Creating Your Outside Zen

We couldn’t be happier with how turf transformed our backyard space.

As we are waiting for the late summer scorching temperatures to subside, plans of being outside and living beyond the confines of our homes have begun. Like remodeling the interior of a house, the exterior of your property needs to have a plan in place and realization of what you will and will not do to maintain it.  It might be that a Texas native landscape is your vibe, or that you love a big, green grassy luxurious yard, or you need something along the lines of xeriscaping that takes care of itself and is low maintenance.  Whatever style of landscape you choose, fall is a great time to consider the great outdoors and making your outdoors great!

​​​​​​​Consider the exterior of your home as you do the interior, and what functions you want it to serve. Is there a specific area for entertaining? Is there a specific area for your pets? Is there room for a square foot garden, a great way to introduce the family to the concept of growing your own food?  Also, what does your yard allow? Is it shaded and therefore, hard to grow grass? Have you outgrown the playscape and would like the space to be more adult friendly, and less of a nostalgic dumping ground? Overall, do you like looking out to your yard and outdoor space, seeing places to gather, or even places of serenity that allow you to meditate?

​​​​​​​Not all the yard or exterior spaces have to fall in line with your current wants and needs.  It can be a gradual process taking time over the years.  I remember when we added on years ago and completed the addition, it took us about one more year before we did anything to the landscaping in front of our house.  Once we did, I felt like the house looked like it belonged to us and considered it the hood ornament for the face of the house.  It allowed for the outdoor entrance to express a welcoming experience to our indoor space. Breaking the project into manageable and affordable projects could be the way to go.

Another thing to consider for your exterior, or at least a portion of it, could be turf.  Turf has become a new and improved product for areas that are shaded or heavily used so that you don’t have to worry about re-sodding the area repeatedly.  Today’s turf is nothing like the old Astroturf from back in the day.  There are many styles of turf to choose from.  After interviewing several turf companies, we decided to use Alex with Intelliturf because of his extensive knowledge of the product along with a realistic approach to how long it would take to install it properly and his belief and work ethic of standing by the product he sells.  The team he sent out was completely professional and courteous. We did a section of our back yard recently that always had a tough time growing grass and we couldn’t be happier with the outcome.  His crew of workers spent four full days preparing the area, installing the turf, and making the area look amazing. It was a very labor-intensive project.  We didn’t realize that this section of our yard, which is largely shaded, was good but not great until we had the turf installed.  I can’t say enough nice things about them and how much we are enjoying the turf. I now plan to toss a blanket on the turf and have a backyard picnic, and possibly nap!

​​​​​​​The possibilities of landscaping are endless, so create a special place for you and your family to enjoy and entertain with for years to come.  Plus, it helps with the value of your property, which is a good thing!
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