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Serving the Naperville Community
Serving the Naperville Community
 Your brick patio is likely one of your favorite places to relax and entertain. Brick is an exceptional material that has the incredible ability to blend the natural elements with the man-made. The natural tones and textures of brick might look great in the sunlight, but after dark you’ll want to appreciate your brick patio just as much. You can bring your Wheaton, IL, brick patio to life with a creative outdoor lighting plan.
Related: Looking to Revamp Your Hinsdale IL Patio? Consider These Landscape Design Trends Combine Landscape Lighting Strategies Successful outdoor lighting plans utilize a combination of a few different lighting strategies. All together, the combined strategies will create complex layers, increasing depth perception to create a safe and welcoming feeling in your landscape. Even better, your friends and family will be able to appreciate the beauty of your landscape after sunset. Before we talk about specific lighting strategies for your brick patio, keep one “rule” in mind: less is more. A single light fixture can illuminate more than you might think. This means that a few bright lights aren’t the answer. You’ll get a much more pleasant result from using more low-voltage lights. Hard-Wired Pathway Lighting The most important thing you can do in your outdoor lighting plan is create a safe place to walk. Unsurprisingly, many people are injured every day from stumbling around in the dark and an injury in your backyard is the last thing you need when entertaining friends or just relaxing. Even stubbing a toe can put a dent in your evening. Use hard-wired pathway lighting to illuminate your brick patio and the surrounding walkways to be your first steps in enabling a safe and welcoming environment. A hard-wired system of pathway lights is more advantageous than off-grid solar pathway lights as they will always provide excellent illumination for your brick patio even on the cloudiest day. Low-lying path lights will be anchored in the perimeter of your brick patio and angled so that they focus their energy on the edges of the patio. This not only illuminates any potential obstacles on the patio like wayward toys or fallen branches, but it also helps define the space of the patio itself. This helps create a sense of intention in your landscape and enhances the feeling of safety and welcome. The Ambience of Fire One of the best landscape features you can install in your outdoor living space is a fire pit, a fire table, an outdoor fireplace, or even a combination of fire features. Fire features provide warmth during the chillier evenings as well as substantial ambient light. This flickering light of the dancing flames will be especially beautiful on a brick patio. Fire light expands around the source in a full circle or a semi-circle. Instead of competing with the fire light, embrace the beauty of the flames and let the area around the fire feature be as attractive as it is useful. Creative Lighting Spotlighting a significant feature such as an outdoor fireplace, a majestic tree, or a sculpture will not only add interest but ambient light to your brick patio. Moonlighting (placing lights high in a tree canopy to mimic the effect of moonlight) is another way to add dimension as the shadows cast by this light will make interesting patterns on the patio. Downlights integrated into a masonry retaining wall or privacy fence can also add light to the space while emphasizing the textures they illuminate. Related: Extend the Use of Your Patio With Any of These Outdoor Lighting Options in Naperville, IL
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 The best landscape design always takes the some of the least attractive parts of the landscape and elevates them to the highest standard. Driveways are often forgotten about in landscape design and can be seen as just a path for moving cars from the street to the house. Since the driveway takes up so much space in a landscape, it actually has an integral role in the beauty of the overall landscape. As you plan your landscape renovation, make sure to take this prominent landscape feature into account as a design element. Here are four ways a paver driveway can greatly enhance your landscape design in Hinsdale, IL.
