Transforming Your Backyard Landscape | Lawn Care & DIY Projects

Prepping Your Backyard

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Transform your lawn today

Get started Call (587) 254-2337

       Transforming your backyard landscape can seem daunting, but with the right planning — and lawn care to match — it becomes an exciting upgrade to your home. Whether you're dreaming of a floating deck, a water garden, or even a backyard bar, your outdoor space starts with a healthy lawn. Professional lawn care services can help you build a lush green foundation that supports all your backyard goals.

The 5 Basic Elements of Landscape Design

     Great backyard transformations begin with thoughtful design. Whether you’re planning to build a floating deck, a pergola, or a backyard bar, it helps to understand the foundational elements of landscape design:

      1. Line – Lines guide the eye and create flow. Walkways, borders, and garden beds shape how people move through the space.

     2. Form – This refers to the shape of structures and plants. Rounded bushes vs. tall, columnar trees evoke different styles.

     3. Texture – Texture creates visual interest. Mixing grass, gravel, wood, and foliage makes a landscape feel layered and engaging.

     4. Color – Strategic use of color enhances mood and highlights features. Natural wood tones, greenery, and pops of floral color work together to draw attention.

     5. Scale & Proportion – Balance is key. Furniture, structures, and plants should match the size of your yard to create a comfortable, cohesive look.

Even if you're building DIY, keeping these five elements in mind helps you create a backyard landscape that feels intentional — not random.

Floating Deck

      A floating deck rests on the ground, without attaching to any other structure. These decks require much less effort than a freestanding deck and usually do not require a building permit. The steps for this particular project are fairly simply and straightforward:

1. Uproot the weeds and level the soil
2. Lay down landscaping fabric and gravel

      Be sure the gravel you use is compactible because it will decrease moisture damage and help prevent rot.

3. Place down 4 corner concrete blocks for the deck to sit on – space them based on the dimensions of your deck
4. Using blocks make rows of 3 blocks each (you should have 9 blocks in place)
5. Cut your wood to size based on how large you want your deck to be and fashion them into a rectangle
6. Fasten your joists to the frame, ensuring the top of the joists are flush with the outer frame of your deck
7. Install the deck boards once you’ve confirmed everything is squared and level
8. Stain or seal your wood once the deck is fastened together

      For a more in-depth tutorial on how to complete this project “The Spruce” has a detailed blog with a video attached.

Pergola

      A pergola optimizes your outdoor living space, and if you’ve already added a floating deck, it’s the perfect addition to your backyard. Pergolas provide many added benefits to your entertaining space:

• A blended privacy wall

• Support for a trellis

• A mix between shade during the day, but room to look at the stars at night

       Fortunately, pergolas have the ability to fit a rather modest budget. Pressure treated wood is often the least expensive option. However, this lumber is susceptible to warping or cracking over time. Cedar wood is a popular option, slightly more expensive but it has a longer lifespan. A vinyl pergola is easily maintained, but not easily painted. Fiberglass pergolas are probably the most expensive way to go, but there are many added benefits. This is because they are strong, lightweight, easily painted, and hold up more than wood.

Backyard Swing

       This is an adaptable part of your backyard landscape. It’s a place to sit on a warm or cold evening under a blanket. There are quite a few different ways to construct one of these swings for a very fair price. ‘The Sorry Girls’, a “community of makers and do-ers that enable all people”, argue that a swing composed from two wooden pallets can be constructed for only $30. For this swing, the Sorry Girls chose to secure it onto a tree, but a backyard swing can be fastened on a deck, porch or perhaps suspended from an arbour.

Planter Boxes

      These very simple boxes are a way to elevate any outdoor space, and the way they can be constructed is incredibly versatile. These can be placed on a deck railing, underneath a window or constructed as a raised garden bed and placed around the yard. Planters can be constructed in a day or two on any budget. As well, the need to bend over to remove weeds is completely diminished. However, if this is a project you feel is too time-consuming, mini planters can be created inside mason jars and framed at the window.

Deck Lighting

A great way to illuminate your outdoor space. Entertaining doesn’t end when the sun goes down! This is a very affordable way to enhance your backyard design. If you have a pergola to work with or plan to build one, lights can be strung up through the wood paneling above. A portable solution for deck lighting are lanterns – and also cost friendly.

Other Ways To Use Lighting:

• Spotlights Over Deck
• Under Rail Deck Lighting
• In-Floor Lighting
• Deck Post Cap Lights
• Recessed Deck Lighting
• String Deck Lighting
• Stair Lighting
•  

Water Garden

These are easy to build and are inexpensive. You’ll need a plastic container, plants, a small pump, a spouting ornament, clean kitty litter, pea gravel, nylon stocking and clear vinyl tubing. Family Handyman has a detailed guide on how to set one up, paraphrased:

1. To mount the ornament, drill a small hole in the lip of your container.

2. Spread the soil of the water plants on one half of the container then create a level floor composed of kitty litter

3. Divide the container in half by a partition and plant the shallow growing plants on one. Then spread more kitty litter over it.

4. On the other side insert a cup into the kitty liter and cover with plastic

5. Spread gravel over the kitty litter

     The purpose of keeping one side lower is to allow the water plants (water lilies) to extend upward after the water is added.

