“Back to nature” is a growing trend among homeowners - with a twist. People generally want to enjoy the same level of amenities outdoors as they do indoors. As a result, outdoor living spaces are becoming more sophisticated while at the same time, more nature-oriented. Here are our tips for achieving a natural landscape design with boulders and three other features in Wilmette, IL, and Lake Forest, IL, areas.
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Boulders
Boulders are some of the most dramatic landscape features you can add to your landscape. However, there’s an art to placing them, so they don’t look like they were dropped randomly from outer space.
You may have seen homes with a random boulder in front of the entryway or somewhere in the front yard. The boulder itself could be interesting, but in many landscapes, it’s out of place and just looks awkward.
A solution to making an awkwardly placed boulder look like it belongs could be to add native vegetation around the boulder, essentially placing it in its natural environment. You could also add a manmade element to visually balance the boulder: for example, a small paver patio with a fountain and short segment of seat wall that echoes the shape of the boulder. If the boulder is in the front yard, this small addition could make the front yard look more welcoming.
When adding boulders as focal points in your landscape, think in terms of layers: smaller, lighter, and shorter elements in front and larger, denser, and darker elements in the rear. This doesn’t mean you should position boulders only along the perimeter of your landscape. Rather, you could create an island effect, where a grouping of boulders is surrounded by vegetation in a way that leads up to their mass in stages to prevent the “fallen from the sky” effect.
Choose boulders that look as though they are native to the area, with colors and shapes that match the local surroundings. This, along with native plants, will make the most sense in creating a landscape that feels natural.
Balance boulders with other large, dense elements such as evergreen trees. On your patio, you could use an outdoor fireplace or a pergola to balance the visual weight of boulders.
Water
Water is an essential element for creating a more naturalistic landscape. The sights and sounds of water - as well as the way that water reflects light, will make your landscape feel like a private getaway far from the stresses of the world. A man-made creek is a linear element that flows through the landscape, adding movement and sound. If space doesn’t allow for a creek, a small pond/waterfall combination in a tucked-away corner, surrounded by stones and lush native vegetation, would achieve the same tranquil effect.
Privacy
Creating a backyard getaway means not being under constant scrutiny by nosy neighbors and passers-by. But instead of an ordinary wood privacy fence, you could opt for a living wall that adds greenery as well as vertical interest to your landscape. Cypress, junipers, spruce trees, and boxwoods are some great options for living walls: for more textural and color interest, mix a few species, being sure to give each one plenty of room to mature without being crowded.
Less Lawn
Reducing the size of your lawn and replacing it with native plantings will help you reduce your eco-footprint and give a much-needed boost to local wildlife and pollinator species.
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