keep an Eye Towards the Future
Your family may be growing, or they may be growing up and moving out. You may be entertaining clients now and dreaming about quiet contemplation in your favorite outdoor chaise when you soon retire. Design with flexibility in mind. Life is dynamic and everchanging. Your outdoor zones should be, too.
Find Your Garden Zone Personality!
Take our quiz to discover your Garden Zone personality and how to create a space you’ll love. Circle the letter that sounds most like you.
Your favorite way to relax after a hard day…
A. Losing yourself in a great movie.
B. Physical exercise, like a dip in the pool, a game of cornhole with the kids, or frisbee with your pups.
C. Dinner outside, whether that’s a pie right from the pizza oven or a dish that takes a little prep work in your outdoor kitchen (nothing relaxes you more than chopping veggies!).
D. Spending time in nature, releasing the day’s stresses as a gentle breeze carries your cares away.
E. Reading beneath the 100-year-old shade tree in your yard.
Your ideal getaway is…
A. Vegas, baby!
B. A bicycle tour of your favorite city.
C. A restaurant hop of NYC.
D. A meditation retreat.
E. A week at a remote lake cabin.
When it comes to outdoor dining…
A. You enjoy creating the vibe – music, lighting, the works!
B. Toasted marshmallows are a must for dessert.
C. Nature inspires your most creative dishes.
D. Disconnecting from devices feels divine.
E. Everything tastes better against a backdrop of trees.
The weather looks perfect for the weekend, so you plan to…
A. Throw an outdoor bash with your favorite peeps.
B. Tell the kids to invite their friends over for a swim and BBQ.
C. Hit the farmer’s market for menu inspiration.
D. Bring your mat outside for yoga.
E. Lose yourself puttering around in the garden.
You consider your yard…
A. A great open space to gather with friends and family.
B. A fun zone for your kids and pets.
C. The perfect place for a kitchen garden.
D. Your retreat from the world.
E. Your connection to nature.
What are some must-haves for your outdoor space?
A. The comforts of (indoor) home; a space to gather, listen to music, watch a movie, dine and dance.
B. Elements that encourage your kids to play, explore and invite their friends over to enjoy, and safe and protected spaces for them and your pets.
C. A well-appointed outdoor kitchen.
D. Soothing elements like a Zen garden, water feature, wind chimes, etc.
E. An organic prairie garden where you can immerse yourself in your site’s natural beauty.
If money were no object, your dream yard would include…
A. A solid-roof pavilion with temperature and light controls, a big screen TV, sound speakers, outdoor bar/kitchen, fire pit – the ultimate entertainment space.
B. A 3-4 season space, outdoor kitchen/BBQ grill/dining area, swimming pool, an area for kids’ activities/swing sets, a firepit and comfy seating to gather around it.
C. A fully fitted outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven, wine cooler, smoker, maybe a side burner for lobster boils, and an area to grow fresh herbs and veggies.
D. A Karesansui (dry rock garden with raked gravel to emulate water), a water feature (fountain, waterfall, pond with lotus flowers), soft lighting with lanterns, a moss garden, a sculptural boulder and floating stone pathway.
E. A design that works with existing site conditions (native plant terraced gardens for hilly areas, your own meadow).
Count the number of times you chose response A, B, C, D, or E and discover your Garden Zone Personality below!
- Mostly A’s – Entertainment Eden
- Mostly B’s – The Play’s The Thing
- Mostly C’s – Chef’s Kiss
- Mostly D’s – Now & Zen
- Mostly E’s – Mother Nature Rules
A – Entertainment Eden
You love to entertain and when family and friends visit, you want to make sure they’ll have an experience to remember!
- Organize your outdoor space like an open floor plan, with distinct areas for cooking, dining, movie viewing, swimming and lounging, so you and your guests can move freely.
- Consider a viewing pavilion for screenings, or fully roofed structure equipped with a large screen TV, stereo sound speakers and plush cushiony recliners.
- Use fans and heaters for comfortable temperature control.
- A nearby kitchen/bar keeps snacks and beverages handy.
- Set the mood with layered light sources (path lights for safety, string lights for fun, etc.).
- Add a dramatic vibe with fire, water and light – illuminate the pool with colored lights, consider a larger fire table instead of a fire pit, add a waterfall into the pool – the possibilities are endless!
B – The Play’s the Thing
Family is everything, so having an outdoor space where you can share meals, your kids can play and explore, your teens can hang out, and you can relax and connect with loved ones IRL instead of on your devices is your version of backyard heaven.
- Position your grill and dining area near the house for convenience and include protection from the elements with umbrellas or install a pergola or retractable awning.
- Use outdoor rugs or a row of potted plants to define spaces such as an area where adults can sit and chat while still having a clear view of kid zones.
- Think beyond the standard playhouse or swing set and include elements that naturally engage your kids’ senses along with their imaginations:
- Have a slate art board where kids can “paint” with just water.