Related: Be Inspired by These Landscaping Trends for an Updated Driveway in Wheaton IL First Impressions Does your home’s driveway reflect its value? Asphalt driveways don’t do anything for the aesthetics of a home; they don’t add to the aesthetics, and when patched, they look ugly and cheap. Concrete driveways can be even worse, evoking the stained look of an oil change shop or a kindergarten playground just waiting to be scribbled on with chalk. Concrete will inevitably crack and crumble, necessitating frequent repairs or replacement. With a driveway made from stained poured concrete or crumbling asphalt, it doesn’t matter what your home looks like or what else is in your front yard. A driveway made from specialized driveway pavers will immediately elevate the look of an entire landscape, sending the message that you have taste and your home is an elegant and well-cared for place. Be sure to use driveway-rated pavers, as they are designed specifically to handle vehicular loads. Pavers intended for pedestrian use are too thin and often too large to support the weight of cars and trucks. Durability A paver driveway will last far longer than asphalt or poured concrete driveways which - because they are solid surfaces - will only last a few years before succumbing to soil movement and the freeze-thaw cycle. Over the lifetime of the driveway, pavers are an incredibly economical choice. Paver driveways are not solid surfaces The individual pavers move slightly, yet are incredibly secure and stable and won’t heave or sink when properly installed. The spaces between them accommodate the movement of soil, preventing damage from the freeze-thaw cycle. While individual pavers may break on the rare occasion, they’re easily replaceable and won’t affect the surrounding pavers. Color Pairing Pavers take inspiration from a variety of materials and they can take on a large range of different shades and colors beyond those that can be found in natural stone. Warm earthy colors such as those present in sandstone-inspired pavers will add reds, browns, and warm tans to your landscape. These colors are particularly resonant with relaxed homes as well as rustic homes and landscapes. Cooler and steely colors such as those present in bluestones and granites will add blues and grays to your landscape. These colors will add a dramatic look to modern and contemporary homes and landscapes, but also offer an excellent pairing with classic brick-sided homes. Environmental Benefit One of the biggest issues of a solid surface driveway (asphalt or poured concrete) is tremendous amounts of water that run off the driveway after a heavy rain, potentially causing damage to the landscape or flooding. Permeable pavers will disperse surface water into the ground due to slightly larger joints between the pavers, the use of pea gravel or other coarse stone, and a special substrate that allows water to absorb slowly into the ground below. Related: 5 Landscape Design Ideas for a Modern Permeable Driveway in Wheaton, IL Extend the Use of Your Patio With Any of These Outdoor Lighting Options in Naperville, IL12/21/2021  The outdoor living space is a special place where friends and family can relax outdoors and create wonderful memories. Everyone coming to your backyard should feel welcome and safe at all times. Outdoor lighting is absolutely crucial not only for a welcoming and safe feeling, but for beauty as well. When planning your landscape renovation, consider the lighting strategy as a way to enhance your outdoor living space. Now you can extend the use of your patio with any of these outdoor lighting options in Naperville, IL.
Related: Don't Let Your Landscaping Hide in the Dark: 6 Outdoor Lighting Trends to Contemplate in Hinsdale, IL Strategic Combination When designing the lighting scheme of your backyard, it’s important to use a strategic combination of techniques for the best effect. This series of techniques is going to create a layered visual texture that enhances the appearance of your landscape at night. The more focused and intentional your lighting design is, the more time you and your loved ones will want to spend on the patio. Also, less is more. A single low-wattage light fixture can offer enough light for your purposes so we recommend starting small, and gradually adding lights one at a time until you’ve achieved the desired level of illumination. Well-Illuminated Ground Surfaces The patio and walkways need to be illuminated to make sure they’re safe places to walk on, clear of contrasting shadows that could be obscuring obstacles. Single overhead lights won’t be sufficient as they will actually create dark shadows as well as a blinding light should you happen to look up. A better option is to use low-lying walkway lights around the perimeter of the patio and along walkways. These fixtures focus their energy on the ground surface, eliminating dangerous shadows and glare, making a pleasant place to walk around and mingle. Task Lighting When you’re preparing drinks or food in an outdoor kitchen, it’s imperative that there’s decent task lighting. This lighting technique can come in the form of overhead track lights or lights that are embedded into the backsplash if there’s no opportunity to install overhead lighting. Backsplashing Once you’ve made a space safer, it’s time to play around with ambient light to set the mood. This can be done with the technique called backsplashing, which involves shining a spotlight at a blank wall or other large feature and allowing the light to bounce back on the surrounding surfaces. Backsplashing can make use of an otherwise idle surface or feature. Fire Light Take advantage of a fire feature by planning your lighting scheme around the ambient light from the flame. This fire light creates a dramatic ambience that can reflect and enhance any gathering, both relaxing and exciting. Allow the natural light from the fire to wash over that area with the dynamic reflections of dancing flames. After the fire is out, lighting embedded into the fire feature will light the way and remain unobtrusive during the day. String Lighting One of the simplest, yet most exciting lighting schemes for any outdoor living space is string lighting. This lighting technique involves placing tasteful wire lights around the patio. Not only will they create substantial ambient and direct illumination, but they help to make the space feel more magical and lively. These lights can be used on your walkways during parties to help guide guests to where the fun is happening and build on their anticipation. We recommend professional installation if string lights will be hung high in trees or from the home. Related: Brighten Up Your Driveway With These 5 Landscape Design Trends in Wheaton, IL Is Your Wheaton, IL Landscape Design Missing a Cozy Touch? A Fire Pit Could Be the Answer12/15/2021  Your backyard is meant to be enjoyed as a place for gathering and relaxing - and not just in the balmy evenings of summer. Even some of the coldest nights can be enjoyed outdoors with the assistance of a fire pit, a fire feature that can make a wonderful impact on your outdoor lifestyle. As you continue your landscape renovation, consider the question: is your Wheaton, IL landscape design missing a cozy touch? A fire pit could be the answer.
