How To Turn Your Backyard into a Tropical Paradise

 

A nice little getaway in the tropical paradise is a dream for a lot of people. A holiday scheduled several months in advance can be a motivator for a lot of working people. For some, it can even be a reason to get up in the morning. However, what if you had a portal that could take you to this tropical destination at your own behest? What if you owned your very own piece of paradise?

With a bit of effort, you could turn your backyard into a tropical paradise. This would require three things.

• A careful selection of tropical or tropical-like plants

• Regular landscaping and maintenance

• Some home improvement projects

Since the first two are situational and depend on your own region and climate, let’s focus on this last part. Here are four home improvement projects that can help you get there in no time.

Hidden Glade

When thinking about a tropical paradise, most people have an image of a hidden glade somewhere near the heart of the forest. For this, you need two things:

• Suitable screen/cover

• A fitting body of water

An ideal screen would be made out of shrubbery or a hedge; however, these can take years to grow, and you may be looking for an immediate solution. In that case, a fence overgrown with vines would fill in a similar niche. For those who want to get there the soonest possible, a fast-growing vine is the best solution. If neighboring properties have some sort of a lookout (balcony, a window facing your backyard, etc.), adding a shade sail to the mix might also be a good idea.

If you’re not preoccupied with your privacy, you can take something that partially obstructs the view. For instance, you could go for a see-through screen to hang planters or grow vines against.

Water elements

As far as the body of water goes, while a fountain may seem like the most logical choice, there might be a better idea. A backyard pond with a waterfall does pretty much the same, but it looks a lot more… well, wilderness-like. This alone makes it a better choice for your personal tropical paradise (although it may be significantly more expensive).

Of course, those with an even bigger budget might want to consider a swimming pool. If they already have one, revamping it for the following season might be a good idea. Those aiming for a tropical resort can’t go wrong with this idea.

Fiery Solution

Adding a fiery solution to your backyard is one of the simplest ways to emulate the image of a proper campfire somewhere in the tropical wilderness. Choosing this fiery solution, however, is not a simple task.

While having an outdoor fireplace can give you what you’re looking for, there are two major drawbacks to this idea. First, an outdoor fireplace is quite expensive and difficult for maintenance. Second, it may not be well-fitted for your theme. Sure, if you’re aiming for a tropical mansion or a luxury resort, this idea is second to none. If, on the other hand, you aim for the looks of an actual campsite, you might want to go for the alternative.

When trying to make a simulation of a campsite, a classic stone fire pit is your safest choice. They are an excellent focal point that can turn your backyard into a great gathering spot. They add the style and value (resale) to the place. A fire pit also provides a source of heat/warmth, which is a huge plus in an outdoor setting of any kind. Finally, using natural material and style (classic stone) is always going to fit thematically.

Natural Materials

When working on your backyard, regardless if you’re paving a path or choosing furniture for the seating area, it’s important that you pick the right materials.

For instance, when paving a seating area, you have several options to choose from. Pea pebbles are the most cost-effective option, but from a visual standpoint, there are better alternatives. The most cost-effective solution is concrete pavers, especially since they can be made in any shape or texture that you can come up with. For those who don’t worry about the budget, there’s nothing better than stone pavers. Although visually quite impressive, Brick pavers befitting the rustic look more than they do a tropical setting. Therefore, they shouldn’t be your first choice.

When it comes to picking furniture, keep in mind that you go for wood or wicker. Also, make a list of all your inventory in order to avoid the need to combine different textures. While this is possible and its results can be quite impressive, it’s an extra challenge that you can easily avoid. While metal and PVC are quite a popular choice due to their weather-resistant features, natural wood is always superior.

Soft Lighting in the Backyard

To make your backyard really shine, you need to set up layers and layers of illumination. Naturally, going for the LED is a no-brainer.

Remember that the size of the fixture matters almost as much as its shape and style. For instance, taking tiny bulbs and placing them everywhere can create an impression of your backyard being inhabited by actual fireflies. Choosing LED candles instead of actual candles is also a great way to achieve the same visual impression in a cheaper, simpler, and safer way. If you’re going to make parties in your backyard (and why wouldn’t you), LED candles will be safer to keep around fabrics and alcohol.

Also, keep in mind that some of the light may be coming from the direction of your home. Other than this, if you’ve already embraced our previous idea of installing a fire pit, this is an additional source of light right there. In other words, before you consider improving the lighting scheme, make sure that you check out the current situation in your backyard.

In Conclusion

Every home improvement increases your home’s resale value, but it also affects the amount of maintenance the place requires. Also, the subjective factor is one of the best metrics. This means that the project is successfully completed once it starts feeling like a tropical paradise to you. This notion of the subjective feeling that the setup manages to evoke should be your guiding beacon.