Want to actually use your outdoor area in the middle of winter?
The average homeowner constructs an impressive garden or patio area – and then neglects it as soon as the temperature dips. Suddenly you have a space that isn’t used for half of the year. What a waste.
The good news?
Proper planning can ensure any outdoor space functions year-round.
Here’s What to Expect:
- Why Year-Round Outdoor Spaces Are Worth It
- Starting With the Right Foundation
- Shelter: The Game Changer
- Planting for Every Season
- Lighting, Heating and the Finishing Touches
Why Year-Round Outdoor Spaces Are Worth It
The statistics speak for themselves. Close to 90% of homeowners say their outdoor living spaces are important to their health and wellbeing — and demand has only increased since then.
Outdoor living spaces should be a true extension of your home. Done right, they add real value, provide additional square footage you can use and enjoy and create a space your family loves to spend time in year-round.
Landscape designers with years of experience know this better than most. That’s why hiring Premier Landscaping in Tacoma partners with you to make one of the best investments as a homeowner. The professionals here understand how to strike a balance between structure, planting, drainage and shelter to build you an outdoor space that performs come rain or shine… or anywhere in between!
Plus it actually comes back to you. 98% of experts agree an updated outdoor space can add value to your home. The numbers back it up.
Starting With the Right Foundation
Every great outdoor space starts with the ground beneath your feet.
The foundation — also known as hardscape — is key to year-round functionality. If done incorrectly, you’ll have puddles, cracked surfaces in winter, and a useless space when it rains.
Here’s what garden design experts recommend prioritising:
- Permeable pavers that allow rainwater to drain rather than pool on the surface
- Level, stable surfaces that don’t shift with frost heave over winter
- Clearly defined zones for dining, relaxing, and moving through the space
- Non-slip finishes that stay safe when wet or icy
The composition of materials is important as well. Natural stone, high-end pavers and brushed concrete are just a few options that endure through all seasons. Proper drainage is key, however – without it, your materials won’t last.
Don’t overlook this step. It could mean the difference between a backyard space that will last for generations, and one that falls apart after a few seasons.
Shelter: The Game Changer
Here’s the thing most homeowners miss…
Cover transforms outdoor living. Nothing adds to your outdoor space like a pergola, covered patio or retractable awning. It’s the best way to increase your outdoor area’s usable season by far.
Keeps the rain off. Shades you from the sun in summer. Then in winter, it gives you a dry area where heaters function.
Ask garden design professionals what the number one improvement they recommend to homeowners who want to enjoy their outdoor spaces year round and you’ll hear “shelter”. It’s understandable why. Leave off an overhead covering and Mother Nature rules with an iron fist. Provide one and she might as well not exist.
Options worth considering:
- Pergolas with retractable canopies or polycarbonate roofing for a sleek, modern result
- Covered verandas attached directly to the house for the most seamless indoor-outdoor transition
- Self-standing gazebos that help zone an outdoor room off from your home
- Shade sails for a more relaxed, lower-cost approach to coverage
Planting for Every Season
A garden that’s lovely in summer but barren in winter is unfinished business.
Seasonal planting requires making decisions. It involves choosing plants that will deliver interest throughout the year – spring bulbs, summer colour, autumnal interest and winter texture all rolled into one plan.
Here’s a simple way to think about it:
Winter: Evergreen shrubs, ornamental grasses and bold bark textures provide eye appeal once everything else fades
- Spring: Bulbs like tulips and alliums that bring colour with minimal effort
- Summer: Herbaceous perennials and climbers that soften hard structures beautifully
- Autumn: Trees and shrubs with strong seasonal colour and interesting seed heads
Layering is everything. Landscape professionals create planting plans in layers – trees for architecture, shrubs for mass, perennials for seasonal colour – so that no matter what time of year, there is always something that looks good.
Easy-care is high-impact. More than 40% of homeowners surveyed didn’t want to spend time outdoors maintaining their yards. That puts natives and drought-tolerant plants far ahead in the smart long-term landscape game.
Lighting, Heating and the Finishing Touches
After layout and planting is architecture and details. This is what make spaces functional after hours and during inclement weather.
There is no doubt that outdoor lighting is one of the best investments homeowners can make. Outdoor lighting takes your space to the next level at night, keeps it safe and allows you to enjoy your outdoor space for many more hours each day.
The most effective approach combines three elements:
- Path and step lighting for safety and easy navigation around the space
- Uplighting for trees, focal plants, and structural features
- Ambient string or pendant lighting for atmosphere under covered areas
Heating is the other major consideration. Freestanding patio heaters can work in a pinch, but infrared heaters mounted to the wall are better, longer lasting, and far nicer looking. Most patio experts say to go one step further though, and build the heating right into the shelter. That way it’s there all the time.
77% of consumers report that they aren’t spending as much time outdoors as they want to be. One reason: bleak, frigid outdoor rooms. Illuminate and heat your space correctly and you’ll have that problem solved in no time.
63% of homeowners would prioritize outdoor living if they were remodeling … and it’s easy to see why with the finishing touches done right.
Before You Head Outside
Designing an outdoor living space for all-season use isn’t a game of chance. It’s thoughtful planning of each aspect and involving the appropriate pros from the onset.
Landscape designers have the expertise to make it all come together: the hardscape, the structure, the planting and the details. Without that expertise your yard can look great in pictures, but fall flat in person.
To quickly recap what matters most:
- Start with a solid, well-drained hardscape foundation
- Add shelter to protect against the weather and extend the usable season
- Layer the planting for interest and colour across all four seasons
- Light and heat allow use of the space during nighttime and colder months
If you do that there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy your outdoor space in January as much as you do in July.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do garden design experts actually do?
Landscape designers specialize in designing gardens. They strive to design garden spaces that are aesthetically pleasing and functional while taking into consideration the long-term performance of all design elements. This includes working with soils and drainage, planting design, hardscaping (patios, pergolas) and outdoor lighting.
What’s the best shelter for a year-round outdoor space?
It really depends on the design and budget. For most residential applications, a pergola with a polycarbonate roof or covered veranda attached will give you the best value, usability and look. Talk to garden designers, they will know your space best and be able to advise on what will work best for your situation.
How important is planting in a year-round outdoor design?
Planting matters. Without careful consideration to seasonal planting, your beautiful space in summer can look sparse and unkempt during the other nine months. Layered planting plans- designed by professional garden designers- keep your space dimensional and interesting all year long.