Related: Why a Fire Pit Becomes the Prime Destination of the Backyard Patio in Hinsdale, IL The Basic Structure Fire pits are masonry structures made from stone blocks, natural stone, or concrete blocks with a stone veneer. The base is arranged in either a circular formation or a square, evoking the most primitive of campfires our distant ancestors used to build. This basic structure of a fire pit has been a successful model for building fires for millions of years, and technology hasn’t needed to change very much. The main idea of the fire pit is that people will be able to gather on all sides to enjoy the warmth and light the fire has to offer. The Fuel Fire pits can use wood or natural gas or propane as the fuel. Firewood provides a much more natural, outdoors campfire kind of feeling with all the smoke, boiling sap and water that crackles and pops, and the interactive maintenance it takes to keep a fire going. However, you’re somewhat limited in its placement as a wood-fueled fire pit must be kept away from combustible surfaces. Gas-fueled fire pits can be controlled with the turn of a dial or using a smartphone app on newer models. Gas does much of the same in a fire pit, yet the cleanliness and safety are attractive features. Some homeowners might enjoy the ease of using a gas-fueled fire pit, while others might want to keep things basic and similar to camping experiences. Natural gas or propane-fueled fire pits can be placed anywhere, although the cost of running a gas line is something to consider. A Gathering Area Fire pits are natural gathering places in your backyard. Whether it’s the center of all the action or in a secluded area off to the side, your friends and family will be drawn to the flickering light and warmth. That’s why it’s only natural to plan a good seating area around your fire pit, giving it some decent patio space for people to gather. You could include some high-backed seat walls in the plan, making the fire pit area the most comfortable place in the outdoor living space. High-backed masonry seat walls also provide some shelter from chilly winds and trap heat in the small area. Creative and Elegant Masonry A fire naturally draws the eye, so a fire pit presents a wonderful opportunity to showcase some creativity and elegance in masonry. While the general design of the fire pit should mimic the surrounding landscape masonry features and the home, here you can add some extra flourish to the design and make something truly unique. Consider the outer ring or four-sided surface of the fire pit a wonderful place to put in some extra tiles or contrasting stone. Also, be sure to consider a beautiful and striking stone color for the capstone of the fire pit. Additional Lighting Fires fueled by firewood will lose their energy as the wood is burned up and there will be much less ambient light as a result. Compensate with this loss in ambience by including some soft LED lights under the capstone of the fire pit so no one gets left in the dark. Related: Warm Up Your Wheaton IL Brick Patio With a Traditional Fire Pit  Integrating outdoor lighting into your landscape is one of the key ways to make your outdoor living space and property safer and more beautiful. When a landscape isn’t given proper illumination at night, it can feel scary and unwelcoming. The best strategy of outdoor lighting is to use a mix of strategies, creating a rich visual tapestry that sets the mood and provides a feeling of security. Don’t let your landscaping hide in the dark: six outdoor lighting trends to contemplate in Hinsdale, IL.