- Transform an old table, utensils and bowls into a mud kitchen.
- Include tree stump steppingstones and splash pads for hot weather fun.
- Create teepees made from wooden trellises and vines
- Use raised beds to create sensory gardens that include culinary herbs, fragrant/colorful flowers, and textured plants like Lambs’ Ears to engage every sense.
- Add bird feeders and bird baths and include sound elements like wind chimes and fountains.
- Don’t forget to an ample grassy area for play and shady places to sit and cool down.
- Have a designated pet area where your pups can relieve themselves, away from active play areas. (Designating another spot for dedicated digging if your dog is a “natural excavator” can save your lawn and plantings and is worth considering!).
C – Chef’s Kiss
Outdoor cooking for you goes beyond grilling a few burgers; you’re an ardent cook who loves trying and creating new dishes to serve to your family and friends, so you’d like a well-appointed outdoor kitchen where you can let your creative juices flow.
- Start with a protective shelter like a pergola with a full-roof structure to provide protection from the elements for you and your appliances.
- Select outdoor-safe appliances like a built-in outdoor gas grill or wood-fired oven.
- Pizza ovens, smokers and side burners for lobster pots are also elements to consider.
- Organize your area into a prep zone, cooking zone and wash/cleaning zone.
- Include an outdoor refrigerator for beverages and holding items that need chilling.
- Make sure surrounding surfaces are heat-resistant, easy-to-clean and weatherproof (granite, soapstone, polished concrete).
- Lighting should include both task and ambient options like under counter LED strips and over hanging lights.
- A classic kitchen garden (potager) gives you access to the freshest ingredients. Create raised beds for herbs, leafy greens, peppers, tomatoes, radishes – whatever your favorites are.
D – Now and Zen
For you, your outdoor space is a sanctuary, so focus on creating a space that is calming and uncomplicated.
- The heart of many Zen gardens is Karesansui – a dry rock garden of carefully curated stones surrounded by light-colored sand or pale, fine gravel that you rake into patterns to emulate water.
- Even within a Zen garden you can create separate zones, such as the Karesansui, a moss and stone sanctuary, a meditative water area and a reflection nook where you can rest and reflect.
- The addition of a water element can include anything from a small bamboo fountain (shishi-odoshi), or a simple submerged basin (tsukubai), to a serene koi pond dotted with lotus blossoms.
- For the moss and stone sanctuary, include an architectural boulder for a focal point then add mounds of deep green moss (they need damp shade to thrive) or opt for dwarf varieties of evergreens or a Japanese maple tree. Keep the design asymmetrical for a more natural look.
- Lanterns and carefully placed lighting can softly highlight cast shadows from rocks and plants, adding dimension and warmth to evening viewing.
- A Zen garden is intentional, so create paths of flat steppingstones laid on top of gravel that meander from one place to another. A reminder that it’s about the journey, not the destination.
- Finally, create a space for contemplation, viewing and meditation. Add a simple stone bench, a meditation cushion or a low, wooden platform (engawa) to sit upon and view the harmony of the garden. Add some bamboo screening or a small arbor for added privacy.
E – Let Mother Nature Rule
You see the beauty of nature wherever you are, so working with your natural surroundings celebrates what you already enjoy. Here at Farmside, we’ll assess your property and present you with landscaping ideas to consider. In our assessment, we’ll:
- Note which areas of your landscape get sun, shade, or dappled sun.
- Get your soil tested (you can purchase at test at a garden center or your local County Agricultural office) to determine if your soil is heavy in clay or sandy and what its pH balance is.
- Also note if there are areas where water naturally pools after a heavy rain or if there are spots that dry quickly.
- Work with your property’s natural topography and existing features like rocks, boulders, trees, slopes and open areas.
- Make existing established trees and large rocks focal points and create paths around them rather than moving them.
- Turn sloped areas into tiered gardens by creating retaining walls of stone, native grasses or dense evergreen plantings to stop soil erosion.
- The wet, valley-like areas of your property can be turned into rain gardens, swale gardens or bioswales.
- Rain gardens: sunken basins that hold water in one spot until it soaks in.
- Swale gardens: sloped, grassed ditches that move water away.
- Bioswales: sloped channels engineered with specific soils to both move and filter large volumes of water.
- Plant native, non-invasive species. A trend we’re seeing is the embracing of the “New Perennial Movement,” that mimics natural meadows with large swaths of ornamental grasses and perennials instead of small clusters of plants.
- Create texture and interest by layering your garden (tall trees, mid-sized shrubs, flowering perennials, textured ground covers) which reflects the natural growth habits of trees and plants.
- In lieu of slabs of poured concrete, we can create permeable paths and walkways made from crushed gravel, shells or wood chips.
- Use flat rocks as steppingstones and line garden bends with small logs, untreated wood, stones, or other natural elements like woven willow or bamboo.
