Question
Hi Russel...I have this beautiful big fenced in backyard with great green grass.  I would like some ideas to help make it even better.  Do you recommend a website with pictures that may give me some great ideas on things to do with my yard?  I would like to keep the majority of it grass however in the perimeter or corners of this nice big "rectangle" I would like to spice it up! Any suggestions?

Answer
Hey, Mica.

What I like to do with the perimeters and corners is to create a wandering path from corner to corner, and then in the corners I have different benches to sit on and different items and landscaping. For example, corner #1 might be my water fountain corner, corner #2 is my hummingbird corner, corner #3 is my cactus/succulent corner, and corner #4 is my fern corner. You can also have a pond corner, or a vine corner, etc.

I have sometimes planted low shrubs to protect the paths and the corners from those playing in the grass, yet those on the paths or sitting in the corners can watch whatever play is going on -- pets, children, slip 'n' slide, etc.

In one corner you could even build a deck where you could have a barbecue grill, an umbrella, and a table for playing cards/eating, etc.

For more ideas, stop by Borders Books & Music, or Home Depot, and look at the many books in their "back yard" and "landscaping" sections. You can get lots of ideas for just the cost of gas to get there and the time you spend looking.

Hope that helps.

Russel