Staying at home for a year can take a toll on one’s well-being. While it’s true that there’s no place like home, being confined to the same four walls for a year can be suffocating. Humans seek adventures and the outdoors. The best way to keep oneself sane while staying in quarantine is to make the most of your home’s outdoor space. Here are some tips for maximizing your yard and garden.
Build a greenhouse or orangery
If you have a green thumb you’d like to nurture, the best way to do it is by building a luxury greenhouse, conservatory, or orangery. Any of these will be of excellent use to you if you grow your own fruits or vegetables. The differences between these three are in their structures and purposes. Orangeries are made of brick and have a flat roof and large windows.
Conservatories and greenhouses are both made of glass, but the difference between them is that the former is built to allow humans to dwell in them. Conservatories serve an ornamental purpose, while greenhouses are for the cultivation of plants, and humans aren’t meant to stay in them for long.
Greenhouses also come in portable forms if you only have the resources or climate to the garden during limited seasons or prefer to have the option to free up space in your yard when you feel like it.
Topiary
Topiary is the art of shaping perennial plants into shapes. Gardeners who specialize in this horticultural practice are called topiarists. While it’s a high maintenance endeavor, few things make your garden stand out more than topiary. Shapes can take on simpler forms of spirals or orbs to more complex ones such as life-size animals. Topiarists typically install wireframes as molds and trim around them.
Light it up
Why work so hard on having a beautiful garden if it won’t be seen come nightfall? Invest in garden lighting so you can still bask in the glory of your home greenery at nighttime. Hang some festoon lights or lanterns to add elements of magic and festivity to dinners in your garden. Get some torchlights to illuminate your topiary and give it a different look at night.
Level up your outdoor living
You may be growing claustrophobic inside your house due to the prolonged isolation period. One way to fix that without risking anyone’s health and safety is to make use of your outdoor space. Move some furniture outdoors to create an outdoor lounge. Re-deck the patio for a more polished finish and place an awning or a grill overhead to keep you shaded during sunny days. Get ready for summer barbecues and bring your barbecue grill and other paraphernalia out to make an outdoor kitchen. For cooler nights, invest in an outdoor fire pit for s’mores and campfire stories.
Install water fixtures
Installing a fountain in your garden will boost not just the space’s aesthetic and economic value. It can also boost your well-being. The sound of water is soothing and can help to improve your mood. In feng shui, flowing water symbolizes prosperity and can represent cash flow and good fortune.
A birdbath will help not only the birds but you as well. Bird watching eases anxiety and depression, so take the chance to invite more of them to drop by your garden. Birdbaths come in many different designs, so there’s no doubt you’ll find one that suits the design scheme of your garden. If you’re so inclined, you can also craft a DIY birdbath using recycled materials lying around your house.
Build a garden room
If you’ve got the extra space, why not build a garden room? You’d be able to live out all your cottagecore dreams without having to leave your property. You can use it as a space to unwind or even as a home office. It’s scientifically proven that being around plants and greenery reduces our stress levels and improves focus and well-being. To get the creative juices flowing, British bestselling author, Neil Gaiman occasionally writes in a gazebo with large windows overlooking the trees and wildlife outside.
For a change in scenery, you can beautify your garden and take your daily routine outside. You can consider taking your meals by the fountain, curling up on the daybed with a good book, or doing some meditations by the birdbath. Being outdoors surrounded by fresh air, birds, and greenery is good for our mental and physical well-being. That way, you can take some time for yourself and focus on improving your wellness.