Related: Adding a New Fire Pit in Hinsdale IL? Consider These Other Outdoor Lighting Ideas Too Hard-wired Walkway Lights The most important lighting strategy in your landscape is one that focuses on safety. Walkways, pool decks, patios, and driveways need consistent illumination on the ground surface in order to make your outdoor living space safe. Instead of using a flood light to illuminate your ground surfaces, opt for walkway lights. The energy will be focused where it’s needed, providing the best visibility of a walking surface. While some areas of the country can easily use solar-powered walkway lights to reduce electricity bills, here in the Midwest we recommend hard-wired pathway lights that will shine no matter if we’ve had weeks of cloud cover (solar lights only operate at about 50-60% capacity under heavy cloud cover). Updating to LEDs Now is a great time to update your landscape lighting to use light-emitting diode (LEDs) bulbs; or replace older fixtures with modern LED styles. Traditional light bulbs produce a substantial amount of heat, which is essentially wasted energy in a landscape and must be replaced typically once a year, producing a large amount of glass waste. LEDs are incredibly energy efficient and bulbs typically last around 10 years. Some LEDs can even be programmed to change color and be set to automatic timers accessible from apps on your smartphone. Underwater Lighting If you have a pool, you’re familiar with the ethereal blue glow and shimmering waves that wash over the landscape. You can achieve this same effect in smaller water features as well. Fountains, waterfalls, reflecting pools, and more water features will have similar effects. Your landscape will have a more dramatic feel that amplifies the most exciting parties or the most soothing evenings. And, because of the refractive properties of water, the water feature will act as a source of ambient light. Moonlighting Part of creating a dazzling visual experience in your backyard as well as increasing safety is placing lights in the background. Trees make excellent places for effective lighting. Moonlighting is a strategy that places a light high in a tree canopy and aims it downwards. As the light passes through the leaves, it will scatter and create a rich visual texture that dances in the slightest breeze. Use white light to simulate the soft glow of the moon. Embracing Fire Besides being admired in your nighttime outdoor living space, outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, and fire tables also provide a substantial amount of lighting. The ambient light that comes from a warming fire feature is a primitive experience that attracts everyone. Instead of battling your fire features with light, allow them to light their own space. You can also incorporate landscape lighting into many fire features. Choose dimmable fixtures so you can increase the brightness once the fire is out. Finishing Touches for a Layered Effect Identify any overly dark spaces that might create an unwelcoming feeling at night. Place a few (less is more) individual lights in these areas, such as under shrubs, or spotlight a tree, to give dimension to the space without destroying the charm of the night. Related: Brighten Up Your Driveway With These 5 Landscape Design Trends in Wheaton, IL  A sloped property can feature amazing views, but challenges such as erosion and flooding - as well as limited outdoor living space. A retaining wall can solve many problems on your property. Here are 6 ways you can include a retaining wall in your landscape design in Naperville, IL.
Related: Choosing the Right Look for a Retaining Wall That Will Be Part of Your Brick Patio Design in Hinsdale, IL 1. Create Gorgeous Outdoor Living Spaces Outdoor living space is sometimes hard to come by on sloped properties. Excavating part of the hillside and using a retaining wall to hold back soil is a way to significantly add to your usable space. Once the space is carved out, here are some great design ideas. Incorporating built-in seating into the retaining wall can create a cozy spot for a fire pit with a view. A masonry retaining wall will reflect the heat from the fire pit, keeping the space cozier than an exposed fire pit, which will be much appreciated in colder weather. Built-in seating creates a park-like atmosphere; and when you’re hosting a larger gathering, everyone will have a place to sit without the clutter of additional patio chairs. Incorporate other features into the retaining wall to save space and integrate the wall into the living area. An integrated outdoor fireplace and pizza oven will quickly become the hub of outdoor living. An integrated water feature will help create a soothing atmosphere for relaxing and entertaining. A retaining wall also makes the ideal “back wall” of an outdoor kitchen. Landscape light fixtures can also be incorporated into a retaining wall. This will accentuate the texture of the wall, and create a clutter-free approach to landscape lighting. You could even add a few illuminated niches to the wall to display interesting objects. 2. Extra Space for Gardening If you’re a fan of gardening, retaining walls can make the experience even nicer. Terraced gardens are found everywhere in the Mediterranean, making the best use of incredibly steep slopes. A terraced garden can be used to grow edible and ornamental plants on land that would otherwise be extremely difficult to cultivate. And, it puts your garden at a comfortable and easily accessible level. 