David Beaulieu, who runs the About Landscaping website
(
www.landscaping.about.com),
puts "water features" high on his list of cool new ideas for
the yard. These might include a fountain, a waterfall, or a
gurgling stream. And thanks to recent advances such as
preformed, rigid plastic liners, we're not talking heavy
lifting and wheelbarrows full of fast-drying cement.
"It's as simple as digging a hole and plopping it in," says
Beaulieu. "Sink a pump in there, attach some tubing, and string it
up to any kind of fountain piece. This really introduces something
different to the landscape, and gives you the sound of that
soothing running water."
Good fountains make good neighbors, too. A fountain or pond can
help block out the sounds of traffic and the next-door teen's
thumping rap music.
A Room In Your Yard
Those blessed (or cursed) with a big, sprawling yard may want to
create a smaller and more intimate space within the property that
can serve both as focal point and gathering place. Reeves and
Beaulieu encourage homeowners to build "rooms" in the yard, using
various plantings as building materials. Small trees or rows of
shrubs can serve as walls, with a curved, vine-covered arbor
forming a kind of ceiling. Floors can be made of paving stones,
ornamental brick, or even fine gravel. Add a table and some
comfortable chairs, and you've got a fairly inexpensive extra
room.
And you don't need a half-acre to hop on the yard-room bandwagon.
If your home and yard are fairly compact, an outdoor "room" near
the back door can be an extension of the living space, especially
in climates with low humidity and minimal insects.
Going Native
"As a landscape professional, I've been dragged kicking and
screaming into the world of native plants," says Lerner.
Homeowners are doing the dragging in what seems to be a genuine
grass-roots (no pun intended) movement.