5 Tips To Integrate Your Backyard Shed Retreat Into Landscaping

22 January 2021
 Categories: , Blog


More and more Americans are making use of outbuildings and sheds in their backyards as outdoor escapes. Whether it's a work shed or a backyard bar, this secluded spot can be perfect for work, play, and entertaining. But the key to creating a great shed retreat is to both integrate it and make it stand out in your landscaping. Here are a few ways to accomplish this. 

1. Pick a Logical Spot. The location of the shed does a lot toward making it seem integrated into the landscape or making it stick out oddly. Many people tuck away a shed into a spot where it will be out of the way while entertaining. Others make it a focal point of the yard. Either approach can work well, but make a plan to highlight the purpose of choosing that location — such as creating a 'secret garden' for a hidden relaxation cabana.

2. Camouflage the Base. The more you integrate the base of the shed into the surrounding greenery, the more natural it will feel. Rather than just plopping it on a square of grass, plant a mulch and flower bed around it to transition from landscape to walls. While it is ideal to plant directly into the ground, your soil or design choice may make it wiser to use containers around the base instead. 

3. Add Good Access. Your ability to get to and around the shed will determine how well it becomes a useful part of the yard. Start with a sold, wide, unobstructed pathway. It doesn't have to be fancy — materials like pavers or pea gravel work well. Then, widen the path in front of the shed to create a sort of 'porch' for comfort and decoration. Ideally, you should also be able to move freely around at least three sides of the shed.

4. Light It Up. Lighting is another both functional and decorative element. Good lighting will make the shed more usable. Light the path with anything from solar stake lights to overhead Edison bulb strings. If you use different lighting elsewhere in the yard, start with that and transition to the shed lighting style as you get closer. Around the front and sides of the shed, be sure to add sufficient lighting to keep everyone safe.

5. Add Plants for Style. The most fun part of working with the landscape around the shed is probably selecting plants and flowers. Use blooms, colors, and bushes from elsewhere in the yard to blend the shed's immediate landscape with the larger look. But add items that reflect its unique purpose too. For instance, add cute window boxes for a cottage appearance or hedges for a more formal English style. 

When you make a plan to blend your outbuilding into the overall landscape plan and to give it its own style, the result will be a backyard haven you love. Learn more about working with various landscape materials by meeting with a landscape contractor in your area today. 


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