3. Prevent Erosion and Flooding The main function of a retaining wall is to prevent erosion and flooding. A shorter gravity wall can be used for gentle slopes; steep slopes will need a taller wall that’s engineered and reinforced to withstand the incredible forces of waterlogged soil. Drains installed behind a retaining wall can also divert water to where you want it to go, which will also help prevent soil movement that results from the freeze-thaw cycle. 4. Safety Retaining walls can be used to add a finished look to your landscape. A wall alongside a walkway or driveway makes an elegant statement and presents an opportunity to integrate landscape lighting in a beautifully unobtrusive way. As well, if the wall is upslope of the walkway or driveway, it will help prevent debris from washing onto the surface. 5. Defining Spaces A retaining wall positioned between your front entry walkway and the landscaping creates a welcoming “embrace” to your visitors and makes it clear which way you want people to go. 6. An Artistic Statement Create a bold statement with a retaining wall by embracing the use of different materials on the retaining wall and other patio elements - and turn this otherwise utilitarian feature into a stunning focal point. Related: The 5 Benefits of Having a Retaining Wall Near Your Driveway in Naperville, IL  The fire pit is often the hub of outdoor gatherings, especially when the evening takes on a chill. As such, it’s a backyard focal point; but the fireside space can be made even more dramatic with a few key lighting strategies. Adding a new fire pit in Hinsdale, IL? Consider these outdoor lighting ideas too.
Related: Renovating Your Patio? Here are 6 Reasons to Include a Fire Pit in Naperville, IL Keeping the area around your fire pit safe is a top priority, especially when the fire goes out. Subtle path lights could be used to provide just enough lighting to make the space comfortable and safe; and you can also use these other lighting strategies to create a welcoming place for your family and friends. Layering To avoid a stark contrast between the light that the fire pit gives out and the darkness of the surrounding landscape, consider placing a few low-lying lights more or less randomly throughout the landscape to create subtle illumination that gives your backyard more dimension. For this purpose, you could use pathway light fixtures, or bullet lights, and place them under shrubs or within a plant bed. Be sure to use subtle lighting to create a layers effect: just enough to add interest without taking away the magic of the night time atmosphere. Spotlighting Choose one or two prominent landscape features, such as a mature tree, a sculpture, retaining wall, or even the side of the home, and illuminate it from below using a spotlight. This technique places a light fixture at the base of the structure and points it upward to dramatically highlight the textures and cast some ambient light around it as well, as the light will bounce off onto nearby objects. Washing If your fire pit area is close to the home and that part of the home features a relatively blank wall, consider a technique called washing. Similar to spotlighting, this method directs light at the vertical surface but from a greater distance and less of an angle. The resulting effect is softer and the light bouncing off the surface will do a great job at providing ambient light. Built-in Lighting Modern light-emitting diode (LED) light fixtures are small and can be integrated into any vertical structure: a retaining wall, a privacy fence, or any permanent seating around your fire pit. This reduces the visual clutter of having a lot of freestanding light fixtures around your outdoor living space. In general, you want to orient these lights downward so that the light energy is directed where it’s most needed: the ground; and to prevent a blinding effect. Moonlighting If your backyard features any large, mature trees, you could add magic to the setting with a lighting technique called moonlighting. This involves placing a bluish-white light fixture high in the tree canopy and pointing it downward. The effect is that of moonlight filtering through the tree, and some amazing dancing shadows on the ground. String Lighting Today’s string lights are a wonderful way to add a festive atmosphere to your outdoor living space. There are many styles available, and today’s string lights often come in an LED format for significantly longer bulb lifespan. This means that once they’re installed, you can forget about them for many years: so have string lights installed anywhere you like: within a pergola, between trees, or anywhere around your fire pit area that you want to create a fun atmosphere. Related: Why a Fire Pit Becomes the Prime Destination of the Backyard Patio in Hinsdale, IL  Do you see your driveway as a utilitarian feature or a design statement that boots your home’s curb appeal? The good news is that it can be both. If you’re ready for a driveway renovation, let yourself be inspired by these landscaping trends for an updated driveway in Wheaton, IL.