6. Add the vinyl tubing connector to the pump and press into the cup, so it suctions to the bottom

7. Cover the pump with nylon to stop gravel from clogging the pump

Bird Houses

     DIY birdhouses are fun to make and a relatively straightforward process. Didn’t we all construct one for Mother’s Day in kindergarten? If you remember yours like I remember mine, perhaps this project isn’t quite that exciting to you. However, don’t get discouraged too fast because there are many different ways to get creative with this craft. Hanging a drawer vertically with a teapot hung with twine from the top makes the perfect perch for a tiny bird. Maybe you want the animals visiting your yard to be living the high life, then you can build a bird house mansion. This can be constructed out of plywood and shingled with cedar wood.

Backyard Bar

      If you’re an entertainer, this project is perfect for you. Although this may sound like a swanky outdoor edition, and perhaps that may be, it’s an easy task that elevates your backyard space. You’ll first have to determine what type of bar you want to create. Design for one of these is far easier than most anticipate. There are many different ways to craft one and they can be made out of a variety of materials.

      For Example:

• Crates and Pallets of Wood
• Brick or Cinder Blocks
• Cabinets
• Beverage Carts
• Outdoor Racks
• Old Doors
• Fold Away Bar - “Murphy Bar”
  
  

      The construction of this will depend heavily on the creative design you think would blend best with your backyard. Therefore, the following steps will be determined by yourself once you’ve identified your artistic direction.

How to Landscape on a Tight Budget

     Backyard upgrades don’t have to break the bank. With the right strategy, you can achieve major visual impact for minimal investment:

     1. Start with the Lawn – A lush, weed-free lawn is the foundation of great landscaping. Begin with soil improvement, aeration, and overseeding. Consider professional lawn care if you're short on time or tools.

     2. Use Reclaimed or Recycled Materials – Pallets, old bricks, and wood from demolition projects are great for building bars, planters, or even furniture.

     3. Focus on One Project at a Time – Instead of trying to do everything at once, complete one small upgrade per season.

     4. DIY Where You Can – Planter boxes, garden swings, and string lighting are all easy to build with minimal tools and materials.

     5. Buy in Off-Seasons – Landscaping materials, lighting, and even patio furniture are often cheaper in fall or winter.

     With smart planning and a bit of creativity, transforming your backyard landscape is completely achievable — even on a budget.

Lawn Games

      So, your backyard space in nearly complete. You’ve created the optimal space for entertainment, and on a budget! Now it’s time to invite friends and family over, but for the final piece in the recreational puzzle, you’ll need some outdoor games. Jumbo Jenga requires a miter saw, sander, and 2x4 boards. Firstly, you’ll need to cut your 2x4’s into 54 10-1/2” pieces. Next sand the edges, and you’re ready to play. If you don’t foresee the completion of this DIY project this summer, you can buy this game for $80 off of Amazon.

      Another outdoor game making the rounds this year is cornhole. Cornhole is another project, you can craft yourself. However, it requires more than 3 steps. Home Depot has a detailed list of how to assemble the game, attach everything, paint, and even how to play once your project is complete!

      Finally, the last game you’ll need to enjoy your lawn is Yard Dice. You’ll need a circular saw, sandpaper, and a 4x4 wood post. Although the steps for this project are simple, the instructions from “instructables workshop” are handy tools to have access to. But the Coles Notes version of the project are as follows:

1. Cut The Post

2. Shape The Square

3. Sand It Until Smooth

4. Sketch Dice Dots onto Each Side

5. Paint The Dots and Add a Coating

      So, once you’ve completed the project, you can adapt the game. Fortunately, My Northern Backyard has “6 Great Dice Games To Play In Your Backyard”, so you can take full advantage of your newly constructed dice.

What Adds the Most Value to a Backyard?

     If you're thinking about resale value or making a smart investment, certain backyard upgrades have strong ROI. Some of the best value-adding features include:

     Decks or Patios – Expand your usable living space outdoors. A floating deck is both budget-friendly and impactful.

     Outdoor Kitchens & Bars – Entertaining spaces like backyard bars make your yard feel like an extension of your home.

     Pergolas or Shade Structures – These add architectural interest and make your space more comfortable.

      Lawn Improvements – A well-maintained, green lawn is one of the first things buyers (and guests) notice. Investing in professional lawn care services can make a big difference.

      Lighting – Deck and path lighting not only enhances evening ambiance but improves safety and curb appeal.

Even small upgrades can significantly boost enjoyment and marketability — especially when they’re designed with both beauty and function in mind.

In Conclusion

      You’re nearly summer-ready. After finishing this blog, hopefully, you’ve identified the focal point of your yard — whether it’s a floating deck, pergola, or backyard bar. Whatever the centerpiece, your lawn should complement your outdoor space perfectly. If you’re hosting, your lawn needs to be healthy, green, and weed-free. After all, no one wants to play cornhole on rough grass. Make sure you’re taking care of every aspect of your backyard landscape.

     Your backyard landscape is only as strong as the lawn beneath it. Without healthy grass, even the most stunning patio or pergola loses its charm. Consider booking a lawn care consultation to optimize your soil, turf, and watering schedule — ensuring your new backyard features thrive. Yard Dawgs Lawn Care offers tailored services to make your lawn transformation sustainable — from the ground up.