Related: Brighten Up Your Driveway With These 5 Landscape Design Trends in Wheaton, IL Choose Permeable Pavers If you think of pavers as a luxury item, you’re not wrong; but, they are actually surprisingly affordable, especially when you consider the long term. First, permeable pavers are much more beautiful than poured concrete or asphalt. They can mimic the look of natural stone or have their own modern flair. But the real value of permeable pavers is in the superior durability of the driveway. Solid surface driveways will, over time, crack and heave due to natural soil movement. As well, any water that falls on the surface has nowhere to go except your landscaping or the municipal storm drain system (if there is one). By contrast, permeable pavers feature a special substrate and larger joints between the pavers to allow surface water to seep into the ground. This prevents standing water (and ice build-up) on the driveway, and it prevents flooding. The pavers themselves are extremely durable and designed to move very slightly, independent of each other, which means that your driveway will never develop ugly cracks or frost heaves due to the freeze-thaw cycle. If you’re worried about snow plows damaging your pavers, now is the perfect time to install a driveway heating system that will virtually eliminate the hassle of plowing and deicing. This system can also be used under your walkway (and in the backyard, on your paver patio) to make your landscape much safer and more usable any time of year. Pavers really shine when it comes to creativity. They give you so many design choices that will complement your home and landscaping. Choose from a variety of styles, textures, colors, and finishes and make your driveway a key focal point. You could also add decorative borders, a driveway apron, inlays, and built-in LED lighting. Landscape Your Driveway If you decide to go with a driveway heating system, you can move plantings closer to the driveway without fear of damage from snow plows. This lets you turn a featureless space (a swath of driveway cutting through a lawn) into a gorgeous botanical garden-style landscape. And if you utilize native plants, this landscaping strategy will be about as low-maintenance as it gets. Native plants are water-wise, hardy, and take far less maintenance than lawns. More dimensional plantings along the driveway also give you the opportunity for creative landscape lighting that’s set in the greenery for a layered effect. While pavers are a bigger upfront investment than many other driveway surfaces, ultimately the rewards both in terms of beauty, utility, and durability are also greater. Over the long term, when an asphalt or poured concrete driveway has been patched, resurfaced, or completely redone, is when the savings will really add up. If your driveway is long, part of this landscaping strategy could involve a low wall, to add interest. This wall could be along one or both sides of the driveway. It could be a rustic stacked fieldstone wall, or a more substantial mortared wall where you could incorporate landscape lighting to bring soft illumination to the entire length of the driveway. A wall gives your home an estate feel. If your driveway is shorter and you want to add a unique touch, consider a series of large, colorful planters along the driveway that you could fill with seasonal color and holiday decorations. Related: 5 Landscape Design Ideas for a Modern Permeable Driveway in Wheaton, IL  As you revitalize your outdoor living spaces, you’ll be paying special attention to your patio and its surroundings. The patio is the cornerstone of any outdoor living space and that’s where you want the bulk of your budget and efforts to go. A well-designed patio will help you and your loved ones enjoy the outdoors more and more and lead to some amazing memories. Are you looking to revamp your Hinsdale, IL patio? Consider these landscape design trends.
Related: Choosing the Right Look for a Retaining Wall That Will Be Part of Your Brick Patio Design in Hinsdale, IL Upgrade to Patio Pavers Every great outdoor living space starts with a practical and beautiful ground surface. Some homeowners go for the cheaper option and put poured concrete for their patio. No matter what kind of amenities you have on top of poured concrete, it still won’t bring a patio to its full potential. Instead, upgrade to patio pavers to give your outdoor lifestyle an aesthetic, durable, and practical foundation for your outdoor lifestyle. Pavers let you express your personality, enjoy a low-maintenance surface that lasts, and create an elegant space to relax with friends and family. Pavers can mimic the look of natural stone; they are a durable alternative to clay brick (and available in many more colors); and some are purely modern and embrace the stark industrial look of concrete. Whatever your style, there’s a paver that will work. Consider using permeable paver technology on your patio to keep the space drier after heavy rains or after it snows. Permeable pavers allow water to seep between the pavers instead of collecting on the surface. This also helps to prevent patio damage from freeze and thaw cycles, as well as eliminating standing water or water flooding onto the landscape. Permeable pavers also help replenish groundwater in your landscape. Define Space Usage and Create Activity Zones In renovating your patio, be sure to identify your top intentions for your patio to help define spaces and optimize the design. Start with the basics, like an outdoor kitchen and fire feature; and then depending on your needs, add perks like a hot tub, water feature, or pergola. Give each of these features their own space and define the spaces to create activity zones. Why? Because there’s nothing worse than a constant flow of people through an area meant for relaxation. The best approach is often to centrally locate an outdoor kitchen for convenience, and then place lower-activity areas on the perimeter. Give Your Patio Some Green Life Applying plants to your patio will always have great benefits to the feeling of the outdoor space. A verdant space simply makes people happy. Fill in any empty spaces around your patio with gorgeous plantings instead of transitioning directly to the lawn. Consider building raised masonry planters around your patio not only to raise your garden up to a convenient level, but to provide overflow seating for bigger gatherings. Light It Up The right landscape lighting will make your patio feel welcoming after dark without ruining the magical feel of the night. Take the same zoned approach with lighting as with your activity zones. Embed landscape lighting into masonry features to minimize clutter. Be sure to gently illuminate the landscape as well, to prevent an overly stark contrast between the well-lit patio and the landscape beyond. A soft layered effect - achievable by illuminating just a few features “out there” - will yield amazing results. Related: Renovating Your Patio? Here are 6 Reasons to Include a Fire Pit in Naperville, IL  As summer winds down and the first chill of fall makes you reach for your favorite sweater, you may be wondering which landscaping projects you can still squeeze in before the ground freezes. Luckily, there are many plants available at your local plant nursery and garden center that will give your landscape a dazzling array of color through the fall season. Here’s a guide to adding beauty to your landscaping: plantings that will add the finishing touch to your landscape design in Naperville, IL.
Related: Brighten Up Your Landscaping With These 5 Landscape Design Ideas in Wheaton, IL Coral Bells Gorgeous coral bells are wonderful perennial additions to an Illinois landscape. Their wide leaves not only show beautiful color but a vivacious visual texture for any garden. Coral bells come in a variety of different colors: purple, green, and orange to name a few. Despite the look of the plants, they won’t lose their leaves in the winter and will continue to offer gorgeous visuals throughout the cold season when others go dormant. Hostas For the shadiest part of your garden, hostas make a great choice. The leaves are lined with a white border while the centers typically show a dark green. The interesting visual texture of Hosta leaves will ensure a varied garden in combination with other great Illinois perennials. Since this plant is so adapted to shady areas, let it fill in the spaces between larger shrubs and trees. Hibiscus Though the hibiscus doesn’t show itself much during the winter, the plant grows quickly throughout the spring and incredible pink flowers bloom in the early summer. While it’s not a native plant, the incredible color will add a great quality to your sunny garden. In the late summer, trim the flower bulbs off the stem and let them dry in the sun. The resulting dried leaves make an incredible tea that can last for years in its dried form. Dwarf Lythrum Another great plant that produces a fantastic visual texture is the Dwarf Lythrum, which grows in tall stalks covered with small pink flowers. Be careful, since a species in this plant family is invasive in Illinois. Make sure to buy the variety of this plant that doesn’t seed from a plant nursery and garden center. Meanwhile, this is a fantastic plant to attract pollinators such as bees and hummingbirds. Daylilies For a stunning flowering plant, daylilies allow for the type of versatility in your garden that you’re looking for. The flowers grow large and colorful, ranging from red to pink to orange to yellow. The size of the blooms will demand attention in your garden. Luckily, these plants are perfect for growing in a variety of topographies owing to their roots, which naturally grow quite deep and hold them in place. Aster Many plants will bloom throughout the spring and summer, but the Aster naturally blooms in the fall. The plant produces a high amount of flowers that end up creating a canopy of beautiful magentas and fuchsias. Aster grows about two feet tall and grows outward. The blooming time of this plant will make it the focus of the fall while others lie dormant. Russian Sage For a bit less striking color and a more subtle beauty, look for Russian Sage. This plant also grows in tall stalks and flowers in a gentle lavender color. The scent of the many flowers will attract pollinators and also make a gorgeous display for your garden. Related: Take a Fresh Look at Your Patio Options With These 4 Landscaping Ideas in Wheaton, IL |
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